Homemade Steam engine Briggs & Stratton conversion

I converted a Briggs & Stratton into a steam engine

[@cmh-re]

Seems to work well, but you have made 2 errors. 1- the pressure gauge has to be placed before the inlet valve, if you want a more accurate reading, else you need to use one of those to check engine compression ratio. 2- the inlet valve is made to keep the pressure inside the motor. it's not made to keep compressed air from entering the cylinder. I also suggest to put something like a big pipe between the air/steam valve and the motor inlet, like a 1" pipe, to make sort of a burst storage. It absorbes energy while emptying the cylinder and provides a burst in the filling phase. I would also say that the current pressure gauge is reading half the maximum pressure, 'cause it's doing the mean between 0 and max pressure. Great work!

[@youtubeisfullofspam7068]

Couldn't have said it better myself

[@emil.honganmaki5461]

Yes, the pipe coming to the engine must have a control valve, you can adjust the revs accordingly. this is how it is in all steam engines..and a certain decent pressure in the boiler.

[@FPZzzz]

Why don't you make one and show us how it works?

[@xmzyno1474]

This is interesting and I’m glad your on to the right track. I can imagine this in an off grid setup to charge batteries thus powering a cabin. 120v at 5a (600w) would be an ideal start. Just throw a couple of logs in the boiler add water and bam!

[@frank1424]

Excellent. Thank you Daniel Borg for making this wonterful steam engine and denomstating how it works. From Liver pool England.

[@chalkie1231]

Not sure why nobody thought of a steam generator for campers ?? Simply throw the boiler in the fire & away you go ......

[@jlyle51]

Until it blows up! Steam is not easy to safely produce ! A boiler has to be watched close! Safety first ! Steam can hurt you !

[@lukasbekcic]

@@jlyle51 well I guess there’s why nobody thought about it then 👍🏼

[@teammouse]

@@jlyle51 just put a safety valve on it lol its not a big deal

[@joshuadenman9977]

They have.

[@FiercefoxProductions]

I agree! Very good ideology

[@novanut1964]

i driiled and tapped the b&s cam, added 1/4" bolt, rounded off, to make it a 2 stroke, $14, ran lawnmower on 80# steam, from a hospital under counter autoclave sterilizer. bought 50' steam rated rubber hose and cut grass. steam conddnsate getting into the crankcase oil would be a problem if trying to use it alot. good video, thanks

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Really cool, think I've seen this video before, crazy how i came back to the same rabbit hole again :)

[@vancemacd6315]

Super cool. I'd love to see the crank lobes, and or how you changes or added.

[@TrueHelpTV]

same..

[@pepposax]

Go to 4:30 of this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2KvhIuqgrKaipIsi=rNP_LT-k53-zOMb3 The camshaft still rotates at half the speed of the crankshaft but, thanks to the second lobe 180 degree phased, the valve will open at each revolution and not at each two revolutions of the crank.

[@northernbohemianrealist1412]

I found your video after seeing the devastation in the Philippines. All kinds of wood and no electricity leads me to think that your simple generator could save lives.

[@fluorescentblack4336]

Thanks for taking the time to make and upload this video. A couple of questions: Did you have to do much tuning with the new lobes on the cam? Did you ever build a boiler for it?

[@lembriggs1075]

Very educational. I am glad you are getting it. Cheers!

[@London_UK654]

It's a awesome generator and keep the steam pressure up

[@gy4246]

Impressive Mate! Thank you for sharing

[@robertallen3631]

Two connected by a timing belt in obverse configuration would be like a locomotive.

[@LawnDart98k]

Super rad man. Cheers from Tennessee 🐿️💪

[@fuelban]

Nice, well made and well explained video... Very interesting stuff... Thanks ... Thom in Scotland.

[@scottsnodgrass4361]

See a lot of thought inspiring comments but a few critics that didn’t seem to listen. No, he didn’t use steam for this demo. He said that. Steam is a whole separate issue but for now he has the power head. Nice job!

[@aliriobenavidesvalencia1793]

Muy bien gracias feliz año nuevo mister Ford gracias.

[@beefsoda1]

Fascinating. I'm looking into building a small steam engine car

[@lukewarm2075]

Great work mate

[@richarddrempel8912]

Cool video. It’s just what I want to build to run on steam.

[@ballHand]

That's sweet man

[@robinburkey2466]

Please can you tell me, how do you lubricate the bottom end. Can you just fill the crankcase like normal or,will you use some kind of oil injection?

[@kevinfilbin7688]

What are the long term maintenance concerns of a steam engine?

