Calling Beer Engine experts

The forum for discussing all kinds of brewing paraphernalia.
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Jim
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:11 am

Chassyh wrote:
Sat Jan 13, 2018 7:26 pm
Thanks, it may be helpful once I’ve got inside the cylinder. I assume step one is to undo the large nut with the serrated tail on it at the bottom of the cylinder. Is it right or left hand thread? I’m assuming it will be tight?
If my memory is correct, it's a normal right hand thread. And yes, mine was pretty tight - I put the nut in my woodworking vice and turned the BE with my hands.
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:11 pm

I’ve tried contacting EWL who are not very forthcoming, I had hoped for some dismantling instructions, the guy said ‘just undo the tail nut’ perhaps you would be so kind as to help me further. Does the entire cylinder bottom unscrew, or just the part with the hexagon head? Did you leave the cylinder in situ on the engine, or did you take it off?

Chassyh

Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Sat Jan 20, 2018 3:12 pm

Also, can anyone show me how to upload photos please? Thanks

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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:18 pm

Chas, here's some pics of the insides of my BE. Unfortunately they don't show the whole thing, but mine has a water jacket which, if I recall correctly, is just 2 concentric tubes held at each end by the top and bottom caps. The first pic shows the bottom of the BE (the bit with the large nut on the bottom) so as you can see, it is a separate part, not connected to the cylinder itself.

To attach photos to your posts, use the attachments tab below the text box in the reply page (you need to be in the full editor - quick reply doesn't show it).
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:13 pm

Found a pic of the cylinder itself. Contrary to my recollection, the top (where the spout connects) and the cylinder are one piece. I now think that the water jacket (which I don't have a pic of) is a slightly bigger cylinder, open at both ends.
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:40 am

Thanks for all help so far,I have managed to take the bottom cap off.

I don’t seem to have an attachments tab, but my pix would look similar to yours, I assume next is to take apart the cap, which will involve the ‘piece of wood with two nails’ you refer to in this thread somewhere? Also, I need to take the piston out, do I have to unscrew it at the top ?

Chassyh

Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:43 am

Aha! Got the full editor now!
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:45 pm

Bearing in mind it's a while since I had mine apart and my memory has seen better days:

To remove the bottom valve you need to turn the thing with the 4 little holes in it anti-clockwise to unscrew the valve assembly. In the absence of the proper tool, I stuck 4 small nails into the end of a plank of wood such that I could insert the nails into those 4 holes then use the plank as a spanner - it takes great care to avoid damaging the parts.

To dismantle the piston you have to remove the 'star' washer thing (it's acting like a circlip). Before you replace it you'll need to reshape it with pliers (unless you can get a new one) because otherwise it will be loose.
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Sun Jan 21, 2018 3:32 pm

Done that but don’t seem any further forward, the pin won’t budge and the brown plastic bit is ‘locked in’ by the chassis of the handle
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:24 pm

Sorry, I though you meant the valve end of the piston.

Just loosen the lock nut and unscrew the piston from the long brass hex bar.
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:58 pm

OK - so far so good, thanks to you Jim. I assume you replaced both black small o rings, one on the piston and one on the tail? The EWL kit includes both of those with the associated valve springs, the cylinder seals, and the white piston seal. Am I correct in thinking you didn’t replace the white one?
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Jim » Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:05 am

No I didn't replace the white piston ring thing. I didn't have a full set of service parts, just some o rings from B and Q.

I would change everything for new if I were you (though I'm not sure if I ever got it dismantled far enough to get that white ring off).
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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by demig » Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:03 pm

Jim wrote:No I didn't replace the white piston ring thing. I didn't have a full set of service parts, just some o rings from B and Q.

I would change everything for new if I were you (though I'm not sure if I ever got it dismantled far enough to get that white ring off).
That white ring is hard to shift and the new one is not easy to get on. I would be inclined to leave the current one on there if you can. If you do remove it be careful not to damage the surround, I nibbled at it with some side wire cutters until I could remove it.

To get the new one on is a challenge as it seems too tight, there must be something I was missing when I did it as it’s a part in a servicing kit so you would expect a method to get it on exists. I slotted part of the new one into the groove and then ran my thumbs around forcing it in, the far side is tricky and some keglube helped.

Good luck.


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Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:32 pm

Thanks one and all. I think I’ll go down the ‘Jim route’ of replacing the o rings, the white seal would need a set from EWL, reasonably cheap until you add the p&p then, well, not so cheap. How some of these firms come by their charges is beyond me, maybe just to dissuade us from repairs?

Chassyh

Re: Calling Beer Engine experts

Post by Chassyh » Tue Feb 06, 2018 6:18 pm

Once again thanks very much, the difference is truly amazing. When I swapped the o-rings I was, to be frank, sceptical. The new ones seemed much the same as the old, but I carried on and re-assembled. The pump will now draw water through from dry, and after 24 hours no water had leaked back down the pipe into my bucket. It now pulls as near as dammit 1/4 pt per pull.

Now I understand the valve mechanisms,I can only assume that before refurb, both were faulty in some way, maybe extraneous matter stopping them from closing effectively? The cylinder wasn’t the cleanest when I dismantled.

Before, the pump refused to work until primed with water, I ended up attaching the cask end of the pipe to the handle temporarily to stop all the liquid from draining out so that I could restart pumping later. I filled the pipe with a jug, and if I put the cask end too high, liquid ran out of the delivery pipe into the drip tray - both valves must have been open for this to happen??

I purchased a lot of o-rings from eBay (see pic) I used two of the biggest, I’m guessing they were 1 of 19.1x25.4mm and 1 of 20.6x27mm the labelling on the packet isn’t the clearest. These cost me the princely sum of £1.78 including p&p.

I am well chuffed with the result.
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