Puppeteer

Author Topic: How best to set up a Lister A  (Read 5079 times)

Mick Patrick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
How best to set up a Lister A
« on: April 28, 2019, 09:40:26 AM »
My Lister A will only run at a very rich idle with barely any air valve opening - any ideas please ?

38ac

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2324
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2019, 12:37:01 PM »
I am not a expert on them by any measure but all 4 of my Lister gasoline engines run nicely with the fuel valve opened a very small amount , less than 1/2 turn. I would guess that your carburetor jet is partially plugged or your fuel supply is lacking.
Collector and horder of about anything diesel

Mick Patrick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2019, 05:18:53 PM »
Hi 38ac,

My fuel is opened about 15degs from closed which seems reasonable and I can easily admit more fuel but that makes it worse. The air is only just cracked from full closed and closing or opening makes it run at top speed with no control or starves it of air. There seems to be no sweet spot between. I wondered about the governor valve, if that was preventing a happy setting. ? My Lister D is great but this Lister A is really difficult to set right.

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2019, 05:14:46 AM »
Hi Patrick,
Stationary engines in general can be a real challenge so keep persisting with it. Is this engine throttle governed or governor set rev range? If throttle governed then it is all about fuel / air mix ratios and is trial and error. If it is set by the governor then it has to be set at a lower speed then keep playing with the settings. You should be able to have your air intake open a bit more than you are describing.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.

38ac

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2324
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2019, 11:02:25 AM »
 Now that you have better explained exactly what is going on Yes, you have givernor problems.  Could be that the linkage is not adjusted correctly, could be binding, could be internal issues, could be that someone has installed a spring that is to strong. Start out by verifying that the linkage will move against the pressure of the spring.
Collector and horder of about anything diesel

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2019, 06:45:33 AM »
Thinking a bit more about your issue and to add to the good information from 38ac, also look at and repair any wear in the linkages to get it to run smoothly. Wrong tension springs can cause this trouble as can internal sticking so maybe a clean up on the inside as well.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.

Mick Patrick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2019, 04:40:13 PM »
Guys, thanks for the comments re the rough running Lister A. I have a new rather strong spring on the throttle adjuster so I have lengthened that with a bit of locking wire. Today I noticed that the governor springs do not reset back to an idle position so I will change them Maybe then I can get a good datum to start from. I am not sure about the carb slide valve in the air inlet, is it admitting too much air so that the adjustable air valve is only just cracked open. Any comments ?
Cheers Mick

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2019, 07:08:16 AM »
Not having a Lister A with a carby I am unable to comment on it. Sounds very strange that one is wide open and the other nearly closed.
Keep playing and trialing different spring weights on the governor and get that sorted as this may make a difference when it is time to do the fine tuning of the carby. With the carby is it in good condition? By this I mean any fuel leaks, leaky gaskets or movement on the main shaft. A carby on my David Brown Cropmaster was almost impossible to tune. After sitting down with some plate glass and wet n dry paper I resurfaced all mating surfaces to stop air leaks. I then noticed that the main shaft ran on tiny needle roller bearings and there was suppose to be felt washers on the outer side of the throttle body to seal it from sucking air. I even made a set of gaskets for the carby body from top to bottom only to find out they dont normally have any gaskets there. It turns out that by resurfacing and fitting felt washers on the shaft I can now tune the tractor as it was meant to do so.
Keep a close look on all surfaces and gaskets and next time you have it running try the spray can of WD40 or similar and spray targeted areas to see if the RPM changes. If the revs alter you have an air leak.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.

Mick Patrick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2019, 09:14:11 AM »
Thanks Cobbadog,
When I get back from a working trip I will change the governor springs and free up any sticky bits. Good call on air leaks, I must be sucking air into the carb or gaskets so that's the next job. Cheers. Mick

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2019, 05:23:29 AM »
This might make you laugh, after making all the gaskets for my carby on the tractor I found that they are not suppose to have any in them only a manifold gasket. This also explained why I had to reset the float level.  :embarassed:
Aslo check sticky valves, I had an issue with another engine and it was just that.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.

dieselspanner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 726
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2019, 09:09:15 AM »
The distortion of mating surfaces is common on the old Zenith' from the '60's as well, makes them impossible to set up, as noted by Cobbadog, plate glass and wet and dry.

Cheers
Stef
Tighten 'til it strips, weld nut to chassis, peen stud, adjust with angle grinder.

BruceM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3054
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2019, 06:01:34 PM »
Permatex gasket maker (doped gray silicone) has been a reliable leak fix for me.

Mick Patrick

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 5
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2019, 06:08:01 PM »
Thanks everyone. Can`t wait to get back home to the bits in the post to have a crack at it. Glort, you got guts to admit to that, respect you for that old chap. Mick

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #13 on: May 06, 2019, 06:41:08 AM »
This was a Solex (another Pommy made one). It is an updraft carby from the early 50's.

I too ahd a go at making the manifold gasket for the same tractor. It had thin sheet metal in the middle and was a real brute to cut to shape. Even with wad punches and soft wood under it was more like a mulching exercise. Using my best Wiss snips was not as good as I wanted. In the end I sent a cardboard one I hammered out and got it made down in Sydney.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.

cobbadog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1051
    • View Profile
Re: How best to set up a Lister A
« Reply #14 on: May 07, 2019, 07:00:47 AM »
Yes, one of those cutters would be good but it would take me the rest of my life to learn how to drive it. It was exhaust manifold gaskets only that I had trouble with all others I have no trouble even bought a circle cutter to help with the bigger size circles so I haven't bought a gasket set for many years.
When rebuilding the David Brown TVO engine which is a wet sleeve job I had to establish what size copper gasket was fitted under the lip of the liner so that the liner sat the correct distance above the block for the correct compression of the copper head gasket. The options were either 0.005" or 0.013" and I was able to measure the correct one.
Coopernook - the centre of our Universe.