CS spares

[pipemakermike]

Has anybody any advice on how I can obtain a replacement crankshaft for my poorly CS Oliver Mk3 replica?

I have 2 CS Olivers one that I have had a long while and one that is a more recent acquisition.  The earlier one is a great running engine and the later one was still being run in when it got very unhappy and, on striping it down, it was clear that the shaft had cracked across the inlet hole.  This was most probably due to the shaft being left dead hard and the spirol oil control feature leaving a very sharp stress raiser from where the crack seemed to emanate.  I just put the engine away and forgot about it but now having found it again in the back of a draw I would like to get it running again. some research has shown that these engines have  a bit of a reputation for shaft cracks but I would guess that this stems from a bad batch of shafts as none of the later ones in our club have had a problem.

It is also the case that the CS version is not a like for like copy of an original Oliver but has been redesigned in metric so that none of the other copies, all in inches like the original, can be a source of spares for the CS versions.

It is not impossible that I can make a replacement shaft but it is not a simple job.

[Dick Pacini]

You might try MECOA.

http://www.mecoa.com/parts.htm

[qaz049]

Has anybody any advice on how I can obtain a replacement crankshaft for my poorly CS Oliver Mk3 replica?

I have 2 CS Olivers one that I have had a long while and one that is a more recent acquisition.  The earlier one is a great running engine and the later one was still being run in when it got very unhappy and, on striping it down, it was clear that the shaft had cracked across the inlet hole.  This was most probably due to the shaft being left dead hard and the spirol oil control feature leaving a very sharp stress raiser from where the crack seemed to emanate.  I just put the engine away and forgot about it but now having found it again in the back of a draw I would like to get it running again. some research has shown that these engines have  a bit of a reputation for shaft cracks but I would guess that this stems from a bad batch of shafts as none of the later ones in our club have had a problem.

It is also the case that the CS version is not a like for like copy of an original Oliver but has been redesigned in metric so that none of the other copies, all in inches like the original, can be a source of spares for the CS versions.

It is not impossible that I can make a replacement shaft but it is not a simple job.

Steve Rothwell used to make a high strength replacement shaft for the CS "Oliver" but they're all gone now.

Otherwise try this lot:

http://www.csmodelengine.com/index.php?a=contact

Good luck!

[bob whitney]

i have a C/S OLI in pieces  make me an offer and i will ship it to you

[pipemakermike]

Hi Bob

I'd need to know more but I am interested. Why is it in bits?

[Jim Kraft]

Sounds like Madewell 49's. I broke two shafts at the port on mine, but Jim Lee ran one for years without problems.

[bob whitney]

i got it for nostalgia FAI TR  ,  the piston and sleeve was so over size that the contrapiston started sliding up and down the sleeve, i i made a contrapiston from aluminum to get by  we had one race and that was it ,i took it apart to make a new steel contrapiston  and never got it done the sharp edges have been polished and rounded offon the crank

[rustler]

I've read Alberto's bumph on the T3 and it says it's made to metric measures. Maybe one of his shafts would fit?

[qaz049]

I've read Alberto's bumph on the T3 and it says it's made to metric measures. Maybe one of his shafts would fit?

Maybe it will fit, but it would be a serious insult to fine Ukrainian workmanship if someone was able to produce a T3/CS hybrid engine.

 

[pipemakermike]

I've read Alberto's bumph on the T3 and it says it's made to metric measures. Maybe one of his shafts would fit?

I have one of the T4s (the 3.2cc version of the Oliver) on order from him.  I was very impressed with the design as exposed in the Aeromodeller article.

I have agreed a price with Bob and his "CS Oliver in bits" will be making its way across the pond.  I should be able to make a working engine from our combined bits.  Further down the road I "may" be able to either remachine the crankcase to take metric bearings and thus open the door to a number of opportunities, finally get a response from the UK importer or just make a new shaft myself.

Interestingly, My Friend Brian Turner (UK stunt flyer and one of our best engine makers) has been helping Tom Ridley (the chap who has taken over the making of Olivers with the blessing of John Oliver) to further improve the performance of his engines. To help with this Brian borrowed one of my Olliver Mk4s and my good CS Oliver Mk3 copy to measure and run.  The results were very interesting with the CS outperforming the Oliver Mk4 by a large margin.  I will write this up when Brian has finished.

[pipemakermike]

I have agreed a price with Bob and his "CS Oliver in bits" will be making its way across the pond. 

Hi Bob.  The bits arrived today and I will start the task of making a silk purse out of two sow's ears.  Thanks again for your help in this.