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Kontax Prop Engine Assembly & Operation Instructions

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Prop Engine Assembly & Operation Instructions
Please read all the way through the assembly
instructions to familiarise yourself with the process
before you start and pay close attention to the
alignment of all the parts in the diagrams.
Assembly time should be approximately 35-40 minutes.
Please take great care when opening the bag of small
parts! It is recommended to remove the packing tray
from the box and open the bag over the box to catch
dropped parts.
The engine parts list starts on the next page.
Maintenance and operation instructions can
be found at the end of this document.
SAFETY NOTICE:
•
All parts of the engine will be very hot while in operation and will take time to cool down after running.
•
The flame produced by a steel wick can be almost invisible, ensure burner is extinguished after use.
•
Make sure you have a suitable fire extinguisher to hand in case of emergencies.
•
Never leave a running engine or naked flame unattended.
•
Make sure children are fully supervised.
1 / 47
© Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024

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Summary of Contents for Kontax Prop Engine

  • Page 1 1 / 47 Prop Engine Assembly & Operation Instructions Please read all the way through the assembly instructions to familiarise yourself with the process before you start and pay close attention to the alignment of all the parts in the diagrams.
  • Page 2 2 / 47 Prop Engine Parts 1 / 3 Base Strut Propeller Foot Glass © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 3 3 / 47 Prop Engine Parts 2 / 3 Manifold Cylinder Cartridge Stem Slider Fins Displacer Burner © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 4 4 / 47 Prop Engine Parts 3 / 3 Connecting tube (rubber) Retainer Bearing M2x4 roundhead screw O ring 15x (2 spare) Rubber foot Port Piston M2x6 countersunk screw Axle end Axle 5x (1 spare) T6 driver Tweezers © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 5 5 / 47 Fit the strut into the pocket in the base and screw two M2x4 roundhead screws through the strut into the base. Tighten the screws. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 6 6 / 47 Screw two M2x6 countersunk screws through the base into the foot and tighten. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 7 7 / 47 Screw two M2x4 roundhead screws through the manifold into the foot and tighten. (Note: manifold is shown cutaway for clarity) © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 8 (Note: cartridge is shown cutaway for clarity) Hold still Fit the axle through the bearings. Take care that the bearings do not get dislodged. Hold the axle still, screw the axle end into the axle and tighten. Finger tight is sufficient. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 9 9 / 47 Insert the conrod end of the axle assembly through the front hole in the manifold. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 10 Do not attempt to screw the cartridge into the manifold until the conrods are poking out through the side holes. Through side hole © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 11 11 / 47 Screw the cartridge into the manifold and tighten. It can help to wrap an elastic band around it for grip. Make sure the conrods stay poking out of the manifold holes. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 12 (highlighted blue). Put a weighted object (book, empty coffee mug) on the other end of the tray for stability during the next few assembly stages. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 13 13 / 47 In the next few assembly diagrams the foot, base, strut and tray will be hidden to provide greater clarity in the instructions. Hidden © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 14 14 / 47 Fit a piston over the hook on the end of the uppermost conrod. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 15 Hold the piston still with a finger and thumb and push the open end of the tweezers over the brass fitting on the piston in the direction shown. This will hold the piston and conrod securely for the next few assembly stages. Correct fitting © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 16 As you push it in the red rubber O ring will compress slightly to provide an airtight seal. Wipe off any excess water afterwards. Moisten front edge © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 17 Fit the piston into the glass tube inside the cylinder. Lower the cylinder all the way down to the tweezers. Note: cylinder shown cutaway for clarity. 3. Lower down to tweezers 1. Hold still 2. Piston into cylinder © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 18 1. Hold still Hold the cylinder conrod still and vertical. slide the tweezers sideways off the piston. Lower the cylinder onto the manifold. Note: cylinder shown cutaway for clarity. 3. Lower cylinder 2. Slide tweezers © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 19 19 / 47 Clip one M2x4 roundhead screw into one end of the tweezers. Note: the tweezers are symmetrical, you can clip the screw into either end. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 20 4. Unclip the tweezers from the screw with a sideways pull. Repeat for the other 3 cylinder screws. 1. Port facing backwards 3. Screw in a couple of turns 4. unclip tweezers from screw 2. fit screw in hole © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 21 21 / 47 Once all four screws are screwed in a couple of turns you can tighten them all. Note: The fourth screw is hidden behind cylinder. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 22 22 / 47 Remove the engine from the tray and re-insert the other way up. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 23 Fit tweezers to piston Fit port to cylinder Fit cylinder to piston Remove tweezers from piston Fit four screws to cylinder After all these stages have been repeated you can remove the engine from the packing tray. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 24 If they do not move, or get stuck you will need to remove the relevant cylinder, check the piston is fitted correctly on the conrod and re-assemble. Slide freely Rotate © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 25 As you push it in the red rubber O ring will compress slightly to provide an airtight seal. Repeat for the last port on the other side of the manifold. Wipe off any excess water afterwards. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 26 Push a connecting tube onto the ends of the cylinder and manifold ports, make sure the tube bends smoothly as shown and that it does not fold at the bend. Repeat for the cylinder and manifold ports on the other side. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 05/12/2024...
  • Page 27 27 / 47 Remove the backing from the 5 rubber feet and stick them over the dimples in the bottom faces of the base and strut. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 28 28 / 47 Screw the stem into the manifold finger tight. Final tightening will be done at a later stage. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 29 29 / 47 Gently stretch the first red O ring over the stem and push it all the way up to the manifold. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 30 O ring. If the parts are both clean it should slide easily and freely. If you feel any resistance or scratching as you slide it on take it off immediately, re- clean and try again. Scrupulously clean Scrupulously clean © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 31 31 / 47 Gently stretch the second red O ring over the stem and push it a short way on. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 32 Screw one M2x6 countersunk screw through the retainer into the stem and tighten. (Note 1: retainer is aligned with the chamfered side outwards) (Note 2: tightening the retainer screw also tightens the stem in the manifold) Chamfered side outwards © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 33 Wipe off any excess water afterwards. After fitting the displacer onto the slider the whole slider/displacer assembly should bounce gently on the stem as you tap it with a finger. Slider edge Moisten inside edge © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 34 If it does not fall or gets stuck part way you will need to remove the displacer and slider, check for grit or dust and re-assemble. Check displacer is flush with slider, no gaps © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 35 It should push all the way up to the blue highlighted manifold edge. Wipe off any excess water afterwards. Manifold edge Moisten inside edge © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 36 Align the slot in the fins downwards and carefully push them on to the glass. The fins are quite flexible and will safely and securely hold on to the glass. Push the fins all the way up to the step on the manifold. Slot downwards © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 37 Spin the axle end gently with a finger and thumb, if the glass is fitted correctly the displacer should bounce along the stem by a couple of millimetres. Spin by hand If the displacer doesn't bounce, adjust the glass and test until you do get bounce. Displacer bounce © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 38 Tighten the front cone, finger tight is sufficient. DO NOT attempt to tighten the cone without the propeller being fully fitted onto the axle end. 1. Slide onto axle 2. Hold back ring 3. Tighten cone © Kontax Engineering Ltd 04/12/2024...
  • Page 39 39 / 47 Fit the wick into the burner and attach the burner to the magnet in the strut. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 40 40 / 47 Your PROP engine is now fully assembled. Operation, maintanance and troubleshooting instructions can be found on the next couple of pages. If you need help with your engine you can email us at: support@stirlingengine.co.uk © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...

