Author Topic: VA "One" Teardown  (Read 24738 times)

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2012, 07:33:06 PM »
And painted



Duct work installed.



Highlights



Other side



I was playing, the RA governor knob fits the new hook perfectly.



Fanwheel waiting for some cool to put it on this evening maybe.


Just waiting on the belts to come in, line up the ST5 and mount it.  then we will work to remove the big 20kw he has in his shed to put this in its place.

Its going to be a work engine, so no polishing or plating of parts. I see many years of service in its future.

Rom

dieselgman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3189
    • View Profile
    • Lister Parts
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2012, 10:08:43 PM »
Nice job! Let us know how she runs!

dieselgman
ALL Things Lister/Petter - Americas
Lyons Kansas warehousing and rebuild operations

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2012, 10:31:26 PM »
Thanks, again its all my brothers work, once its down off its pallet I'd like to run it up, but we shall see. Might not until its in position.

Just for reference, a pic of what I believe is the "earlier" style of the SoM cast base. This is the base of a VA found out in the bush with no injector or valve cover. Piston was frozen in the barrel and head was in rough shape. Both are in a 55 gallon drum of oil, been there for a year or so now. Crank was damaged and drive wheel was hourglassed, so theres not much to save on it at this time. It just sits in yard for now. In time it will be restored. I have all the parts here to do it.



Rom


Bottleveg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2012, 11:31:48 AM »
Nice to see another VA being brought back to life Rom.
Re Bases: I’ve found three different base types fitted to the VA and, due to the VA genny’s opposite driving position, two of them are unique to this engine.
The early VA was fitted with the ‘fat boy’ 4.25kva alternator, which I believe was made by Mawdsley of Dursley. The base you have with two slots was made for this alternator.
Later VA’s where fitted with the much smaller (in size) ‘slim boy’ 4.25kva alternator which was made by BKB of Birmingham. The base you have with two sets of slots will accept both types of alternator; the slim boy would be mounted on the inner slots.
The base you are working on has the Lister adapter plate, which was made so the BKB could be mounted on the ‘fat boy’ base.
The third type of base was a fabricated steel affair and had two cast iron runners to mount the genny. The base was drilled and tapped to suit the type of alternator being fitted so it could be used for the whole CS range and the VA.

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2012, 01:40:17 PM »
Ah, thanks for the update on that Bottleveg.

I have seen the fabricated base before, was a part of the first Semi SoM I was involved in restoring. unfortunately the head wont carry load at this time. It is believed to be a bad rectifier, but the fella who owns it hasnt got a slab for it yet, so it just sits.


ottawavalleyboy

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 41
  • HP is for show....Torque is for go.
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2012, 08:50:03 PM »
I didn't know there were 3 types of bases for the SOM, when I am able I'll take some measurements of my Chinese ST head and look into one of those, was planning on making a custom base for my generator  now I'm not so sure.....
2005 smart fortwo diesel, 95 Toyota tacoma 4x4 gasser, 2011 argo 8x8,and most recently an aircooled Lister 7.5 VA

Bottleveg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2012, 10:22:27 PM »
I didn't know there were 3 types of bases for the SOM, when I am able I'll take some measurements of my Chinese ST head and look into one of those, was planning on making a custom base for my generator  now I'm not so sure.....

I’ve had six variants to the CS single AC type SOM base, there maybe more.
There are the three I mention above. Then you have the same two cast ones, but opposite hand. Then there is one that only takes the 3kva alternator that was driven by the 6/1. There is also a 3.5kva alternator and I can’t remember if that uses an adapter plate or the existing cutouts.
Bye the way, the tinwork round the head is to tunnel the air flow out from the finned flywheel, like Rom said.
Another section would have been added to that which then leads to the outside world.
The VA did suffer from over cooling in temperate climates so tin work was often removed in an attempt to raise the temperature of the engine. If you ever buy a VA have a look round for the missing panels. Sometimes you’ll find them.

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #22 on: August 28, 2012, 08:42:11 PM »
Man Bottleveg, you know the deal on these SoM bases, and also the VA series.

A few years ago, I saw  one of these engines running here, with NO cowls on of any kind, and have been told its been running this way for 5 plus years. If I had a smart phone then I would give you photos of this event. The conditions here make having cowls on an engine a bad thing. Salt levels in the air and such, and with the Lister VA, you never had to look at it cause you didnt have to worry about overheating, like my paranoia of my liquid cooled clone. Abuse is/was rampant.

