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This page was last modified on Monday, December 31, 2007
                                  THORTEC-SEALION
      INTRO 
          This my forth and most ambitious project I have done and the greatest challenge yet, 
                  I started it in 2000 over a 4 year  period, 4000 hours in making. It is considered the
                  most advanced engine in the Seal  range and only to be undertaken by the brave and
                  not the faint hearted. Having done many improvements to the original design over the
                  last  2 years, It has as yet to "Run Free", running on "Methanol" It is  just "puffing" with
                  the starter still attached. Almost there, but for the final tuning.
                           
                  Finally I would like to say a special thanks to Ron Colonna for all his help over the
                  years I have known him, when the chips were down and I got stuck no matter how little,
                  he is always there. I regard him as a friend and mentor. If you like my engine, click on 
                  links visit Ron's site and listen to the sound of his Sealion running, It's   "AWESOME"
      
      FACTS
          Made of detailed aluminium alloy castings, This is a 30cc  water-cooled 4 cylinder, 
                 4 stroke petrol engine, with a "hotspot manifold, oil forced fed and single overhead  
                 camshaft engine of  the seal  class  7/8" bore x 7/8" stroke, 8ins(230mm) long, 6ins 
                 (520mm) height, 3 1/2ins (89mm)  wide.
     
     HISTORY
         The engine is a Sealion by the late Egar T. Westbury marine design which first
                appeared in the "Model Engineer " Jan. 1959. The Excellent Detail Sealion castings
                and many more, can now be obtained from: see links (Hemingway Kits) who I would
                like thank for their permission to use their drawings.
                                                       
                                                                 
      MODIFICATIONS
         The "Thortec sealion" is modified for road use with a enlarged sump with a
                 scavenge filter, radiator with electric fan ,centrifugal clutch, the rear bearing is
                 fitted with an oil seal, hand crank, crankshaft and cam shaft is forced fed and a
                 cam shaft oil rail is fitted, a "Tell-Tale" oil pressure gauge. later 3 ring  pistons 
                 were fitted to improve compression and oil control, the oil and water pump are
                 driven by skew gears 
         
             
  1                              THORTEC SEALION           
 
2                                          
 
3
 
4              Un-machined castings and 3 ring piston, bottom ring is a oil-control ring under  
                which is a grove with oil return holes.
               
  
5               Crankshaft being turned, enlarged rear end plate for bell housing being fitted.

6                                        First assembly of machined parts and castings.

 

 
7           Second assembly of machined  parts castings, check for true running shafts.
8        Parts being inspected for burrs, unusal ware and high spots. "oil rail" can clearly be
          seen next to the  valves

9    Top left picture shows clearly the bronze cam-adjusters, the method for adjusting the 

        rockers, the enlarged sump  can  clearly be seen here in the lower pictures

10                                   Carburetor,exhaust and fuel tank being fitted.
 
 11      Flywheel, centrifugal clutch with friction shoes, bell housing, distributor and spark plugs.
12                                  Fuel tank breather and radiator being fitted.
 

13        Left.The "Tell-Tail" oil pressure gauge can be seen on the back-plate (top left). Middle.

            timing gears. Right. external water and oil pump at the bottom of the picture.     

 

14     Final plumbing and electric's done. note the glass filter bowl. coil and ignion switch

          with LED can be seen just behind the radiator.

 

 

15        Already for testing. Top right photo shows the new layout now employed. Fan and

             Ignition switches moved to top rear of the engine, Fuel tank lowered in line with the

             fuel jet.

       

16                    Brass multi-core radiator with PRV valve,  silver soldered.

 

17                                                CB points and Cap with quadrant.

18     Piston spigot showing the earlier 2 ring piston with oil return holes, the spigot method

          is ideal for "fetteling" the piston.

 

 
19      This picture shows the electric fan, the radiator-hoses and the extended oil filler
           with breather.
 
 
20    This is the latest modification, now installed.Jerry E. Howell Transistor Ignition System
         (TIM-6) used in conjuction with the CB points. Note the red LED on top and to the side
         of the coil, this will go out as the CB points open to give a spark, ideal for setting up
         the ignition timing.
 

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