Having started your fire with dry wood, add fuel gradually, a little at a time, until you have a fire covering every part of the grate. Regulate the fire by the damper alone, never opening the firebox door even if the fire gets too hot.
Q. In what way should the engine be started?
A. When you have from 25 to 40 lbs. of pressure open the throttle valve a little, allowing the cylinder cocks to be open also. Some steam will condense at first in the cold cylinder, and this water must be allowed to drain off. See that the crank is not on a dead center, and put on just enough steam to start the engine. As soon as it gets warmed up, and only dry steam appears at the cocks, close the cylinder cocks, open the throttle gradually till it is wide open, and wait for the engine to work up to its full speed.
Q. How is the speed of the engine regulated?
A. By the governor, which is operated by a belt running to the main shaft. The governor is a delicate apparatus, and should be watched closely. It should move up and down freely on the stem, which should not leak steam. If it doesn’t work steadily, you should stop the engine and adjust it, after watching it for a minute or two to see just where the difficulty lies.
Q. Are you likely to have any hot boxes?
A. There should be none if the bearings are all clean and well supplied with oil. However, in starting a new engine you should stop now and then and examine every bearing by laying your hand upon it. Remember the eccentric, the link pin, the cross-head, the crank pin. If there is any heat, loosen the boxes up a trifle, but only a very little at a time. If you notice any knocking or pounding, you have loosened too much, and should tighten again.
Q. What must you do in regard to water supply?
A. After the engine is started and you know it is all right, fill the tank on the engine and start the injector. It may take some patience to get the injector started, and you should carefully follow the directions previously given and those which apply especially to the type of injector used. Especially be sure that the cocks admitting the water through the feed pipe and into the boiler are open.
Q. Why are both a pump and an injector required on an engine?