VA One was started on its own on August 21st, and ran like a champ. I was not witness to the show, but my brother and the video says that it ran on its temporary pallet without issue. He says with minimal bleeding, and a gallon 2stroke oil jug sitting on the valve cover, it fired on the first swing.

I did plan to slam a SoM alternator flywheel onto it, without of course thinking that the damned thing will not fit. Anyhow, I am going to have the flywheel bored and keyed to the ST shaft. God knows what it will cost here, but I know the final product will almost be perfect. I'm not for the modification of old things normally, but I cant call up George at utterpower for a 45 pound flywheel in twin B belt style either. I figure I could convert to a taper lock down the road and make it fit a SoM head, without much issue.

Rom

Bottleveg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #23 on: August 29, 2012, 09:00:44 PM »
Rom,
I’ve found yet another base type. This is the same design as the fabricated steel base, so the VA and CS can use it with any alternator, but it’s cast iron.
Glad to hear you’ve got your VA running! Are you in the Bahamas? Tin work would be a problem with sea air. I always have the tinwork hot dip galvanised. Do you have a galvaniser there?
Do you think the bearing on the ST genny will take the extra weight of the ‘slim boy’ flywheel? The Lister genny has a much bigger drive bearing.
What happened to the original genny?

potter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 110
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2012, 11:39:33 PM »
I put a SOM flywheel pulley on my st its run for the past  three years no problem yet.
     
    Potter

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #25 on: September 02, 2012, 12:39:48 PM »
Yea, I'm on an out island in the Bahamas, some say its a half mile wide at its widest point, salt is always a problem.
I would love to get things galvanized, but we just dont have that kind of industry, not enough work, and Im sure if it was started over here, the price would be nuts. Same with chrome/nickel plating. My father always told me that it would be hell to get rid of the byproducts aswell. Knowing how the government works, they would probably charge you duties on the waste to be exported.

How easy it is to disassemble the ST I was just betting that I could replace the bearing when the thing started growling.

VA One is missing its original generator head, but the other 2 VAs in that shipment came with 110v 60hz rigs, and they are both in rough shape, missing brush gear, one needs new sliprings, rotten wiring, bad transformers, the lot. They wont be crushed, just stored until I gather the parts to do a restore.

Rom

Bottleveg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #26 on: September 02, 2012, 09:01:36 PM »
Potter,
Glad to hear the ST will cope with the SOM flywheel. You never know till you try!

Rom,
I’m fortunate to live relatively close to the remains of UK industry so I can get most things done. I tend to take it for granted, as you do.
It sounds like your climate is not kind to these units. Well worth saving the old gennys and control boxes, even just for spare parts. You never know what you’ll find next.
If they are 60hz they’ll be fitted with the smaller flywheel. The UK 50hz flywheel is somewhat heavier.

Rom

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 58
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #27 on: September 03, 2012, 12:56:23 AM »
I must say I get nostalgic about what I call "The Empire" and how it has slipped from power in this world. I save everything from these engines, one day I will restore them to their glory. If I could get detailed schematics for the SoM systems, Id send them to a friend of mind that is an engineer, I would like to think we could shrink all of the SoM electronic gear down to something that can be built with stuff from rat shack or any one the other electronic suppliers.

Rom

Bottleveg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 246
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #28 on: September 03, 2012, 01:29:52 AM »
If I could get detailed schematics for the SoM systems, Id send them to a friend of mind that is an engineer, I would like to think we could shrink all of the SoM electronic gear down to something that can be built with stuff from rat shack or any one the other electronic suppliers.
Rom

PM me your email. I’ve got the diagrams for the 4.5kva gennys.
Most of the stuff can be replaced with modern electronics but it dont look so good.

Oiler

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 186
    • View Profile
Re: VA "One" Teardown
« Reply #29 on: September 04, 2012, 01:49:43 PM »
Rom.. If you at some point should manage to get your friend to build new control boxes for the 2.5kw unit i'll be more than happy to buy one.
1962 CS 6/1 for cutting firewood.
Armstrong Siddley AS1 for sale.

1937 Lister D

1918 Lister L