How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

Today I finished installing the manifolds onto the block. I then began adding the throttle linkages. On the original block there was a small shaft for holding the return spring. On the block I’m using there wasn’t one. However there are threaded holes for side mounts in the right position. So I decided to make up a threaded shaft that can simply screw into the hole. Once done it will easily do the job. I wanted to put in a small grove for the end of the spring to sit in. Since I don’t have a lathe of my own yet I rigged up something in the drill press. I mounted the shaft in the drill press, then my dremel in the vice. I put a small diamond cutting bit in the dremel and turned it and the drill press on. I then simply turned the vice in and let the spinning things do their thing. Everything worked great and the part will was I do what I wanted it to do.

[Bob Carriere]

On my engine, I bolted a small L bracket to the side mount holes and drilled small holes in the bracket to accept the curved end of the spring. I also added a spring directly below the vertical linkage and made a clip, held by one of the oil pan bolt, to attache the bottom section of the tall spring. This overcomes all the linkage friction and brings back the carb to idle when the throttle is relelased.

Start practicing going .....vroom vrooom vrooom.......

Cheers

[rob love]

I remember those days of turning things on the drill press. Once I finally picked up and installed the lathe a whole new world opened.

When I got the job at the Shilo museum, I would bring stuff home to turn. Then one day I sliced my thumb open pretty good...it happens, but if it's company material, then it should be done on company time and company machinery. So I scoured the DND catalogue of material for suitable lathes, checked DRMIS for available ones, and got a very very nice Afghanistan veteran: a 7-1/2 HP Colchester with digital readout that only served over there for less than a year, was shipped back and was languishing in the Montreal supply depot. I now have a favorite lathe.

[Jordan Baker]

I can’t wait to get a metal lathe. It’s on my list but so is a new deck and some landscaping around the house.

Anyway back to fun stuff out in the shop. Today I just wanted to get a few small things installed on the engine. I was fortunate that the wartime engine still had the original drain cock and steam bypass fitting. After cleaning them up I decided to use them. However the mounting holes were smaller on the new engine. Thankfully brass adapter fittings are available. I screwed in the drain fitting only to have it snap off inside the block. I didn’t have any of the extractor bits so I simply drilled it it carefully then ran a threading tap. Another trip to town was now in order and I picked up another fitting. This time I made sure to not put that one last turn into it. All worked out.

[Jordan Baker]

Finally started in on reassembling the transmission. I’m going with the Royal Purple 75/90 gear oil Rob suggested. I dipped the bearings into some of the oil before inserting them. I also dipped the the one gear set with the bushings before pressing the shaft into place.

[Jordan Baker]

The transmission is almost fully reassembled. All of the gears and bearings are back in and no parts are left over. One question I do have is about wiring the screws on the input shaft retainer. Can I use any wire that will snugly fit the holes in the screws or is there a special locking wire I should be using? Also is there a certain way I should wire them up? The manual isn’t very clear on this?

[Grant Bowker]

On aircraft there are often 2 wires used, twisted together between bolts and arranged so that the bolts could tighten without breaking the wire but not loosen. In your application, you could probably get away with one wire in almost any configuration and it would be hard for the bolts to loosen even a quarter turn before being stopped by the wire.