[AT] Got a question about a Hercules engine

[Steve W.]

Cecil Bearden wrote:
> Yesterday I got the Hercules QXLD-5 engine started on the Hollingsworth 
> generator I bought a year ago.  This generator was supposed to be sold 
> to a fellow close to here, but he was not in any hurry to pick it up, 
> and since I lost money on it, I was not in a big hurry to spend any more 
> on it.   I finally got the starter that would crank the engine, I went 
> through about 20 starters before I found the correct drive for it.  We 
> overhauled it earlier this year with rings and gaskets  paying careful 
> attention to the correct alignment of the rods and pistons when we went 
> back together. 
> 
> Well I started it and it had a knock in it.  It ran about 2 minutes and 
> then broke out a spot on the side of the block at the number 6 rod about 
> the size of my hand.  It still ran and did not knock then.  This is the 
> first time in 40 years of mechanic work I have had this happen and it 
> had to happen on one of the hardest engines to find a replacement for.  
> I really do not know whether to scrap the whole generator or what.  A 
> friend has an old gleaner combine with a Hercules engine on it for 
> $500.  This generator  has a sae2 bell housing so it will have to be a 
> qx series engine to fit the bell housing to drive the generator or I 
> have to do a bunch of machine work on an adapter. 
> 
> I can only guess that this engine was overhauled ( government surplus ) 
> and put in storage outside and stuck up without running and someone got 
> the rod turned the wrong way from the piston.  We paid a lot of 
> attention to getting the pistons back the direction they were supposed 
> to go and did not take the rods off the pistons, so they had to be back 
> the way they were took out.  Gaskets are a fortune for this thing so I 
> really do not want to do a lot of work on it.  The rings were $250.....  
> Gaskets are $100 a set for the head set.  I am thinking about patching 
> the block with a metal patch if possible. 
> 
> This was the last project I had started since I retired a year ago.  
> Every project I have worked on since retirement has taken 4 times longer 
> than expected and I have lost tons of money on every one.  
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with hercules 6 cyl engines?  I really 
> wonder why the rod was hitting the side of the block.....  I had a young 
> felow helping me who is wanting to learn mechanic work and he is very 
> careful about checking things and I checked out everything he did before 
> we put the pan back on.  
> 
> If I get this one out the door, there is never going to be another 
> hercules engine on this place.....
> 
> BTW
> I hope you all enjoy a great Easter Sunday with your family. 
> 
> Cecil in OKla
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> 


Well that SU&*S.
I would pick up the pieces, Pull the pan and braze the pieces back 
together. On the outside you could V out the cracks and braze them again.
The hard part is likely to be replacing the rod and maybe piston.
Get it back together and SELL it.

-- 
Steve Williams
Firefighter,EMT
VanHornesville Vol. Fire Dept