Lister VA Project

[Chris R]

rleonard,

Yes still looking for crank.
I have one on order from india as part of a parts oreder with someone else here in Abaco Bahamas. There has been a hold up around shipping through Miami Florida. (Customs, bonded area, getting out of bonded area to ship to the Bahamas, etc)
So Yes I am still looking. The crank from india could be a spare, if it ever gets here.
So yes where, and do you know how much. $ are tight these days.

Thanks

[rleonard]

I have a call in checking on price for you.  Will advise.

Bob

[listard-jp2]

I would like to have a few spare parts of the tin works setting around just in case I should ever need it. I want to keep this in really good shape because I plan to use the air keeping the engine cool as forced heat.

Apart from the flywheel fanshroud being nearly the same as a Lister HA2/3 or HR2/3 engine, I am certain sure the rest of the cowling is unique to this engine. The individual parts that fit round the cylinder barrel would not be difficult to re-manufacture, but the main cowling that ducts the air onto the cylinder head and cylinder barrel would be very tricky to recreate. I can only suggest that you keep on top of any surface rust that appears on any of the sheet metal parts.

  I will run an outside air intake with a filter to the side of the shroud and the heat from the engine will be piped in for heat.

No need to go that extreme, just cut a hole in the building (and cover it with a mesh grille) where you intend to site the engine, as that's no different to what Lister's themselves advised for aircooled diesel engines situated inside a building. If you try and filter the incoming air before it goes through the engine, the restriction the filter creates will reduce the airflow considerably, and as the filter blinds up you may even overheat the engine.

I will keep a CO monitor close just to make sure engine exhaust will not get mixed in.

No need for that either, as diesel exhaust fumes contain minimal CO content, if you do get an exhaust leak your eyes will start to sting more than you can bear long before you are gassed.


Now a hypothetical question for all you Lister CS gurus:

I see no reason why it is not possible to create a twin cylinder Lister VA 15-2 engine, providing you could locate enough scrap engines to source the required parts from. The only problems I forsee are:

1), Drilling and tapping two groups of five holes in a CS twin cylinder crankcase for the cylinder head studs, so they wont clash with the existing cylinder head stud holes.

2), Blanking off the existing tapped holes in the CS twin cylinder crankcase.

3), Manufacturing the required sheetmetal work for the cowling.

4), Overcoming the problem of the flywheel fan shroud clashing with the positioning of the second injector pump.

Your comments are eagerly anticipated 

[Tijean]

Mechanically that sounds like an interesting project. Might take a bit of dampering or flow diversion to get the two cylinders balanced on cooling.

I would worry a bit about the long term safety of the air though for heating for human occupancy; by the time your eyes start watering you have sucked up a lot of stuff that is not medicine. Yes, I know, I used to do it too, but tolerance can suddenly backfire into sensitivity. Even the crankcase blowby is slow poison so if you are going to heat it might be a good idea to pull it into the intake or venturi it into the exhaust and get it outside. You will still have some vapor come off the valve train so your hot air is not going to be totally sweet smelling warm breeze.


I used to cut the mustard!

[listard-jp2]

Mechanically that sounds like an interesting project. Might take a bit of dampering or flow diversion to get the two cylinders balanced on cooling.

Agreed this would be another potential problem to overcome, but I would take some inspiration from the later designs of aircooled Lister Petter TS and TR range AKA flat top engines (due to the design of the rocker covers), and copy the ideas from there design of baffles and shrouds which ensure equal cooling distribution across all cylinders.

[slowspeed]

Would like to get in line for VA parts
Just won a Va 8/1 som on Ebay UK
will add it to the shipment that Dr.D has put together
                       
how do i post a photo???

[rleonard]

Chris, still working on a crankshaft for you.  It is in central Illinois and would probably ship FedEx or UPS international

Bob

[Chris R]

Bob Thanks,

I have sent an email to the place in Kansas Gsj ? That shows they have two cranks for about $350 ea I thinks. No response yet. Turkey Day and all.
I will try and call them next week. I have tried to email before with no response.

A drop ship to West Palm Beach Florida will work fine. Most of our sea freight come sthrough WPB. Don't have address handy but inland freight to WPB would be fine.

ALL THE BEST
CHRIS

[rleonard]

No word yet on the crankshaft.  I have not been up there to see James for a couple of weeks.  I should see him within another week or so.

I found a Quincy compressor head for the project.  Will be heading to Ohio this weekend to pick it up.

Bob

[rleonard]

Been quiet here!  Although with preparations for Christmas, attention is diverted in other directions.

An update on my VA-air compressor project.  I found a Quincy 340 compressor head on Craigslist.  Price in the ballpark and looked OK.  It was about 300 miles away so I had to organize a trip to Springfield Ohio to pick it up.  I made arrangements and combined other tasks to accomplish on the trip, and off I went.  A blizzard was predicted in 48 hrs so the clock was ticking.  All went to plan and I made it home tired, but a productive trip.

There were some minor issues to sort out and I was anxious to see hit run and hear how it would sound.  I found a belt and connected things up in the shop.  To my relief the compressor ran smooth and quiet.  Gotta love those Quincys!





Great oil pressure!



I picked up a slide base for the compressor.  These are made to declutch the compressor when starting the engine. 



Here is a video of it running in the shop.



Next will be putting it on the tank and see how it works out.

Bob

[DRDEATH]

Chris the place in Kansas you are looking for parts I think might be closed. The web site is very old and not kept up. The guy that I am thinking of and I think is the only place in Kansas is from Alaska. I have heard of several people trying to contact him with no luck. Just FYI. Mike DD

[Chris R]

Thanks for info. That might make sense as I have had not reply.

Chris

[contaucreek]

Gary is alive and well and business as usual. Responds to email best. P.

[rleonard]

I sacrificed my cherished Saturday afternoon nap and spent time with the compressor project.  With pieces accumulating, I was especially anxious to see if this would be a vibrating nightmare, or not.  The mounting pad on the tank had a doubled plate welded on.  I put the engine on this surface.  Rotation directions are all OK.  I will have to add a plate to let me slide the compressor head over enough to line up belts.   I am pleased so far.

With the engine in position and secured, I had to start it up.  I am pleased how smooth it all is.  There is some vibration on the compressor but it was only held by 2 vice grips.  Engine speed is 750 RPM.





Here is a video of it running



Bob

[rleonard]

Chris, still working on a crankshaft for you.  It is in central Illinois and would probably ship FedEx or UPS international

Bob

The NOS crank is available for $350 plus shipping

Bob