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Topics - ZackaryMac

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Other Slow Speed Diesels / Arona diesel 4hp
« on: November 03, 2008, 02:00:44 AM »
I recently purchased an Arona 28vdc diesel generator, which is air-cooled. The motor runs ok, but smokes a lot. Going to check the injector tomorrow, as I suspect it may be the culprit. Smooth running little engine, smoother than my EL300, way smoother than the Onan RDJA.
  I can find no info for this. What little info I find is all about liquid-cooled Arona's that are re-tooled Lombardini's. Mine has Arona embossed on the cover, fuel tank cap, starting hole cap, and ID tag so I figure it likely isn't a "no-name" Lombardini. Arona closed 25 years ago (itialian co), but I figured SOMETHING would be out there.

Not sure of the age of it. It's in decent shape, really. I have no idea what I'm going to do with 28vdc, IF I can get that part to work.

Any of you guys heard of Arona, or something this small from them?

2
Other Slow Speed Diesels / Petter BA2
« on: February 13, 2007, 02:10:45 AM »
I have a chance to buy a Petter BA2 diesel, a 2 cyl air-cooled 20hp engine, basket case, for $250. The guy who is selling it says all the parts are there, and they seem to be. He says he bought it years ago from the government, and believes there are few hours on it.
It was taken apart because the center bearing was scored up. The crank looks fine. He figures the bearing scored from lack of oil, due to the wrong bearing being installed that lacked an oil hole. I looked at it and said there isn't supposed to be an oil hole, because there is no oil gallery on the bearing holder. The oil comes from galleries in the crank. I think he was wrong a long time.
 Anyway, the pistons, cylinders look great. Crank strangely looks great. He had the journals well greased. I wondered why this engine was apart in the first place originally, and he didn't know. Very minimal damage to anything, at least that is obvious.
 Anyone familiar with this engine? Are parts available in Canada? I've experienced basket cases before, and sometimes they are horrible mistake, sometimes a goldmine (rarely). Any thoughts on this?
I also have a chance to buy a one cyl air cooled Petter diesel that the guy (another guy  ;D) claims is 3 hp. No compression due to mice building a home in the engine  - I seen it, and after a few cranks by hand, and lots of crap blowing out the exhaust pipe, some compression returned - everything else there, minus gas tank, plus a heavy 24v alt. It is in a cage, similar to a gas waterpump. He wants too much...$500. I know I don't have the model number, but are these engines worth consideration either?
I don't have any actual plans for either engine yet, however...when did that stop anyone? :D

3
Generators / Fairbanks Morse Generator head
« on: January 23, 2007, 02:48:09 AM »
I have inherited a 3kw FM generator head that I detached from a Wisconsin TE engine, and I am having a shaft made up, along with making a bearing support, so I can belt-drive this unit from my Onan RDJA engine.
This generator originally could not only make 120v at 1800rpm, but was wound, with 4 more brushes on the armater, besides the two on slip rings, to be able to start the engine. So the rotor has slip rings and also more brass contacts all around with 4 big brushes, just like in a 12v starter.
The brush assembly is bolted in such a way as to be able to rotate it axially, as though to adjust timing (for some reason).
I believe this unit is c.1950. Big. Heavy. Nice. Probably put out 3000 watts forever.

So, all this info leads to a question: Can I run this unit backwards and still make 120v ok? Mounting it beside the motor will make it a lot more "compact", and keep the weight in-line with the engine, otherwise it will have to be offset to rotate it the same way it was originally turning. I have no intention of using the starting aspect of it, as it probably wouldn't turn the diesel over anyway, beside the fact the diesel has it's own starter . I suspect it can be reverse-rotated, however it would be nice to hear from someone that knows, instead of guessing.
Also, why in the @$#% would I want to rotate the brushes? To time what? Or phase what?

The best part is, I don't know for sure if the unit isn't damaged. It turned the gas engine over, and I had the engine spitting and sputtering on ½ a cylinder enough to move the volt meter some, but couldn't load it.


Final and last question: does ANY of my rambling make any sense? :D I know the wife has a tough time making any sense of me by times...

4
General Discussion / Hi from Nova Scotia
« on: January 21, 2007, 06:54:57 AM »
Hi everyone.

I came across this forum a little while ago and decided to join. I've had a long-time interest in single-cylinder diesels, and was looking on the internet for Lister stuff and found this forum.
 Though I don't yet have a Lister, or the "oid", I do have a couple of diesel singles (see the sig). The Kubota EL300 came from a flashing arrow sign, the type used at highway construction sites. It has an car alternator attached to run the lights in the arrow. I also added a 120v, 1500w gen head from a military generator (well, it wasn't diesel! ;D) and use it sometimes.
 The Onan seems to be bit of a rarity. I was given this for free, and it runs fine (too good of a deal to pass up). It was a frame-mounted compressor for a small reefer back in the late 70's. Onan themselves can't tell me much about it. Internet searching brings up little. I plan on mounting it and adding a OLD Fairbanks-Morse 3kw gen head that was separated from another old genset, after adding a shaft and pulley to it (also a freebie).
 The GMC Sonoma - well, I wanted a small diesel truck and not only are they hard to find, but when you do find one, they are either rusted to death, or too expen$ive. So I found a rusted out diesel S10, robbed the motor/transmission out of it and yanked the 4.3 gasser w/auto out of the Sonoma, and did the swap. 4 years ago.

Sorry for the long-winded start, I just thought a little history is better than knowing nothing.


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