Fortifying Against MT80 Fuel
Page 37
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Tcdpe with one of the troubles 11; caused by MT80 fuel thete is a comparatively simple process of depositing a nickel-chromium-alloy on to the face of the valve. An oxy-acetylene' welding flame is used, in conjunction with a special wire known as 13rightray, which ,is made by 'Henry Wiggin and Co., Ltd., of Birmingham, and sold by Welding Technical Services, Ltd., Hurst Mill, Pershore Road South, King's Norton, Birmingham, 30, the sole agent in this country. This wire is closely akin to that used in the heating elements of electric fires.
After machining a caricaVe recess atound the valve face'; Brightray is deposited with apparently no more difficulty than in the simplest welding operation. When cool, tbe new metal is Machined at about 90 ft. per mirinte with a hard-metal-tipped tool, the face then being ground on any convenient valve-refacing machine ; no special stone is needed for this. Detailed instructions can be obtained from Welding Technical Services, Ltd.
Although the process has been in general use for some years for aircraft valves, Wig comparatively new in .con7 nection with road, vehicle's, and data as to the life of treated 'valves is not yet available because none appears to have reached the end of its tether: There are, of course, many instances where .a' commercial-vehicle 'engine' was bUrnifig out its valves regularly at 4,000 Miles and which has now corn
pleted 10,000 miles with Brightraytreated valves that are still in excellent condition.
Remarking that most valve steels are more or less of the stainless variety, and that practically nothing will stick to a: polished stainless steel, Mr. Thomas, of Welding Technical Services, Ltd., suggested to us that considerable benefit might be gained by polishing to a fine finish the under .side of the valve head and the top of the stem where the lead deposit occurs. Incidentally, in many valves afflicted in this way, the metallic lead is so thick that it can be sliced off with a scraper, • and it is not unusual for drops of molten lead to fall away when the valve is heated in the welding process.