Need bigger tank

Propane gas cylinders with the top cut off make nice cooling tanks. They come in a range of sizes and are made from a good quality heavy gauge steel. Just be careful to purge all the gas out and fill with water or similar before going anywhere near with a cutting device!

Regards

Dan

In terms of volume 10gallons should be more than enough for off-load running. Can you devise a means of raising the existing tank? For example an extra box between base and tank. ttfn Roland

Hi Roland,

Thanks for the suggestion.

I could just about. I could go about 2" higher before the bottom of the tank is level with the bottom of the cylinder/head jacket, which would probably do the job. The tank I've got looks a bit out of proportion so I thought that whilst I've got it apart and making a new trolley, I would try to get a bigger tank.

Regards

Mark

Dan,

Hmmm. That's an idea. I wonder if the better half would notice if the kitchen hob stopped working? - I've just spotted a 19Kg cylinder that's the right sort of size!

Regards

MARK

Where the bottom of the tank is does not matter unless you subscribe to the reverse gravity theory propounded by one rallyist of several of our acquaintance :-) Sadly original tanks are rather hard to come by and the highly suitable 20 gallon grease/paint drums have almost disappeared in favour of plastic regards Roland

Mark,

As Roland has already commented be careful not to have too big a tank, particularly for rallying with little or no load as you can overcool the engine, remember a hopper cooled A is quite happy with only about 3 gallons in it.

You can usually pick up gas cylinders from your local council refuse dump - they can't be scrapped easily and often they are glad to get rid of them. Most of mine have been picked up from the roadside where they've been abandoned when empty.

Regards

Dan

Roland,

Good point. I read (and temporarily believed) in an American book on "Gas Engines" about the ideal tank position, but now you've pointed it out, I can see it is, of course, crap!

I guess the main thing is to get the thermal siphon working properly otherwise it is going to be less effective than a hopper cooled engine.

I'd still like a bigger tank though - if only for aesthetic reasons!

Thanks

MARK

Dan,

OK, you've got me convinced. I'll try it with the existing tank at the right height to get the siphon working with a small pump load and see how it goes.

Thanks

MARK

That's easy - get a tank of the correct proportions and fit the original small tank inside it to reduce the capacity. Would take a bit of fiddling but the end result would be the best of both worlds.

Regards

Dan

Hi Mark, That takes me back to my first engine 27 years ago. see

look for Lister A. The tank I used I got from my local chemical works. They had clip on tops.

-- Dave Croft Warrington England

Map Map

Yes, that's the sort of thing!

The great majority of my stuff is air cooled, but I can pass on a comment from an Old Hand who told me that the height of the base of the tank in relation to the cylinder head is important and that the steeper the rise the better.

Incidentally, the bore size of the pipes is important too, the bigger (and smoother internally) the better

Regards,

Kim Siddorn,