  • Page 41: Safety Notice

    Remove the burner cap and wick from the burner body and fill with fuel to the fill level AND NO MORE. Re-fit the cap and wick and place the burner on the retaining magnet. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 42 The engine will run in both directions but will run more reliably with the propeller blowing the air forwards, pulling the flame towards the engine rather than blowing it away. 1. Light wick 2. Twist to start © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 43 In this situation the engine should be allowed to cool naturally before running again. DO NOT USE EVER COLD WATER TO COOL THE ENGINE, THIS CAN CRACK THE GLASS! © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 44 Spin by hand ALWAYS WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS COMPLETELY COOLED BEFORE ADJUSTMENT! Adjust glass position Displacer bounce © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 45 The best course of action is to make tiny adjustments to the glass position and keep testing. Remember to check for sideways misalignment as well as up and down. ALWAYS WAIT UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS COMPLETELY COOLED BEFORE ADJUSTMENT! 5mm gap Misaligned glass © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...

  • Page 46: Maintenance

    Dip the end of a pin in the oil and then shake the excess off. Rotate the propeller cone and lay the end of the pin against each conrod joint. Brush Wipe any excess off with a paper towel. clean & oil © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...
  • Page 47 Our workshop is located in the Thames Valley, United Kingdom and is staffed by a skilled team of 9 designers, machinists and assemblers. We have 4 CNC mills, 3 CNC lathes and 3 CNC mill-turn centres. © Kontax Engineering Ltd 20/12/2024...