Disco acetylene starter

[dl456]

Hello,

Juat added a 12 Hudsom model 33 to the stable. The car is incredibly complete and unmolested.

It still has all the parts to the acetylene starter with exception of the plumbing.

Any body have any info on these units?

Anybody still using one?

I have not tried to start the car yet. still getting things freed up.

Thanks,

Dennis

[Mark Shaw]

Dennis,

   Yes, I have one on my 13 Buick, but I will never try to use it.  If you have the gang valve on the firewall, all you need is the 1/8" tubing and the special priming cups that accept the tubing in the side.

 

Edited June 1, 2015 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

There is a reason you never see one of those units in operational condition.

[tomcarnut]

Dennis,

 

Ron T of our Southern Ohio Chapter AACA had one on his 1913 Stoddard Dayton and he never used it either. I am sure he can give you more info. Hope to see you on a tour some time with our group. I hope to have my 12 McLaughlin -Buick back on the road for the Ohio Region Summer tour in July in Beavercreek. Joe S. keeps telling me you are going to come sometime. We have nice tour to Metamore, Indiana June 21.

 

Tom Muth

Cincinnati, Ohio

[Restorer32]

I think the problem lies in the fact that acetylene is very unstable. An acetylene bottle such as you see with oxy acetylene torch outfits is actually filled with a porous concrete material so there is never a large quantity of free acetylene present. These units were only available for a very short time before folks realized they had a habit of detonating engines. At least that's what I've heard over the years.

[Ivan Saxton]

The porous medium has acetone absorbed in it. The acetone absorbs and stabilises the acetylene, because the acetylene will otherwise explode above a critical pressure. If you use acetylene from a bottle that is horizontal the acetone is depleted, and I was told could become a bomb when refilled. Another practice that used to really anger the gas companies was loss of high pressure oxygen and shielding gas bottles, when off-shore infrastructure was constructed in Bass Straight oil and gas field, between Victoria and Tasmania. Lower primates liked to amuse themselves by opening the valve of full bottles, and drop them into the sea to propel themselves like torpedos. The gas suppliers then instituted an extortional bottle hire charge, which terrestrial users have suffered ever since.

[CarlLaFong]

That seem a bit anecdotal. Since all gas bottles exit from the side, all they would do is pinwheel about, possibly crashing into and damaging the oil rig. If such hijinks did occur, I'm certain the perpetrators would have been sacked, forthwith.

[dl456]

Really guys. According to the literature they worked 98% of the time.Of course they fail to mention what happened the other two percent,

I really don't intend to use it but I do have the valve and primers and will probably plumb it as original.

Thanks for the info.

Tom,

thanks for the invite. I will start participating with you guys soon. I just don't have much free time currently.

Thanks,

Dennis

[Restorer32]

I can tell you for a fact that if you knock the valve off an oxygen tank with a forklift blade it will torpedo the entire length of a 200 ft building and only grind its way to a halt when it exits thru the open door and hits the gravel parking lot.