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I just finished machining and assembling my first Stirling engine. All said and done it fired and ran great on the first try with the timing just under 90* (20 years of working on cars helped just a bit). I have since opened it up to around 92* to 96* in an attempt to increase the RPM's. I have yet to run it with the new timing adjustment and my question is: Has anyone found a particular timing range that has yielded more RPM's then others? If so I'd love to hear the input of others. Below is a picture of it just before I honed the cylinder, polished the piston, and completed the assembly. I'll post a finished picture latter and thanks in advance for any input.

Nice engine! Congratulations! :D

So far I only ever heard of 90 deg timing in 'kinematic' engines like yours, but I'm no expert. (As you probably know, reducing friction and keeping a good temperature difference between the two ends of the displacer should make it run at its best.)

Nice machining work Microwave,

I am currently running a LTD engine with the displacer about 20 degree's ahead of the power piston and it runs best like this. It will run at 90 too but at a higher temp. Another semi-LTD I've built that has a simular design will only run at 90. It seems to vary engine by engine and I don't know what the cause of the variable is. I suggest that timing should be made adjustable on any model Stirling unless following some known design. Even then, it's possible that one might discover better performance at other than 90 degree's.