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Author Topic: Spitzy Fuel Tank?  (Read 1122 times)

Offline Andrew Tinsley

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Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« on: January 23, 2011, 12:26:29 PM »
Hello All,
This is not strictly control line, but it is an engine question. I am hoping to resucitate a Spitzy for new Grandson. It needs a few bits and pieces, assuming that I can find these bits, can someone tell me how the tank works? It has one nipple in it and that is for the fuel tube up to the spraybar. I suppose that you could use this as a filler, but there is NO vent, anywhere! Assuming one can get fuel in, after a short run, the engine must stop, because of the lowered air pressure in the tank. Without a vent, air cannot get in to replace the fuel that has been used!
  The nipple in the tank is on a boss, which is large enough for another hole to be drilled in it. The engine looks as though it has never run, maybe that is so, because of the lack of a vent? Or am I missing something, before I get out my mini drill?
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Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2011, 09:03:55 PM »
Andrew; I'm not much help, but you might try filling the tank and see where the overflow comes out. It may be vented into the crankcase. If you can get fuel to go in it, it has to have a vent somewhere. If fuel won't go in you may just have to get out your little drill. It would only take a pinhole.
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Offline Tim Wescott

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2011, 09:21:07 PM »
There had to have been a vent somewhere, or the engines would have never sold.
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Offline Andrew Tinsley

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2011, 01:34:24 AM »
Hi Jim and Tim,
Tried filling it as you suggested, almost impossible to get fuel into the detached fuel feed tube, at least very difficult. Using a valve spout plastic filling bottle, one had to stop every few seconds, then fuel would blow back out of the tubing. Pretty obvious there was either a blocked vent somewhere, or there was no vent at all. Tried running it and as expected it started and stopped after a few seconds run time.
  In the end, I drilled a small hole in the tank  next to the fuel tube nipple. Everything then worked as it should, didnt run it much as there isn't too much thread in the prop nut (some vandal sawed a chunk off the crank and I had improvised a washer as a prop driver (origional was missing).
  So mystery solved, I must have had an engine that did not have a vent drilled in it, so at least the engine must be basically unrun! If I can find replacements for the missing and butchered parts, then I have virtually a new unrun Spitzy. Thanks for the replies !

Regards,

Andrew.
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Offline Jim Kraft

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2011, 07:39:27 AM »
Thanks for the report Andrew; It's always nice when someone has a problem that we get the reported fix. I had a friend that had one on a Firebaby back in the 50's, and it must have had a vent somewhere, as it did run. I am guessing yours just got through with out one to begin with. Makes for a pristine engine, at least, if the PO had not buggered it up. Hope you find the needed parts, as they are a really neat old engine.
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Offline Andrew Tinsley

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2011, 09:05:04 AM »
Thanks Jim,
I called a friend who I just thought may have a Spitzy, he did! On his, there is a vent hole just about the same place as I drilled the tank for one. So I guess that my engine was a late Friday afternoon job and someone forgot to drill the hole for the vent!
  I think I can probably make up a prop driver (The splines for it are on the cranckshaft), if I can't find one somewhere. Thinking of the truncated (read sawn off!) threaded part of the crank. It should be easy to make up a sleeve nut (think that is the correct term), a tube with a Hexagon on one end and an internal thread. Might have to ream out the prop, but it should work. Have plenty of time because the grandson is only 4 months old! Should have the Spitzy fixed up and running in a small freeflight job by the time he is old enough!
  I was thinking of a freeflight job, because I thought they may be a bit down on power. Once he is hooked, we can get the control line stuff out, just got to get the poor little chap flying control line!

Thanks again,

Andrew.
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Offline dennis lipsett

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2011, 12:50:46 PM »
Quote from: Andrew Tinsley on January 24, 2011, 09:05:04 AM
Thanks Jim,
I called a friend who I just thought may have a Spitzy, he did! On his, there is a vent hole just about the same place as I drilled the tank for one. So I guess that my engine was a late Friday afternoon job and someone forgot to drill the hole for the vent!
  I think I can probably make up a prop driver (The splines for it are on the cranckshaft), if I can't find one somewhere. Thinking of the truncated (read sawn off!) threaded part of the crank. It should be easy to make up a sleeve nut (think that is the correct term), a tube with a Hexagon on one end and an internal thread. Might have to ream out the prop, but it should work. Have plenty of time because the grandson is only 4 months old! Should have the Spitzy fixed up and running in a small freeflight job by the time he is old enough!
  I was thinking of a freeflight job, because I thought they may be a bit down on power. Once he is hooked, we can get the control line stuff out, just got to get the poor little chap flying control line!

Thanks again,

Andrew.


The Spitzy is an .045 and was never a world beater even when it was the newest engine on the block. It is a delightful F/F engine and will do wonders on a Dakota Bipe.We tried Spitzies back in the 50's and even with Francisco fuel which had a generous shot of Nitro Benzyne it didn't rock the world. Read that as the model flew like a turd. Still if you had some of those RTF models that were made for it you would have some truly beautiful genuine wood arfs.
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Offline Marvin Denny

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2011, 02:00:48 PM »
  Andrew is the thrust washer on the Spitzy the same as on the Baby Spitfire .045?  If so, I may have a thrust washer in the junk barrel (got about 4 Baby spits).

  Bigiron
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Offline Andrew Tinsley

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Re: Spitzy Fuel Tank?
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2011, 03:19:03 AM »
Thanks Dennis and Marvin,
I suspected that the Spitzy wasn't going to be a world beater, so it is going into a 30 inch span Slicker Mite. It is a good looking streamlined pylon model from the late 1940s. Great looking elliptical wings and not a good performer. I think the Spitzy would be enough power for it to waft around in a non pylon fashion. I am reserving my more powerful small engines for a collection of small control line models. You have to catch them yound these days, before TV and video games win out!
  Marvin, I have sent a PM to you. I believe the prop drivers are the same on the Baby Spitfire and the Spitzy.

Thanks again,

Andrew.
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