So I am trying to teach my kid (and myself) something about engines. Does anyone know of a good model engine (with cutaways or view windows) for sale anywhere? Eventually we will get to the lawnmower engine then motorcycle engine but I was hoping for a bit more understanding of how everything works before turning nuts and bolts. D
Ex-instructor here. Still wrenching but not for a living anymore. Personally I'd forego the kit and immerse yourselves in the real thing. If you want some demos here are a couple for you to reference. http://www.monkeysee.com/play/11134-understanding-an-internal-combustion-engine A non-running mower will cost you next to nothing at a yard sale. Get a manual and some appropriate tools. There are only a couple of "specialty" tools you'll need for the job and maybe you could borrow or rent maybe?? Take your time, it's really only a matter of reading comprehension practically applied. Have fun, give the mower a nice paint job, and put the youngster to work.
Real engine is seriously cheaper. And there are many good videos on the youtubes of the basics of internal combustion engines. Also the basics can be illustrated by making "vacuum motors" there are a number of instructional demos online, but these are essentially made out of a few bits of wood, and they have a slide valve and piston, and flywheel, so the concept of momentum keeping the engine running works well. For turning some nuts and bolts and getting an idea of what's going on first before tearing into a real engine of any type
I remember seeing these in the Sear's catalog as a kid - never got one myself though. http://www.amazon.com/Revell-Visibl...YUXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327520956&sr=8-1
I'll put my vote in for a plastic kit, and here's why- If you start monkeying with a lawnmower or something it is going to be oily and dirty and have stuck fasteners and an entire litany of other distractions. Plus, when it is all back together it won't run. How do I know that? They don't run well most of the time even when they aren't completely disassembled by a kid first. I would suggest doing a search for "clear engine kit" or "plastic engine kit" and find a project the both of you can build at the kitchen table. I just clicked on this page, not to say it is the best one out there but it is the first thing I opened up. http://www.discoverthis.com/engine-kits.html Even though I have lusted after one of those V8 kits since I was a kid, if I had to pick one to teach with I'd choose the 4 cylinder one. Not only are they simpler to put together and also visualize how they work, they are what are in cars nowadays and you never see a V8 in a passenger vehicle anymore. It's January. You can build one of these and then in the spring when it is warm outside you can move on to the next stage if your kid is so inclined and fiddle with a lawnmower or mini bike.
most hobby shops that sale model cars will have the plastic motors. is you have one close by. If not get one online. and the V8s are cool but I'd do a 4 cylinder. you can see more. I build a V8 as a kid. one thing I do remember if it saws lube something, do so.
There are Hobey, Model stores that will have the plastic motors in kit form. Usually a Chevy V8. As far as broken lawn mowers go I hate to tell you this but I've come to the conclusion it's a broken magneto and you won't get them running most of the time and because our bikes no longer have this magneto thing we don't know how to deal with it. Trying to fix something from the trash is setting yourself up. But then you can take them apart and play with the pieces.
Better than a mower engine is one of the new 4-stroke weed trimmer motors that are sold at lowe's or sears (craftsman/Troy-bilt/etc.) You can probably find one sitting behind your local small engine shop. They are easy to store, the crank and valves are easily exposed, and you can chuck an electric drill to the crank and spin it while watching everything move. That's what I use with my kids.
Don't know where you live, but if anywhere near San Jose BMW, Chris has built two different BMW Engine cut aways. Both can be turned with a handle and you can see everything in operation including the tranny and final drive assy. And Oilhead and an Airhead, everything in them works including the diaphram carb on the Airhead.
I built that plastic kit as a kid, IMO it teaches you about as much about the inner workings of an enigne as operation teaches you about surgery. Yes the bits are there, but they are just glued together models. No "mechanical" learning takes place. Your kid will learn to use tools better doing projects that involve turning bolts and nuts, not model glue and trimming off plastic tree sprue from the parts. Build projects, use tools, learning the workings inside an engine is purely academic, most people who know what goes on inside an engine cannot turn a wrench.
I'm certainly an exception to this. but I learned by disasembly of the lawn mower as a kid. if you take something apart, and know how it went together, you can learn motors easy.
When I was a lad, my Dad had me "rebuild" our go-kart engine. It ran, so there was no surprises there. He had me do all of the steps of removing it from the kart, striping the tank and cover, removing the head, all the way down to apart. We even lapped the valves and painted it. Think I was about 10 and I learned a lot and I did most of the work (with his guidance). Good luck.
Casting my vote in the 'take a real motor apart' camp. <iframe width="540" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C-VacaaN75o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <BR>
