This is a 2x2x2 Vee slide valve steam engine made by Rod Muller of Strath Steam out of South Australia.  It is a conventional double acting 90 degree Vee twin and as such is balanced and self starting.  This engine uses conventional “D” slide valves eccentric driven. 

Strath Steam V-2 mounted on the VW dune buggy using a toothed belt to drive a jack shaft that drives the clutch.  The original VW trans-axle, clutch and pressure plate are used.  A plate of 1/4” steel  blocks off the bell housing.

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Rod Muller’s description of the Little Black Engine
2x2x2 Simple   1200 RPMs    500 psi,                   Dated: Oct. l0, 2002  

ABOUT THE VEE TWIN FREEDOM

The Freedom TV95 is a double acting slide or piston valve steam engine designed for use in automotive applications.

The crankcase is either an iron or aluminum casting totally enclosed or oil filled to facilitate splash lubrication.

It is bored to take a single over hung SG iron crankshaft. This can be 25mm or 30mm in diameter the smaller one being good for 18 hp and the 30mm 33 hp.

The crankshaft is supported in the centre of the crankcase with either a ball or roller race  is retained in a disc carrier that is spigoted into the centre web and internally screwed to the casting.

The output end of the crankshaft runs in a single row ball race sealed on one side that is fitted into the case from the outside.

The circular trunk guides for both cylinders are made from cast iron and are bolted to the 2 faces on the top of the case which are machined at 45° to the base and at right angles to each other. They are bored and honed with a spigot on the bottom end to aid concentric location into the crankcase. They cannot be fitted until the crankshaft with rods and guides are installed.

Likewise the valve drive eccentrics and rods must be loaded onto the crankshaft as it is fitted into the crankcase.

Then the valve trunk guides and trunks can be fitted.

The cylinders are bolted to the top of the trunk guides with a cover between them which incorporates the piston rod packing gland and is also spigoted into the trunk guide to concentrically align it.

The pistons are screwed into position before the cylinder covers are fitted.
Similarly the valves with spindles are screwed into there respective places before the tops are fitted.

When fitting the drive sprockets or power transmission equipment one must not tighten the retaining nut on the end of the crankshaft too tight unless the shaft has a shoulder on it as the crankshaft bearing assembly system are not designed to take high preloads or end thrust.

The sump must have oil and we recommend Mobil DTE heavy medium.

There is sump plug in the bottom of the case which could be replaced with a cock to facilitate draining off any water that may collect over time.

Piston Valve Engine

Strath Steam 2x2x2 piston valve engine taken apart.  I thought that I had over-abused this engine running 900 degree F steam and 800 psi during the September steam race and therefore had my mechanic take it apart.  The only problem was some of the piston valve rings were carboned up and required wire brushing to clean up.  This is an extremely robust engine.  The crank is over-hung, thus allowing for the use of roller bearings.  The eccentrics for the piston valves

V-2 Piston Valve

This is a 2 x 2 x 2 Vee engine with piston valves.  In this configuration it is a simple and a 3” compound cylinder version can be ordered.  The crankcase is enclosed with splashoil lubrication.   The cross head design keeps water out of the oil and the 90 degree Vee makes it self starting.  It is a very efficient engine although of conservative design.  Rod understands materials needed to make a good steam engine.

Piston valve and 2” diameter piston for the Strath Steam V-2

Yarra Engine 

This is a Woolf Steeple Compound engine using a piston valve designed by Doble for use in his “E” compound engine.  There is one piston valve for intake and exhaust for all four steam chambers.  The piston valve is hollow and therefore exhaust steam goes out the middle while intake steam is controlled by the outside.  This system is not thermally efficient in that the cool exhaust steam cools off the incoming hot steam, however, there is some practical advantage to it because extra hot steam can be used and with the piston valve being internally cooled it can be lubricated and function.