Stuart 10V - rust in valve chest

Hi all,

I'm adding the Reversing Gear to my Stuart 10V.

Upon removing the valve chest cover I noticed there is rust towards the Inlet side of the chest.

I have been adding light oil to all moving surfaces, so was surprised to find the rust. The 10V has spent most of its life indoors with perhaps 10% of it's life in the garden shed. It is powered by a Hyundai air compressor.

I has now dawned on me that I should have occasionally been unscrewing the Inlet connection and adding oil into the valve chest.

I imagine the moisture is arriving via the compressed air and condenses on the cold mild steel valve chest.

I can remove the rust, but wonder if there is better way of adding oil, than unscrewing the Inlet? eg a little brass fitting that screws in to the top of the valve chest and dispenses a tiny drop of oil every few minutes (when the 10V is functioning). It would somehow have to keep the pressure seal intact.

I have had a quick Google and search of the Forum but nothing pops up.

Any advice regarding a possible oil gladly welcomed.

Regards,

Ches

Addendum: I've just spotted some 10Vs on Google images with a small, upright cylinder fitted upstream of the Inlet ...hmm...and Stuart models sell such a thing ( https://www.stuartmodels.com/product/displacement-lubricators/ - Displacement Lubricator, which I now remember reading about months ago). But it's £50 (less VAT) which is about half the cost of the 10V casting kit...double hmm.

Any thoughts/advice still welcome

Sounds like you need a moisture trap in the air line

Roy

You need one of these fairly greedy with thin air tool oil, but much better with thicker car engine oil. Or you could make a proper oil pump such as the on on Minnie.

If you run your engines on compressed air you might use an in-line oiler like this. This will lubricate not only the Valve system but also the Piston. A Displacement Lubricator needs steam to work properly.

Thor

Thank you all for the advice. I'm learning/realising new things every day.

Roy, there is an alleged moisture trap in the regulator I'm using, but it probably isn't that efficient.

Dave and Thor, thanks for the in-line oiler suggestion ...that'll probably be my solution. And Thor, for the info that a Displacement Lubricator needs steam to work ... I had read that many months ago but soon forgot.

OK, onwards we go. Thanks again.

Ches.

Edited By Ches Green UK on 20/03/2022 14:42:43

I've not found the inline oilers work that well with the low pressures that I tend to run may engines at. I just add a drop of oil into the inlet before running which is good for an hour or two.

Jason,

I've just ordered a couple of in-line oilers from Amazon, so will give that a go. But I suspect you are right - add a drop of oil at the Inlet.

The 10V did run well at low pressure, but now that I'm adding the Reversing Gear there is an extra eccentric to rotate so maybe the pressure will rise slightly.

Regards,

Ches

It's not just the low pressure they don't work well with it's also the low volume of air, most air tools want approx 10cfm or more, be lucky to use 0.1cfm on a 10v

'low volume of air'...OK, got it, thanks.

Ches

if ruinning on air you will ALWAYS get moisture, try adding a little hydraulic oil at source

just seen your bit about displacement lubricator, for it to work it needs steam

Might as well join in ! Air tool inline oilers are unlikely to be much good as the low volume will not pick up the oil. As it's name implies, the displacement lubricator works by condensing a small amount of steam which in turn DISPLACES the oil in the oil reservoir, this is then entrained in the steam supply to the engine. In most the steam to the lubricator can be stopped whilst the water is drained and the reservoir refilled so the engine need not be stopped. Good Luck Noel.

Bernard, Noel,

Thanks for your inputs.

The practical solution for me currently will be to manually add oil at the inlet.

I'll try the airline oiler that is incoming just to get a feel for how it functions but, since the 10V will only run occasionlly, the oiler will probably end up in the 'useful one day' box.

Thanks again to everyone for all the comments that have pointed to the sensible solution...manual oiling in the valve chest.

Ches.