Deutz PMZ 230 Engine
History of the rare Sydney Antique Machinery Club restored Deutz PMZ230 Engine
The Sydney Antique Machinery Club Deutz type PMZ 230 engine
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The Sydney Antique Machinery Club was offered this Deutz type PMZ230 engine, S/N 164479-480 for restoration early in 1993.
At the time it was stored in a broken-down condition in a locked semi-sealed room in the Capitol Theatre, Haymarket, Sydney. The offer was conditional upon the engine being removed as quickly as possible, due to impending redevelopment of the site. This was achieved in two weekends in March 1993, and the engine and generator were completely stripped down to components small enough to pass through the access doorway. Member John Clay recorded the saga of this recovery along the way. |
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In The Beginning
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The Deutz engine had been installed in the Capitol Theatre to drive a DC generator as emergency supply for lighting and possibly arc lights. A conversion was made to AC current supply, at a guess, in the 1950’s when there were many
power shortages. The engine received some very rough treatment during its working life, due mainly to inexperienced operators. When it was offered to the Sydney Antique Machinery Club, it had not been used since the late 1950’s and had been stored since the time the Capitol Theatre closed its doors just after the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” was performed there in the 1970’s. |
The Recovery
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The engine was located at ground level within the Capitol Theatre and could be accessed via an internal laneway from the rear of the building. The room which housed the engine was about 10ft from the lane, and was just tall enough
to clear its exhaust, which ran horizontally out to the lane. The floor of the room was about 2ft below street level, and the entry door was therefore that much lower than a normal door, necessitating crouching to enter, then stepping down the 2ft to floor level. The Deutz was mounted on a concrete plinth, with the flywheel in a recess, and the V-belt drive giving a considerable step up in speed to the alternator. There was just enough space to walk around three sides of the engine. Also in the room were the power board, a small DC generator that was the exciter for the alternator, and the air cylinder for starting the engine. The fuel tank was mounted high up on the wall outside the room. We believe the contractor who installed the alternator conversion had removed the original direct-coupled DC generator. The room was very dank, and all metal surfaces and walls showed evidence of long-term dampness, if not actual flooding. There was no power available, and no structures from which items could be lifted. It had been determined by the advance party that the engine would have to be dismantled down to components small enough to be passed through the door. A party was recruited, including Steve Barlow, Ron Ross, Dave Rockell, Col Grinter, Laurie Green, Ian Browning with a car and trailer, and Neil Lumley supplying a truck to transport the heavier items. Tools such as an oxy-acetylene set, power generator, as well as sleepers, crowbars and lots of tools had been transported to the site. 
The first priority was to remove the alternator and the flywheel. A chain block was attached to a large steel beam out in the roof of the lane, and chains extended down into the room to provide pulling effort. The generator was set up to provide light and power for other tools, if required. A couple of railway sleepers were laid in the doorway as a ramp up which all components too heavy to be lifted were subsequently dragged. This was never ideal, as the direction of pull from the chain block was not in line with the ramp. Even the alternator had to be dismantled to fit through the door, a need not realised until it failed to clear it. As this alone was probably half a ton in weight, there certainly was a lot of effort and “crow barring” involved.
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The flywheel proved most obstinate, and removal of the two large keys defied all efforts, including spending over an hour with the largest possible oxy-acetylene torch trying to heat the hub up enough to expand it. We only succeeded in heating up the whole room and using up the limited oxygen supply it contained. Nevertheless, we managed to remove most of the accessories - fuel lines, oil lines, air lines, cooling and exhaust systems, governor, fuel pump, cylinder heads, numerous plates and covers, etc., as well as the alternator and switchboard, and at the end of the day we had quite a respectable load.
