Phoenix Turbine Builders Club

New Life for an Old Engine Case - Part 2

Bearing Plugs, Shaft Preparation, Air Galleys & Case Assembly

June 2005

Continuing on with our snowmobile case project, photo 57a shows the bearing plugs after they were heliarced onto the case halves and then turned on our shop lathe for 15mm x 45mm ball bearings.

Photo 57b shows the inside of the case halves after turning the welds and boring a one-inch hole for the shaft and seals.

Photos 57c and 57d show a detail of the air galley drilled through both bearing plugs for air seals. We discussed in previous club articles the need for frictionless shaft seals. Our solution is to use a pressurized air and labyrinth system to prevent contaminants from entering the bearings and to contain lubricating oil in the bearing section.

Photos 57e, 57f and 57g show the new turbine case assembled and ready for the internal components. 

Next month we'll show how the rotor and shaft assembly fit the case.

Ken Rieli