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Author Topic: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel  (Read 629 times)

Online Gordon Tarbell

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Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« on: April 21, 2012, 11:35:02 AM »
Was at the swap meet this morning at the local hobbyshop and saw this and had to have it. Looks old, got the org box and some operating instructions. Old decal and other papers. Feels kinda ruff to turn over , crank feels like it is draging eventhough it is listed as a roller race crank. I figure I should disassemble , clean , and reassemble before trying to run. Came with a fuel recipe to use and papers show a throttle style back plate but it has a planeole back plate on it instead. I am guessing it is an early 60's vintage. Like to get it running and put on a plane. I reckon a small profile would be appropriate. Was also tempted by a NIB Irvine 20 diesel but it was alot more $. hope this one will run and finnally christen me to the world of diesel.
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Offline Andrew Tinsley

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2012, 12:52:06 PM »
Hello Gordon,
I am an Oliver sort of bloke and these new fangled Rivers diesels are not for me! It sounds as though you got it cheap and they do fetch quite a bit on Ebay, so I don't think you have gone wrong in buying it. The 3.5 Rivers was aimed at the Combat people while their 2.5 offering was a direct challenge to the Olivers that had dominated team race for years. You are right in saying they are early 60s. They have needle races rather than ball races and although I have never tried to take one apart, I am told that you can finish up with a shower of needles going all over the place. I am not sure the needles were a good idea, but it was different at the time. Again from hearsay, I am informed they did vibrate a bit, but so did Oliver Majors.
I am pretty sure that you have got some dirt in the needle races by your description, so a good clean out is essential before running. If the AM tests are not available on Netties site, then I am sure I have the review somewhere, let me know if you want a copy and I will dig it out. If it runs well then fine, if not Ebay it and you may be surprised how much you get for it, especially as you have the box and papers. (Strange folk collectors, I wouldn't pay more than £30 for one, but then there are folk who would pay 5 times as much.)

Regards,

Andrew.

P.S. I would rather have the Irvine 20 anyday!
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Offline FLOYD CARTER

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2012, 03:04:46 PM »
Loose needle bearings can be held in place with Crisco! (while assembling).  Put the assembly in the 'fridge for a while and they won't move.

(I had to overhaul my '55 Chevy Bel Air transmission a few times, and a mechanic gave me that idea).

Floyd
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Offline Bill Little

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2012, 03:46:42 PM »
Hi Floyd,

As you know, any heavy grease will hold them in place.  ;D

BIG Bear
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Offline rustler

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2012, 05:39:35 PM »
It's unusual to find a Rivers with a gritty shaft. If you do take it apart be very careful not to lose any spacers or rollers. I reassemble them with a thickish grease to hold them in place initially, then tie a thin cotton loop round the assembly leaving long threads. Insert the shaft and front end of the bearing into the c/case, poke a scalpel blade down to the bearing and cut the thread. Pull out the thread and push the bearing into place.
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[I can remember the schedule o.k., the problem is remembering what was the last manoeuvre I just flew!].

Offline Jim Thomerson

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2012, 08:43:04 PM »
I had a used one.  I forgot about the roller bearings and got them all over the place.  I used Vaseline to hold them in place.  There was a backplate leak, so I put an O-ring on the backplate. For a long time, I was unable to get it to run, until I read the Aeromodeller review (which I do not have at hand) which raved about how easy it was to start and how well it ran. I put it on the stand again, and it fired right up and ran fine.  I think it was turning and APC 9x5 around 15,000.  It flew a large Flitestreak just fine. 
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Offline Brian Hampton

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2012, 09:34:03 PM »
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Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2012, 03:35:35 PM »
The Rivers engines (I had a 2.5) came to be known for snapping cranks at some of the stress areas caused by the recesses for the needle bearings. I would leave it together, except take the backplate off, and put it in the crock pot, figuring that it's globs of oil making it feel lumpy.  H^^ Steve
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Offline Jim Thomerson

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Re: Rivers Silver Arrow 3.5 diesel
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2012, 07:52:02 PM »
The engine shown on the Elmore site is the first model, which had a crank breakage problem.  It was replaced by a second model, which I had, with a bolt going through the prop into the crank. 
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