[@WildfoxFabrication]

aha! it looks almost the same as mine! except mine runs backwards because i used the exhaust as the air input cause it was already threaded. nice!

[@danielborg3115]

Nice! Cheers!

[@WildfoxFabrication]

@@realfamilyman i just oil mine occasionally, steam engines run a lot slower than a gasoline engine meaning its not a big deal if its not oiled but i just oil the crank bushings and under the connecting rod occasionally just to help it last a long time

[@WildfoxFabrication]

@@realfamilyman i just take the crankcase cover off and oil stuff, ideally id have the side cut out but what im doing now seems to work fine so why change it 😂

[@howardwestercamp2799]

@@realfamilyman h99b

[@rickybailey7123]

I'm looking at doing a bigger engine im going to leave the oil in the bottom and it will separate when not in use drain it off before starting it my thoughts

[@sameer745100]

im surprised that no one has made drop in cams for this

[@whitehorsewingchun]

Nice work - have you tried gears to increase power output ? Seems you have torque going to waste ?

[@raymondburnette4260]

Anything on the cams? Would like to see what it looks like

[@kevinpritchard3592]

Pretty cool man

[@robertchristensen7950]

When you switch over to steam, it would be better to use coils for the boiler than a huge tank of water. Youll have a couple liters being heated rather than 20-30 gallons.

[@johnslugger]

You can just change the cam gear from 2/1 to a 1/1 ratio.

[@SailorJohn34]

I've built a few of these.. one day I want to mount them together and make a compressor powered by air... hmm

[@justtinkering6713]

Can someone answer this question.? How do you keep the engine from rusting? Doesn't all that steam rust the engine inside?

[@tonyasmara9066]

Great, I like it. The output voltage are quite high to charge battery. Is that using treadmill motor?

[@davekimbler2308]

Couldn’t you run on both intake and exhaust valves with a splitter on the air line and use a low pressure gauge and run the exhaust out the spark plug hole ? Just wondering ?!

[@alexalbers9928]

Would an air compressor work so that steam drove the crank shaft and not the motor

[@aaronlarsen7447]

Id like to strip an old Datsun pickup, add a water tank, batteries. Run it on propane, wood pellets, whatever is available and cheap. A person could buy a small pellet mill and press their own. It could be driven instantly as a hybrid, before the boiler is even hot. It's all 120 year old technology.

[@slickwillie3376]

Salt water or fresh water can be converted to hydrogen three or four different ways, involving electricity. So this can be used on boats as a heat source for external combustion engines, like Stirling and steam Engines. Think about the fact that you could use the entire Earth's water as your fuel. Never buy much fuel, only use your diesel engine in port or for show during Coast Guard inspections. Only when you absolutely have to. Otherwise, a Stirling engine gets you moving while the boiler heats up, then switch over to steam power. An engine could even be designed as a Stirling/steam combo engine to get the boat moving while the boiler heats up. Of course, the oil companies won't like this, but it's a fact.

[@woodworks2123]

Would it be simpler to use a 2 stroke engine to convert?

[@wilsterone6689]

The steam pressure will overcome the spring holding the intake valve closed under heavy load. You need to find a way to connect the valve mechanicaly to the crank shaft to maintain the timing regardless of pressure.

[@jr540123]

Could just put a meaner spring in there. They make racing parts for these little buggers.

[@wilsterone6689]

@@jr540123 I suppose but it would be a very strong spring. Because the valve is round you would need to calculate the spring pressure by multiplying the max psi x diameter x 3.14. that means to effectively hold a 1 inch diameter valve shut at 100 psi the spring would need to withstand 314 lbs. Double that at 200 lbs.

[@onescaryapothiconboi7475]

In a pushrod engine, there is no simple way to permanently couple the valvetrain to crank. The pushrod is moved up by the cam, and moved back by the spring. To permanently couple it, you would have to design the camshaft like a crankshaft, and the pushrods would have to be designed like piston rods. You would then have to bolt or weld the push(piston)rods to the rocker, and then bolt or weld the rocker to the valve stem.

[@onescaryapothiconboi7475]

Which means since the rods follow the full length of the cam, that you would have to redesign the valves to be able to follow a longer path, the pistons to be able to accommodate that longer path (valve slap and all) in the lengths would have to be perfect.

[@martin-vv9lf]

the original vespa 2 stroke moped engine used a rotary valve on the intake. I should think it would be ideal for a steam conversion because of this issue.

[@glennllewellyn7369]

Yeah right. Good job!

[@paulsuttie4080]

Propane barbecue side burner to heat the boiler tank don’t leave out the need for the pressure relief valve.

