Lister Engine Forum

Lister Engines => Listeroid Engines => Topic started by: gadget on September 28, 2019, 02:52:22 AM

Title: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on September 28, 2019, 02:52:22 AM
I decide to start a thread on my build. Originally I was going to build a 6/1 with an ST5 gen head. After talking with Gary at D.E.S. I went with an 8/1 and a Stamford clone generator. It seems like there is allot of work to get the ST generators working good and I thought it would be best to just go with a turn key head that has know clean power. Its much more $ but its worth it for me so I can focus on getting the motor dialed in.

I'm thinking of running this thing in a dual speed configuration. 300-400ish RPM for 12v/24v DC charging and/or running a belt drive vacuum pump for my freeze dryer. 850 RPM when running the genhead.

Something to consider if your going to order a kit on a pallet, make sure you have a forklift to unload or pay for a shipping truck with a lift gate. There is no way to unload the pallet and lift out by hand. The short block with the wheels on and the gen head are way to heavy. The gen I got weighs 200lbs.

Mine came as a short block in a crate on a pellet with all the parts boxed up
(https://imgur.com/LnMP5jd.jpg)

After I removed the pallet sides I took off the flywheels. I used a bolt and nut to put pressure on the keys to remove them. They where pretty tight so I gave them a gentle shake while they where under pressure with an air hammer. It took 4 consecutive length bolts to get them loose enough. After I got the keys out, I scrapped the paint off the shaft and gave it a light sand with emery cloth and oil till they where clean before removing the wheels. One flywheel came off easy the other did not. I used a bottle jack carefully placed against a strong part of the case(under light pressure) while taping with a rubber mallet on the opposite side. It took about 20 mins to get the second flywheel off. I had a second person helping me.

(https://imgur.com/w9qsKp0.jpg)

So far this clone is looking pretty good for a listeroid. I'm going to start stripping the out paint off and taking it completely apart
(https://imgur.com/sA3NmrI.jpg)

I'm going to tear it down and clean it up here at work. I'm a mechanic and can work on it when I'm not busy. I will assemble it at home. I took the genhead home to wait for the motor to be finished. This stamford clone looks very well made so far. Pulley looks to have some good weight to it. Its rated continues duty @8.8kw. Its over kill for my motor and should give many years of good service
(https://imgur.com/hfpRloR.jpg)

This will be a slow going build till I get caught up on another project.
(https://imgur.com/SYD5kvP.jpg)
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: BruceM on September 28, 2019, 03:34:05 AM
Love the head photo.
Don't forget to check your crankshaft runout.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: George A on September 28, 2019, 04:42:29 AM
The idea of using successive bolt sizes to loosen the key is a stroke of genius! It puts pressure in a straight line, unlike some key pullers I've seen.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: mike90045 on September 28, 2019, 07:02:59 AM
I'd not let that cyl head go on like that for very long, you will get a lot of tar build up, and I don't know if water injection gets up into the pre-combust chamber    :)
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: sirpedrosa on September 28, 2019, 02:46:36 PM
Hi Gagdet

Nice tip, that bolt losening way... and air hammer too, but - always a but - I'd like to have a lifter too!

Nice head face! keep going!

Cheers
VP

Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on September 29, 2019, 05:03:24 AM
The bolt trick did work well but it does damage the bolts as you get towards the end of the threads. Small price to pay I guess. Working as a mechanic you get use to improvising.


The motor stripped down pretty easily. I also started stripping the paint with some left over adhesive remover I had. I also started scrapping the inside. I hope to have it hot tanked soon. I was surprised at how well the casting is so far. I was expecting a couple of holes and such.
(https://imgur.com/ee9s25A.jpg)

They where kind enough to leave me with plenty of sand inside the case, allot more then I expected.
(https://imgur.com/7PGIj4P.jpg)

I noticed the bottom casting have some over hang. I'll take the grinder to the excess before I hot tank. It looks like it is designed to have the 4 corners lower then the sides
(https://imgur.com/iyAE7dN.jpg)
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: BruceM on September 29, 2019, 05:48:21 AM
Looking good!  Nice work.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: mikenash on September 29, 2019, 06:37:13 AM
It looks like a goodie

I guess the stories of the Rajkot machines that come with horrors like pockets of sand or funny machined-finish angles are the stories that get remembered and revisited.  Averages suggest there will be goodies as well I guess

FWIW when I had a stubborn key to remove I had two tapered cold-chisels in behind it - smacking them in like wedges & eventually it yielded

Well done
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: dieselspanner on September 29, 2019, 07:49:03 AM
I 'hot tanked' my CS in a 205L - 40 gallon - oil drum, I made up a stand and the lit a fire beneath it, with 4 kilos of caustic soda it took 2 hours to come to the boil, after 30 minuet simmering I left it overnight.

I had to kick the whole thing over to get the crankcase out, SWMBO was not impressed with the dead grass, it was lovely and clean.

A pressure wash took care of the nooks and crannies.

Cheers
Stef
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on September 29, 2019, 03:18:12 PM
I am hopeful its a good one. Casting does look good so maybe I got lucky with the machine work too.