Some time back, one of the big end bearings had sprayed white metal all over the inside of its crankcase, so we knew that repair job was still ahead of us. Later, we also discovered evidence of what must have been earlier big-end bearing problems, as one was found to be bronze, the other cast iron. On the following Saturday, most of the original crew returned to the scene, this time with some purpose-designed aids for removal of the flywheel keys. The keys were drilled and tapped ” ” UNF, and a threaded attachment to a slide hammer inserted. The keys came out with relative ease, and the flywheel moved on its shaft fairly easily. The weight of the flywheel was a serious challenge, and it took all hands to keep it upright as it was slowly rolled up the ramp with the aid of the chain block. 
Meanwhile, others were removing pistons, which were also very heavy, having to be jacked up from below. There proved to be just enough headroom to clear the tops of the cylinders. The cylinders themselves were next - it was no mean feat moving those in the confined space either - then the crankshaft and, finally, the base casting, which had to be raised on its side to pass through the door.
Some of the items were beyond even two persons to lift, and we were fortunate not to have had any mishaps. It took a great team effort over the two long days to accomplish. |
The Reassembly
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All of the major components were stored at Australiana Village, Wilberforce, NSW, the Club’s base at that time, and the minor items distributed to those willing to clean them up, etc. Tony Marvin took the big end bearings, injectors and pumps as well as the governor and refurbished them.
It is worth recording the story of the bearings. John Clay recalls that the white metal lining of the bronze shell was not too bad - just some loose patches. Tony had met this sort of trouble in the late 1930’s, when he and other fitters repaired North Sea trawlers’ big ends with a kerosene blow lamp and white metal prepared into thin sticks. The lumpy running surface was then seated with a half round rasp and hand scraper. In this instance, Tony used a needle flame LPG torch to apply white metal, then John Clay honed the top and bottom halves on his mill using it as a short reach boring machine, leaving about .002” to be later hand-scraped by Tony. The cast-iron big end with its anchor grooves was poured in one hit, with spacers between the halves and the lapped sheet metal liner. The white metal was melted in a two-handled ladle made from half a fridge sealed unit casing. The full ladle was lifted from the forge, and the controlled pour was carried out. Later the two halves were separated, peened, bored and hand scraped. Ultimately (and probably spurred on by the possession of this engine), the Club was granted the use of a building at Australiana Village. Initially, this building was just an open shelter, but later on a friend, Mr Tolson, offered the Club some materials from a stormdamaged shed at nearby Mulgrave. Many working bees later, the building was enclosed with side and end walls. Ron Ross welded up the steel base for the engine, and it was re-assembled under Tony Marvin’s supervision. The original air receiver could not be used, and another was located. A 4hp Buzacott engine and compressor was donated by Laurie Green, but it took the best part of an hour to reach 250psi, with much labouring and belt slipping. Even at this pressure, starting was most difficult to achieve. It took a lot of trial and error to develop a starting technique, probably due (as was subsequently learned) to insufficient air pressure. The engine was fired up publicly for the first time at the Club rally at Australiana Village in September 1994, and it suitably impressed all onlookers. An interesting point is that only one of the two cylinders is set up as an air motor for starting. There is an air cam on the same vertical shaft as the fuel cam drive. |
Sadly, it was not long after this that Australiana Village passed into private hands, and the Club was forced to vacate the site without having a new home to go to. Luckily, our Good Samaritan, Mr Tolson, gave us the use of part of a large shed at Mulgrave for storage of the Club’s possessions, and they remained there for 3 years. During this time the Club succeeded in establishing its present home at Clarendon where provision was made to house the Deutz engine.