[@3dprintwiz378]

How much power output does it have?

[@mrMacGoover]

Could you power your house off it if you built a steam boiler?

[@mmmdazzagoodmemeayzzz7264]

How powerful is the electricity production per hour?

[@GoVertical17]

Hi, maybe try a mono-tube boiler.

[@GoVertical17]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWWmlph8oM6YhrM

[@damantrip2874]

Its work on two stroke or four stroke engine?

[@jondrayna6978]

Nice. I'm making one of these. What does it do with an electrical a load on it? Just a warning, from my limited experience, what you (and I) have done is apparently the easy part. Hooking it up to a boiler is much more complicated, as I am discovering day by day.

[@atticus2581]

Make sure you dont make a really pretty steam bomb.... safety first my guy.

[@vihreelinja4743]

with a belt like that. prolly nothing :D

[@honestabe4027]

I wonder if you could hook the electrical output to a small air compressor and have perpetual motion?

[@Tota1Everything]

it wouldnt last long and it wouldnt work. u wouldnt make enough power for that.

[@honestabe4027]

@@tadaaaa952 nice insult.

[@David_Mash]

But can you get it to compress air in the reverse? I have been looking for an engine that can power a generator and compress gas when powered by the generator so that it moves in both directions

[@beyondpsychotic3161]

If you wish to head down this path i would look into nikola teslas circular turbine design. It can flow both ways, but my knowledge of this only pertains to water and its viscosity. I only just figured the idea, turns out tesla already beat me there(and refined it quite a bit more than i had thought about), but i feel that we could benefit from more innovation. It was originally powered by steam so im thinking(and curious) if compressed air would have a desirable effect.

[@beyondpsychotic3161]

To add on to this i havent had time to fully research his design, just an errant thought, and definitely worth research

[@BAMBOOM2021]

How did you do your oiling?

[@henry56ism]

Where did you find a Cam that was made out of steel so you could weld the Cam lobe.

[@user-zx7tg4ph5r]

He said he used the existing cam and welded lobes which he ground down to match the existing

[@pauljohnson5116]

Cams are made out of steal or cast iron aluminum is to soft of a metal for the tension they're under because of the valve springs. I'm sure small engines can use aluminum because the springs are light

[@danielborg3115]

Hi Chuck. The cam that was in the motor was made of steel. I was able to wed to it.

[@henry56ism]

OK thanks for your reply@@danielborg3115

[@michaelbenoit248]

Ow put a bigger engine pulley & you’ll get better output.

[@ataphelicopter5734]

What

[@deleriusofpower5103]

@@ataphelicopter5734 If the pully on the engine is bigger itll turn the pully on the alternator faster, generating more power.

[@catthecommentbothunter6890]

The bigger the pull of the engine th higher the RPM and lower torque

[@idontwantachannelimjustcom7745]

What kind of voltage do you get under load? Can you run a 12v light?

[@Teknopottu]

Those treadmill motors are quite powerfull generators. Yes, you could light 12V lights with buck converter dropping the voltage at a suitable level.

[@springplus300]

I don't get the point of the multimeter... I can generate thousands of volts by rubbing a balloon my head, but it's not exactly useful. I wanna see that sucker under some load!

[@waterfuel]

S1R9A9M9 triple coils assembly shown- used plated #14 gray and red copper wire from riding mower chassis. Circuit has 100% on 7turns Magnetic field as 90 degrees over 5 turns of #12 gauge wire for firm frame for the upper 7 turns. see wire with side tap joint #1 to ground, 6-10amps through plug, accessory spark gap, diodes, Timing shifted to -34degrees late timing by the field, the 6-10amps fire only when plug fires through 13 turns. Joint #2 as Hi V + amps together to plug. Water in carburetor changes to water vapor pressure at low end of piston stroke, along with minute amount of hydrogen gas that also fires. Vacuum pulls only level of water engine needs. Electrical Circuit source of resistance to limit current not known. Battery start, battery removed., Circuit runs on onboard dual alternators - Probably AC for field + DC for spark plug amps, (or Bridge rectifier to get 15 A) . High voltage ignition is negative with positive ground. EGR was not applied on Briggs 18HP as was done with earlier car conversions that used sets of obsolete relays. S1R coils was to replace the unusual relays. He called it electromagnet + booster coils.Original spark plug of 4kohm changed to 125ohm QC12YC Engine ran on water at idle speed and sounds somewhat like a water pump! Parts contained in plastic tub on side of engine with wires coming down from upper engine cowl and all wires wrapped in blk elec tape - it's not just 1 plug wire!. Alternator wires always come out on left side starter motor. Extension cord , if jumped at the plug end, can be the extra long RETIURN WIRE from bottom of spark plug he said was required and back to tub alt wire. See Videos #1 + #2. at slow speed. Web site shut down.

