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“With [Engine] Pack 3, you will assemble the Pistons and fit them to the Engine Parts you received with [Engine] Pack 1.”
Contents
Parts
Instructions for Engine Packs 3-6 (Digital Version – click to download PDF)
Build
The Pistons
Step 01
Fit the two round holes of a Compression Ring onto the matching posts of a Dome.
Make sure the ring is pressed down onto the two flat-sided pegs as shown. There are six identical copies of each part in this pack, so any of them can be used in any order here. Since I noticed that they are all numbered 1-6, I did match the #1 Dome to the #1 Compression Ring to the #1 Piston, and so on just for fun. I don’t think it actually matters:
Step 02
Fit the top holes of a Piston down onto the same posts of the Dome, capturing the Compression Ring between the parts, as shown:
While holding these parts together, secure the Piston to the Dome with two (2) HP screws:
Step 03
Fit the narrow end of a Conrod inside the Piston, aligning it to the large holes of the Piston ‘skirt’, as shown:
Slide a Piston Pin through the Piston, capturing the end of the Conrod, as shown.
Note that these Piston Pins have a flat edge on the wide end:
Looking at the holes through the Piston skirt, only one side has a matching flat edge:
Make sure this is the side you insert the Piston Pin into and it is fully seated by lining up the flat edges, as shown:
Secure the Piston Pin into place from the other side of the Piston with one (1) IP screw:
Repeat Steps 01-03 five more times to assemble the remaining Piston assemblies in the same way:
Step 04
Retrieve your Cylinder Block assembly from Engine Pack 1. Slide three of the Piston assemblies down into the cylinders of the Right Combustion Chamber, Conrod end first as shown.
NOTE: On my model, I completed Steps 04 and 05 after I placed the Crankshaft in Step 06 so I could add the Pistons in numerical order and oil everything as I went (see Step 06). However, I took these photographs if you want to follow the printed instructions for Steps 04 and 05.
This is technically the left side of the engine, but since all of the Pistons assemblies should be the same, it does not matter which ones you use here:
As you insert each Piston assembly, rotate it to align the wide end of the Conrods to be parallel with the front and rear ends of the engine:
Step 05
Slide the remaining three Piston assemblies down into the cylinders of the Left Combustion Chamber, Conrod end first.
Again, rotate these to align the wide end of the Conrods to be parallel with the front and rear ends of the engine:
Step 06
Retrieve your Crankshaft assembly from the previous pack. Fit the Crankshaft into the bottom of the Cylinder Block as shown.
It is recommended to apply a drop of lubricating oil to all of the surfaces where metal will rotate on metal (arrows below). The same 3-in-One Oil I recommend for use on metal screws can be also used here:
Slide one of the Pistons down into the Cylinder Block until you can align the rounded end of its Conrod around the matching Connecting Rod (journal) of the Crankshaft, as shown.
This is where I actually started to install the Pistons from Steps 04 and 05. I chose to install my pistons in numerical order, but you do not have to do this – the Pistons are all the same, so you can do it however you like. First, I added oil to the inside of the rounded end of my Piston #1 Conrod:
Next, I used a cotton swab to lightly oil the inside of cylinder #1 on the front right of the engine block:
Then, I inserted Piston/Conrod #1 into the cylinder and aligned the Conrod to the matching Connecting Rod of the Crankshaft. I added numbers to these images to show the cylinder numbers:
Place a Conrod Cap over the same Connecting Rod and secure it to the Conrod with two (2) JM screws.
I added oil to the inside curved surface of the Conrod Cap:
Then, I secured the #1 Conrod Cap into place. This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:
Repeat this process for the remaining five Pistons, securing each Conrod to the Crankshaft using the Conrod Covers and ten (10) more JM screws.
If you were wondering – from front to back the Pistons connect to the Crankshaft in numerical order 1-2-3-4-5-6 (same as the firing order). Here, I installed my #2 Piston/Conrod assembly on the left side and secured it to the Crankshaft, oiling the mating surfaces as I went along:
Piston/Conrod #3 went in next, behind #1 on the right side:
I continued to add the remaining Piston assemblies front to back in numerical order until all six were attached to the Crankshaft:
Thoughts
I do enjoy mechanical things. I am glad they included accurate details in this engine such as the counter-balanced Crankshaft plates, connecting rod shapes and rod caps. The part names are a little off, calling the journals on the Crankshaft ‘Connecting Rods’ and calling the actual connecting rods ‘Conrods’, but the end result is the same. Even how the rods are connected to the crank is like a real engine!
Next Up
Engine 4 – Crank Girdle, Oil Distributor/Connector, Pipe Joints