LT1 electric start

[fallingblock]

Are there available parts to convert an early LT1 to electric start or has anyone done this as a diy project

[dieselgman]

If your LT1 has only the sheet metal fan housing and lacks the starter ring gear, you will have to swap out those parts for the cast housing and flywheel with gear. Then it will mount a dc starter motor. New parts costs will be prohibitive, but maybe you can find a used donor engine to swap parts with. These were widely used on dc sign boards in the USA and there seems to be a lot of action for them in Mexico these days.


dieselgman

[fallingblock]

Thanks dieselgman, am in the uk but will try and locate the parts you mentioned

[guest23837]

There's a guy on preloved.co.uk selling several lister engines runners and non runners. Sleeman & Hawken sometimes have 2nd hand parts not the cheapest tho

[listard-jp2]

All the parts you need can presently be found new on ebay UK:

Flywheel with ring gear:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-LISTER-LT-LV-FLYWHEEL-AND-GEAR-RING-ASSY-601-51562-/261420028125

FYI This flywheel looks as if it the version which incorporates a charge winding. If so it will differ somewhat dimensionally from a hand start flywheel



Starter motor spacer:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-LISTER-LT-LV-ENGINE-DISTANCE-PIECE-STARTER-MOTOR-early-style-602-37080-/251784047251

Starter motor:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LISTER-LT2-LV2-ENGINE-12volt-STARTER-MOTOR-602-37092-equivalent-/261620284130

Cast Aluminium flywheel fan shroud:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-LISTER-LT-LV-FAN-SHROUD-SAE-5-FACING-601-37670-/252207751400


Though by the time you have added that lot up, as others have stated a donor engine would be another (and cheaper) option to consider. I cannot be 100% sure but the starter motor that I have put a link too, looks remarkably similar to what you would find on electric start Petter AC and AD range engines.

Thinking about this in more detail, electric start LT and LV engines were never that prevalent (there diminutive size meant they were always easy to hand start). Hence here is another potential solution for you to consider (and one that Listers themselves used on HR2 and 3 electric start engines, when fitted with sheet steel flywheel fan shrouds, for applications that required electric start but were not close coupled).

Still retaining the sheet steel flywheel fan shroud, it may be possible to fit a steel plate say 3/8" thick (secured to the flywheel end main bearing housing studs) inside the cowling. This would then allow a starter motor to be bolted to this plate. Finally due to the LT flywheel been a comparable size to an automotive engine, you may be able to find an aftermarket starter ring to fit your flywheel. Finally a suitable pre-engage type starter motor could be sourced from any scrapyard. This is obviously not a five minute operation requiring some machining work, and significant  time to source suitable parts, but it would be a lot cheaper than buying the parts new.

[Hugh Conway]

If not interested in originality, one could belt up a 12v starter/generator as used in golf carts and small tractors.
Should do the trick.
Cheers,
Hugh