[@ramzeneger]

Thank you very much.

[@paulsuttie4080]

Compressor pump work?

[@Cynical1800]

Could you run this thing 24/7 with steam?

[@randomhuman1965]

Nice!

[@jlyle51]

Steam Engine is easy. Where you getting the steam?

[@bantrump9594]

How do you prevent the steel inside the engine to rust? Is your engine made of stainless steel or something?

[@hayden9102]

It’s still got oil in it

[@connorssmallengines6663]

The block is all aluminum the piston is chromed. Even the bore is aluminum

[@ataphelicopter5734]

Connor has a good point, but in addition bolting a small bar of Mg or Zn to the engine will prevent rusting

[@jongsookim636]

just change engine oil. open the head and clean it out.

[@oscarverwey]

Really inspired by this , I'm definitely gonna replicate this one😃 I wonder what is the size of the engine en what power can you get from the DC generator at which rpm at this 1barr input pressure? I've build a liniaire piston steam engine ( Tesla mechanical oscillator) en I want to run is on vacuüm Steam, wett steam seturated steam or supper heated combustion steam, I wil test al the types, en compare power output en efficiency after I finished the liniaire alternator which is a pain to build 😅 after seeing your video I think this is way more easy to get electric power from heat than any other way I've tried, keep up the good work!

[@thomashance2190]

Have you made anything yet I’m interested in this for of grid?

[@oscarverwey]

It turns out the low temperature steam system is only capable of running itself en nothing else 🤣 also my high pressure Steam Tesla turbine was no success, so I'm back to gasification en modified Internal combustion piston engines , in a few tests a Thermal efficiency of 24% average was realised using wood chips made from my olive tree prunings, if 10% plastic or old engine oil was mixed in the wood fuel the gas mixing ratio changed from 1 to 1.4 to 1 to 2.5 ( Fuel to air ratio)

[@oscarverwey]

@@thomashance2190 en also the air test replication of a engine like you have was not successful only 100 watt for a awful lot of air input

[@markgreen2170]

nice! you have to make a boiler!

[@cahyochannel3278]

Good

[@hellhound1389]

Of course it's easy, the difference between them is steam is an external combustion engine while internal combustion happens inside the engine

[@antoniocarlossalvi4522]

Parabéns

[@vnuvhar]

Could you teach me how to build this?

[@davekimbler2308]

I wonder what the HP is ? Perhaps build a steam car or buggy ? Will it only start a TDC or anyplace on the flywheel ? With product of electricity you could run an air compressor and not worry about steam thus having an electric vehicle or buggy just add batteries and an inverter !

[@GeeTrieste]

So why use a 4 stroke engine for this conversion? Why not start out with a 2 stroke engine?

[@andrewhanson5942]

You won't build up a lot of pressure in the cylinder as long as you're running at light load. Need to connect to a load that will stress the engine a bit, then you'll see higher head chamber pressures. The two lobe feature: Not sure you really need this, but it may be more efficient that way. Why not just run steam (compressed air) into the exhaust port, out the intake port and really reverse the ICE process? Seems a bit simpler.

[@erickdupont4503]

And what about the oil? Won’t the steam “clean” it right out? It will definitely end up with the exhaust steam/condensate. Then you need to add that oil back in plus any losses thereof because of leaks.

[@yeeyeeyee3115]

One day ide like to covert and out outbiard motor like this and have a small steam boat.

[@AJ-Palermo]

You could even get the water for steam generation from the body of water you're on, as long as it's not saltwater!

[@jamesandtamilesbuildingpar6215]

use a larger electric engine!! steam power generates insane amounts of torque, so a larger electric engine can still likely maintain the same max rotations per minute based one the amount of torque you get. so if you have a more powerful electric generator, engine you will get more watts faster charging, more things can likely be powered if im not mistaken.

[@brenohighland1168]

you forgot to mention the altering of the camshaft

[@jackcolton1069]

Nice

[@MyLinguine]

Overbuild the boiler as much as possible. If you think the pressure hull should only be 1/8” thick, make it 3/16” ect. Its better to underestimate your welds and joints and to over build the components than have a nasty steam bomb

[@first-up-best-dressed5548]

50 volts... You could weld with that..?

[@nagatouzumaki8227]

Why did we quit using these

[@CrabCakes2629]

couldn’t you just half the size of the cam sprocket?