The engine and all the Club’s other items were eventually removed from storage, and the engine was craned in and remained under wraps until the Club completed other essential projects on our shed, including the roof of the skillion extension over the engine. When attention was finally directed towards getting it going again, a subcommittee was appointed, headed by John Clay, which quickly commenced the project. An electrically powered air compressor was installed, and this made light work of developing the starting pressure required. Initially, trouble was encountered getting it to start, and nearly everyone in the Club offered their opinions on the problem. In the end, it was simply a case of not enough air pressure, experiments proving that 280-300psi was necessary to impart sufficient energy to the flywheel for continual rotation.The air receiver was initially certified to 250psi. When it was realised, higher pressures were needed, the pressure vessel inspector re-evaluated the air receiver with the aid of an ultrasonic thickness meter and applied his measurements to hoop stress calculations. He then required us to carry out a hydraulic test to 500psi. The vessel survived the test, and the inspector passed it for 300psi. There have been continuing minor problems with leaking cylinder head gaskets, which are thick copper rings, and water leaks about the cylinder heads. A small travelling gantry has been installed to make the job of lifting the cylinder heads easier (and to avoid crushed fingers!). The engine has been run on a number of occasions, firstly at a couple of meetings to demonstrate it to members (and to show off the sub-committee’s good work), and at the 2001 Clarendon Classic Rally. It starts readily, provided lighted saltpetre impregnated wicks are inserted into the holders provided. Thanks to Ron Irving for the story |
Engine Specifications
Type: PMZ230
Serial Number: 164479-480
Power: 50bhp at 430rpm
Date of manufacture: Mid 1920’s
Serial Number: 164479-480
Power: 50bhp at 430rpm
Date of manufacture: Mid 1920’s
May 2010 UPDATE
The Club’s pride, the 1928 two-cylinder 50-horsepower engine (serial number 164479-480, model PMZ230) Deutz, was given a number of runs over the Hawkesbury Show. The last couple of times it became evident there is an unwanted noise noticeable mainly when it is slowing down during shutdown. A preliminary check suggests it may be a gudgeon in the right-hand cylinder, though this has to be investigated fully. To do so requires removal of the piston, no trivial matter! A working bee is being planned for the near future to undertake the work.
At least space is not as confined as it was when this engine was recovered from the bowels of the Capitol Theatre Sydney!
At least space is not as confined as it was when this engine was recovered from the bowels of the Capitol Theatre Sydney!
June 2010 UPDATE
At the Hawkesbury Show recently, the Deutz engine was run a number of times, and it became apparent a knock was developing in number two cylinder. A preliminary check on the day suggested it might be the gudgeon. A working bee was held on 19th May when the piston was removed, and it was found the gudgeon bush to be the cause, and a new bush has to be made. Russell Gear thought he had some suitable bronze, but it turned out to be just under the 105mm outside diameter required. That is some bush! Anyway, purchase of suitable material was approved via a phone around of Committee members, and Peter is undertaking the machining.
December 2010 UPDATE
A working bee was held today (29 Nov) to reassemble the Club’s twin cylinder Deutz engine following completion of machining one of the pistons. Members may recall that the engine seized when previous repair work was being tested, and the gudgeon pin was found to have ‘grabbed’ in the No. 2 piston. It took a 100 tonne press to push it out, and this damaged the gudgeon pin hole. The repaired piston was refitted today and the engine ran for half an hour or more with no sign of a problem. Needless to say, Russell and the crew are very pleased the problem has been successfully resolved. “I have never heard the engine run as quietly”.
Following the report of reassembly and successful running of the engine on 29 November 2010, at the Club Christmas lunch on 4 December 2010, the engine was started and run a number of times and all those involved were very happy with it. Honorary Member John came down to witness it running. John was one of the original team involved in its restoration following its retrieval from the Capitol Theatre Sydney. The gudgeon problem has been resolved to everyone’s great relief. The photo shows Peter looking on in a fatherly way while the engine is running!
Following the report of reassembly and successful running of the engine on 29 November 2010, at the Club Christmas lunch on 4 December 2010, the engine was started and run a number of times and all those involved were very happy with it. Honorary Member John came down to witness it running. John was one of the original team involved in its restoration following its retrieval from the Capitol Theatre Sydney. The gudgeon problem has been resolved to everyone’s great relief. The photo shows Peter looking on in a fatherly way while the engine is running!
June 2023 UPDATE
The engine had not been started for several years primarily due to COVID. In Early 2023 a new team was formed to take over from the original enthusiasts who have mentored them in the maintenance and starting of this great engine. It is planned to start it several times each day of the 2023 "Clarendon Classic".
DEUTZ Engines from the 1920s
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