Disassembly and cleaning begins

I decided to start with where there may be any level of urgency. Triage. Water infiltration is a good start. The air compressor was the first thing to come apart because I had already noticed water coming out the head when turning over the engine.  The engine is started via compressed air stored in a large tank.  The engine-mounted compressor replenishes the supply. Sure enough, a little water in the cylinder.  The head had a fair amount of rust and the moving parts were stuck but not terribly so. A little soaking with Liquid Wrench freed up the parts within a week.

 

The engine has two Madison-Kipp oilers that lubricate most everything including bearings and cylinders. More on these in a later post. But there are two separate drip oilers, one on the air distributor and one on the compressor. The oiler on the compressor had water in it.  Taking it apart also reveled a shattered sight glass. The markings on the oiler are stamped ‘Essex Brass Corp’. A quick google.  Turns out Essex Brass is still in Detroit and still making oilers and parts!

I pulled off the glow plug system and some of the cooling lines. As each part comes off I clean, assesses, label and put smaller parts into ziplock bags. Cleaning means wiping down with mineral spirits and/or running through my parts washer with a brush.  I am also doing general degreasing of the engine itself as I go, again with mineral spirits.  Paper towels are being purchased by the case.