[@user-zx7tg4ph5r]

Amazing! why is there's no steam coming out of the exhaust port? It Must be magical or air pressure! How long will this run before the crankcase fills up with condensed water i wonder? If it is running on steam to begin with

[@jbmoto2253]

He said its running on air

[@danielborg3115]

Hi, it is running on compressed air in this video.

[@user-zx7tg4ph5r]

When will you use steam to test it? I suspect it's a failure design since lubricating it will be futile and water and oil don't mix. Or at least not for long

[@kirkstinson7316]

@@user-zx7tg4ph5r Well as those old engines were splash lubricated not pressure I would think he can build a work around for that. RPM is no where near the normal engine RPM so he could even add a grease cup to the crank bearing

[@user-zx7tg4ph5r]

@@kirkstinson7316 All single cylinder 4 strokes are splash lubricated. Mix a little water or steam in that and see how long before things seize up. As things heat up water infiltration gets easier

[@dougharris7404]

What exact model of engine is that?

[@clintonian12]

It doesn't really matter what model it is off of if you're looking to build this yourself in all honesty. Briggs and Stratton kept the same flat-head motor design for around 70+ years, it's not hard to find here in the USA. I have a gas powered air compressor from 1950 that has the same technology as my 1998 push mower. They're plentiful and common (to say the least). Lol

[@admnsuprt8872]

The boiler you need to power that, could it be saltwater?

[@josephpadula2283]

No

[@ataphelicopter5734]

Yes

[@ataphelicopter5734]

You’d just be left with salt in the boiler afterward, which would need cleaned periodically

[@kirkstinson7316]

What do you think the HP is? Lower then what the engine was rated for? Or the same?

[@danielborg3115]

I’d suggest it is a lot lower. Hp depends on the steam supply.

[@cowbdave99]

Boil next?

[@georgeblack589]

There's a big difference between an air motor and a steam engine. The problem with this conversation is lubrication. The stream will push past the rings and immediately emulsify the oil. These conversions don't work unless you rework the entire oiling system.

[@danielborg3115]

And what’s needed to rework the oiling system?

[@georgeblack589]

@@danielborg3115 What I've seen from others doing this kind of conversion is they have either gone to an open crankcase with oil/grease cups, or they have modified the components to fit a pressurized oiling system.

[@exterminater267]

2 years late but grease is an instant easy replacement to oil.

[@TheBearbill]

If you use bigger pulley on motor side you'll need lower rpm

[@vincentwade1]

I f you introduce the compressed air/steam pressure in thru the exhaust port instead of the intake port, you don't have to do anything ti the cam lobes. Exhaust the steam out of the intake port, and any four stroke engine will run backwards on steam or air pressure.

[@mortonmorton6083]

They still use steam at powerplants

[@haroonahmed4202]

ow man man man what about the load man what are you doing evry one want to c load were is it

[@peekachu5441]

Let me show you how to make hot water on demand

[@RIPPERTON]

LOL this is the way steam engines should have been in the 1700's. All of Watts walking beams were not necessary.

[@sakakproduksiyon3160]

Man why you just cant use 2 stroke instead 4

[@michaelbenoit248]

Because if you did it wouldn’t stay running.

[@timothyjones9430]

I like it.. but seems like every project like this on the net shows a voltage and calls it good. With out a load you havent really shown anything. I do think yourr on to it. I am going to subscribe and watch. But Id like to see it loaded up. Run something like a washing machine.

[@Njf4192]

I know someone who took a generator and did that

[@rkb6783]

Change the pulley. To a LARGER SIZE... DUH !

[@maharjaved2000]

Plz show energy fuel tank

[@danielborg3115]

Hi Mahar. In this video it is running on compressed air from my air compressor. I built a steam boiler later.

[@leonardomigot4040]

@@danielborg3115 you wasted a Briggs & Stratton engine

[@connorssmallengines6663]

@@leonardomigot4040 no he didn’t, common AF engines

[@tangoalpha8381]

👍👍👍🏆🏆🏆🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@antoniocarlossalvi4522]

@

[@ONEFUNFONE]

Talk about a misleading title, engines are basically air pumps, this thing is running off compressed air, not steam. It doesnt not produce steam and use it in an all in one unit.

[@danielborg3115]

I have actually had this engine running on steam. It works the same way on steam as compressed air it’s just easier to use air for a quick demonstration. Thanks for your input. Glad I could correct/clarify for you 👍🏻

[@thatguybonds9571]

Lol, Why do you sound like Elon Musk? Lol