[Charles M]

I have been asked to look at the Climax and see if we can sort things out for a friend . The model was built from a kit and is well put together. It has run on air , but not succesfully on steam yet. The comment was made that the throttle was not working right. I don't understand how the throttle is supposed to work. On this model it just pulls straight out and back into the gland nut on the backhead. If you pull on the throttle you can pull it 2 inches out of the backhead connection. In the instructions it says that it turns clockwise to close it. Turning it clockwise or anit-clockwise doesn't do anything. The throttle just turns without reaching a point where it would seem to be closed. It doesn't work like Accucraft and Roundhouse throttles which have a closed position you can feel. Is this how the throttle is supposed to work , or is is damaged ?

Thanks for the help .

Charles M SA # 74

 

[Dan Rowe]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Charles,
Do you have the instruction manual?
The boiler drawing on page 5 shows a long needle valve for the throttle.
Is the spindle turning or just the handwheel?
You should be able to keep opening the valve untill it will pull out if you loosen the packing gland. Then you can inspect the threads on the valve spindle and the seat at the end.

If you have to pull the throttle there is a pipe screwed in the valve casing under the safety valve spliter block that will have to be removed allong with the 4 backhead mounting screws.
Dan
I just reread what you wrote. The throttle is a screw you should push it forward and screw it in. It is a long stem needle valve so the threads have to be engaged for the valve to seat.

 

[Shay Gear Head]

In addition to what Dan said i would recommend that you pull the throttle needle valve all the way out and lube with steam oil on the o ring before reinserting.

 

[Charles M]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Guys,

The spindle shaft is turning and it is locked to the hand wheel. The spindle shaft slides freely in and out of the gland nut. If there are supposed to be threads on the spindle shaft , there are none. It is a smooth piece of steel rod and it fits into the gland nut with some friction only. That is why I thought the throttle is a push-pull configuration .

Charles M SA # 74

 

[Dan Rowe]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Charles,
It has been a while since I have seen one of those throttles apart but as I remember it the threads were at the far end of the valve. So with the Climax you will have to pull the bunker tank from the frame to pull the throttle out enough to see the threads. This valve extends to near the forward tube sheet.
The book does not show a clear drawing of this part.
Dan

 

[Charles M]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Dan,

Thanks for the information , I will do this and see what I find . Some one else had " WORKED " on this model for the owner , and suddenly the throttle quite working !!

Charles M SA # 74

 

[Dan Rowe]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Charles,
One more point. If you have to pull the whole throttle from the boiler, you will also need to remove the steam line in the smoke box. The banjo fitting on the tube sheet is also a packing gland that seals the end of the throttle pipe.
Dan

 

[Charles M]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

BAD NEWS !! The person who WORKED on this before , broke the regulator spindle rod off inside of the regualtor body. I can see the broken piece through the steam inlet hole on the regulator body . It is jammed tight , and won't come out. Now to contact the owner with the bad news and see what they want to do.

Charles M SA 74.

 

[JEFF RUNGE]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Charles, you may want to email Aster to see if Japan has any throttle assemblies left.

 

[Semper Vaporo]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Sounds like a classic case of closing the throttle tight while it was hot and the trying to turn it after it was cold.

If the throttle has been closed tight while hot and is stuck, raise steam again and then try the throttle... it will probably free up when everything is hot again.

 

[Charles M]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

The bad thing is that the throttle spindle is snapped off inside of the throttle body itself . I can pull the throttle rod out and the end has a nice clean break across it. I just wonder how much torque is required to break the rod and not the threads on the end of the rod ? The rod is 3 MM steel !! Maybe it had a flaw from the beginning.

Charles M SA #74

 

[Semper Vaporo]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Yep, I hit "Submit" before I added the last 2 lines I intended to type....

Once it is broken it is daing near impossible to break free the remnant inside.

Time for a new valve more than likely.

 

[Kovacjr]

Hope this helps, I happened to have my scanner out and the manual was not hard to find.

Id email Hans and order the part, you dont know if it is in stock though. Just have to order it and wait and see.

Just need the photo number with the part# / description and qty

 

[Charles M]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Thanks guys for all of the help. I have contacted the owner and relayed what is required. They are going to see about the parts and will get back to me with the information when they know for sure what is happening. It would be a real shame if no parts are available, as this model has zero run time on it. The owner built it up as a kit and never has gotten to see it run on steam , and they have owned it for 20 years !! Hope we can get it going for them.

Charles M SA # 74

 

[Kovacjr]

RE: Aster " Climax " help needed

Let us know what the parts availability is, Im sure that if it is not available there are ways of having one built as a replacement or to repair the existing one.