I was planning on using one of the steel oil drums at work for hot tanking. They are epoxy lined and should hold up to the lye. I am going to lower the case in using an engine hoist and add just enough water to cover it a couple of inches. I'm guess it will be about 25-30 gallons of water. I'm thinking maybe 1 lb of lye?? I have an 1,000 watt emersion heater that I'm going to heat the solution with. I'm guessing it will take many hours to warm up. Is it common to bring it to boil? I'm planning on removing 99% of the paint and outer white putty before I tank it. I hope the solution can take off the white gunk on the inside. I will then pressure wash it and then paint the inside with the copper winding paint and high temp engine enamel for the outside.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: dax021 on September 29, 2019, 04:23:35 PM
Why bother taking off any paint first.  The lye should do that and save you the effort.  That is the idea after all.  When I was reconditioning forecourt fuel bowsers, i cut the top off a m³ IBC added about 600 Lt water and dumped in 2 bags of caustic flakes.  Never ever had to heat it in the 10 plus years that I used it.  All I did was scrape the paint sludge out the bottom and add a bag of coustic every year or so.  Takes longer minus the heater, but still only a few days to strip a panel down to bare metal
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: BruceM on September 29, 2019, 05:27:08 PM
Good to have that confirmed, Dax. A few days wait is not such a big deal, and allows the use of plastic drums or trash cans for those not needing speed.  It might also make flywheel soak practical; I can imagine a ring of cinder blocks lined with heavy plastic sheeting.

I've read nothing but praise and seen good photo good results for the lye method.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: sirpedrosa on September 29, 2019, 07:57:30 PM
Hi Gadjet

Acetone (harmless then caustic soda) will strip your paint everywhere.

Just my opinion...
VP
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: dax021 on September 30, 2019, 03:32:08 PM
Hi Gadjet

Acetone (harmless then caustic soda) will strip your paint everywhere.

Just my opinion...
VP


I'm not too sure about that.  Acetone might work but I think it will be a lot slower than caustic soda, as well as much more expensive.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on October 15, 2019, 05:31:18 AM
After having a week off work I was looking forward to getting back to this build. As luck would have it, I had some spare time at work today. I am not completely done with removing all the paint but after reading some suggestions, I'm going to let the caustic soda take it off.

I'm going to try cold soak first for a couple of days and see what happens. It barely fit!

(https://imgur.com/W2iwEdi.jpg)
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on October 16, 2019, 03:27:53 AM
Hey Glort,

I thought it was safe to leave iron in the solution for days. I'm at home tomorrow but I can go down to work and check it out in the morning. Its just siting the drum outside the shop.

I will give it a good stir tomorrow morning. I can add some heat Thursday with my 1000 watt emersion heater
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: dax021 on October 17, 2019, 02:38:44 PM

I was not trying to infer it was not safe to do so rather that I would keep an eye on it.

A lot depends on strength and agitation.  I would suggest that hitting the block with a pressure washer to blow off the softened paint would be faster and less risk of erosion than waiting for the paint to all off in the solution itself.

In my experience with paint stripping, softening the material chemically and then using some mechanical removal method works best.


Agree 100% with Glort.  I used to leave cast iron pump units and meters in the caustic for days without any negative effects.  The paint will however never completely dissolve and will always need a high pressure wash to get it all off.  Even a wash with a garden hose gets most of the loose stuff off.


Beware of leaving brass or aluminium bits like bushes in the casting, they WILL erode.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on October 20, 2019, 02:18:58 PM
Thanks everyone for the good input. I had some free time at work today so I pulled the block up and gave it a pressure wash. About 95% came off. Its been soaking for 4 days. I had not stirred it and its pretty cool outside so I'm impressed this much came off. I put it back for another soak. I'm going to heat it Monday and give it another pressure wash after work.

I noticed there was a couple of spots the pressure washer would not get some casting grit out. I guess this is where you have to mechanically scrape it out.
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on October 24, 2019, 04:24:49 AM
I got the block out of the tank and pressure washed the rest of the paint and white gunk off. I added 1,000 watt emersion heater for about 8 hours, the solution got to about 130F. Did lots of stirring and it seems it worked very well with the heat.

I have not painted the inside yet. I have been scraping stuck on sand and grinding with an oval shaped carbide bit. I'm going to give it a good round with a sand blaster inside then I will paint it.

For now, I got some paint on the outside. I wanted a mellow color, even maybe grey. I found some Detroit diesel green in high temp paint and it has that old industrial generator look.

(https://imgur.com/ZL0beR6.jpg)
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: gadget on November 03, 2019, 12:03:32 AM
I was cleaning up the head and cylinder bore today and noticed something. It appears that I got a used cylinder bore. Most of the honing is worn off and there is some carbon build up above where the rings reach the highest point. I didn't feel any ridge so I may just hone with a rigid hone and give it a go.

(https://imgur.com/fuNo7kG.jpg)

I'm not surprised since I also got the wrong piston. I wonder if the factory was out of 8/1 piston/bore and sent this used one instead. Gary did send me out an aluminum replacement piston for the wrong cast iron one. I would hate to have him send me a new cylinder bore. Im hoping this one will work with new piston/rings. Any thoughts??
Title: Re: Gadget's DES 8/1 Stamford build
Post by: snowman18 on November 03, 2019, 06:29:59 AM

You Bought this new and they gave you a used Bore?

Even if it were new the cross hatch has a totally wrong pattern. The cast iron looks soft, probably sewer or stove cast.

Would be interesting to take the bore to a scrap yard and have them use the XRF on it to determine the make up of the alloy used for the cylinder casting.

Using a lower grade of cast for the crankcase is not an issue.

The bottom image shows the proper cross hatch.

(https://i.postimg.cc/vB4NZcqL/cross.png)

(https://i.postimg.cc/3rsm6dg5/aaaa.png)