Blackburn - Turbomeca
- Rolls Royce Palouste Mk101 conversion to Mk102 and refurbishment
**Newly
added**
An history of the development of the Turbomeca range of
engines. I
am often asked how to turn Palouste or Artouste engines
into turbo jets because people have heard that they are
the same as this or the same as that. To answer these questions
I have uploaded a potted history of the turbomeca engines
of similar architecture that illustrates exactly what came
from what and which features were maintained between each
engine.
Please
click on each of the pages below to be directed to each
page of the article.
Over
the years I have lost count of how many of these engines
that I have refurbished, modified and overhauled, it is
over 30. A version of the very early Palouste was the first
engine that I ever purchased (in a fully dismantled state
ie bearings apart, seals dismantled etc) refurbished and
got running. (which has lately returned to me for another
overhaul having been stripped and damaged by an inept college
who shall remain nameless). I am fortunate enough to posses
or have access all of the tooling and the spares to fully
re-work these engines and test them under load with a variable
metering orifice. This is the most recent engine which can
be seen in its arrival condition on a pallet by clicking
***HERE***
This engine began life as a MK101 and arrived in a very
poor state and completely seized. As is so often the case
with Palouste and Artouste engines that turn up these days
it required a rear bearing and lab seal change and a front
bearing re-seal before refurbishment and conversion to a
MK102. These engines have a very common fault of oil leakage
into the compressor via a damaged lab seal or bearing pack
seal. They are known to run away by burning this oil if
it leaks in sufficient quantity. This results in seizure
(not the Roman emperor), chunks thrown from the rim of the
compressor or if you are unlucky, a compressor burst if
the clearances are large enough that it does not seize first.
The gauges were also seized and in poor condition. So after
a little spit and polish the engine below was the result.
If all of the parts are to hand it takes approximately 30
- 40 hours to fully rework a totally "dead" Palouste,
this includes manufacture of the running rig, rotating assembly
removal and blasting to remove stress, bearing pack refurbishment,
gearbox refurbishment, re assembly and testing.
I
usually have a few rotating assemblies hanging around already
balanced and measured ready to chuck straight in.