Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

Post Reply
SCBryan
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:37 pm
Location: Fort Wayne, IN

Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by SCBryan »

I am currently building a 1-1/2" Kozo Heisler and and have a question for anyone that has built a Kozo Heisler in the past. The oil piping from the lubricator on the front truck to the connection to the throttle assembly on top of the boiler is shown in the book to be one continuous pipe (with joints) with nothing flexible. This is unlike the axle pump located on the rear truck which incorporates a flexible hose. Since the front truck will swivel whenever the engine operates on anything but tangent track, wouldn't the constant flexing cause the oil piping to fatigue and eventually fail? Has anyone had an issue with this and if so, what was done to correct it?
Andy R
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:18 pm
Location: So. Calif.

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by Andy R »

Bryan,

I can't vouch for a 1.5-inch scale version, but the 3/4-inch scale one that my late father built well over 25 years ago has not yet exhibited any fatigue.

Some other things that you might consider:

Kozo's original manifold is a banjo fitting and on my Dad's Heisler, blew off while steaming up (thankfully straight up). I replaced it with a much safer manifold design of my own design. I wrote to Clover McKinley about it who forwarded it on to Kozo. He eventually replied by e-mail and i understand that a modified manifold design was printed in Live Steam magazine.

Another thing to consider is not making the axle pump per Kozo's design. The check ball is completely trapped thus making un-sticking the ball a bit of work. I spent the better part of a memorable morning with the locomotive upside down on my lap at a GGLS small scales meet disassembling the thing just to un-stick the ball. I still have not made a replacement ... too many other projects.

Regards,
Andy
kapullen
Posts: 761
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2003 9:30 pm
Contact:

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by kapullen »

I purchased a Kozo 3/4" Heisler in January.
It has no lubricator and I couldn't find details in the book on how to hook it up.
It was reportably built by a Dentist years ago and has never been run.

I did the clubs boiler calculations preparing for inspection. Operating pressure is supposed to be eighty pounds.

The calculations came in at 79 psi.
Granted, I could have messed up the calculations.
The next day another man at the club compared
Notes and had the same outcome in his calculations
With a different copper boilered engine.

I could run it at 70 pounds.

Our Boilers in maryland have to be tested double pressure the first time.

Any bulging in the firebox would ruin this engine
Even as a static model real quick.

The engine went on the back burner real quick.
It sits on the mantle in the den as it did with the previous owner for 25 years.

Kap
Fadal Turn, Fadal Vmc 15, Prototrak 16 x 30 Cnc Lathe, Pratt and Whitney 16 x 54 lathe, Pratt and Whitney Vertical Shaper, G & E 16" Shaper, B & O Electric turret lathe, 36" Doall band saw,
Enco B.P. Clone, Bridgeport CNC Mill, Delta 12" Surface Grinder.
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10460
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by Bill Shields »

KAP:

Never having looked at the MD code, I am guessing that with a safety factor of assuming 4, your calcs show that you can run the boiler at 70 PSI, and you are concerned about bulging if you cold hydro it at 140 PSI? Ouch....

regarding all these lubrication posts....some thoughts / observations, FWTW:

anybody seen a Raritan with a lubricator???

I have a 3/4" Tom Thumb that has run for 15+ hard years -> and the only internal lubrication it gets is when I shut it down and fill everything with oil to wash / pump the water out from the cast iron cylinders / valve chests -> since there is no way to drain anything (not a good design from that standpoint)
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by NP317 »

WIth operating steam pressure of 70 psi I would expect the saturated steam to provide the lubrication.
My steam launch's 60+ year old Blackstaff steeple compound engine (1.5" x 3.0" x 2.5") continues to operate as designed after all those decades of condensate lubrication.
Operating pressure is 100 psi.

RussN
User avatar
Benjamin Maggi
Posts: 1409
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:38 pm
Location: Albany, NY

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by Benjamin Maggi »

Is Roy Carruther a member here? He built a Kozo Heisler that I wrote about in LS&OR in 2011
"One cannot learn to swim without getting his feet wet." - Benjamin Maggi
- Building: 7.25" gauge "Sweet Pea" named "Catherine"
sncf141r
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:06 am
Location: Canada

Re: Kozo Heisler Lubricator Question

Post by sncf141r »

kapullen wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 7:51 am
I did the clubs boiler calculations preparing for inspection. Operating pressure is supposed to be eighty pounds.

The calculations came in at 79 psi.
Granted, I could have messed up the calculations.
The next day another man at the club compared
Notes and had the same outcome in his calculations
With a different copper boilered engine.
What exactly "failed" and caused the issue?

Thanks - JohnS.
Post Reply