Hi 38ac and ajaffa1,
38ac, the two 1934 10/2 you have are also early forth year production engines and very collectable. Your comment regarding an in-tank filter would definitely work. I'm currently using an inline filter as a temporary fix. Bob, thanks for the reference to the filter on ebay - I'll get the dimensions and see if this will work....it certainly looks the part.

The engine has spent the last 57 years running a small alternator up in the mountains at the previous owners ski cabin, so it was only used for a few weeks each year.

I have a 1933 Lister CS 3hp engine with the fuel filter mounted on the head. The fuel filter unit has a water jacket and is heated by hot water from the head (see attached photos). I still have the remnants of the original fuel filter 'cartridge' but its useful life ended at least six decades ago.

Presently, I've removed the old fuel filter 'cartridge' and I'm using an in-line fuel filter, however, I would like to adapt the original fuel filter to use a modern exchangeable fuel filter cartridge. The cartridge would have to have the following dimensions:

Maximum outer diameter 67mm - could be as small as 50mm
Maximum length 130mm - could be a little shorter
Minimum inner diameter 14mm - could be larger

I've tried searching a couple of filter manufacturers websites, but without success.

Does anyone know of a suitable fuel filter cartridge of the right dimensions?

I appreciate this is a very old thread, but I'll take a chance.

I have just purchased, but not yet picked up, a Lister CS 3/1 with serial number CS 9064 and Spec number 208/2.  It would appear the build date was likely 1933. The 3/1's were first built in 1933.

It also has the fuel filter mounted on the side of the head as described by Mark (above).

The COV handle is bakerlite typical of the early CS listers.

The previous owner advises the engine runs well and it looks to be in good condition for its age. It was used to run a small alternator since 1965.

Does anyone have any info on the head mounted fuel filter?

Cheers Gadget,
I would love an easy fix, but they rarely seem to come along. I looked for any marks on the top of the pistons potentially indicative of valve - piston contact, but there is nothing. Even with the exhaust valve decompressed there is nothing to indicate contact.

I don't have a stethoscope and my best efforts with a finger in one ear and my deaf ear up to the engine indicate the sound is coming from the upper barrel area - just where you would expect a diesel knock to come from. I have heard enough lower end; small end/gudgeon; and valve noises to discount these. Also, I have replaced the big end bearings, small end bushes, gudgeon pin, valve guides, valves, valve springs etc. As I mentioned earlier, these engines do not have any rings below the gudgeon pin, however, there does not appear to be significant piston wear. In addition, the bore still has some of its factory cross-hatch hone marks, even at the top of the bore (the bore is not chrome plated i.e. post 'Listard').

I don't know if backlash is likely to be an issue and I assume Lister made allowances for backlash in their gear design and placement. I suspect the level of engineering precision in these engines was perhaps a whisker or two less than that in Swiss watches. The timing gears and idler are in good condition with no appreciable wear.

The knocking noise occurs just before the exhaust valve opens so overlap can't be a contributing issue.

I also wondered if the push rods / tappets were perhaps hanging up and getting slapped by the cam, and this contributed to why I replaced the valve springs, however, both tappets and rods move freely and are well lubricated. The rollers in the tappets similarly work perfectly. I did remove the inspection door and look at the cam - tappet contact while turning the flywheels with the injector out and they work as they should without any hanging or slap.

As I suggested on yesterdays post, I'm now wondering about a reduced bump volume due to insufficient valve seat recess; or replaced valves that have a slightly different head shape / thickness. I imagine this could have a similar effect to carbon build in the upper cylinder or on top of the piston.

I have been wondering if the valve seats are less recessed than they should be, but still sufficient to allow effective decompression when the push rod is lifted, and sufficient to avoid a piston valve interaction.
If the seats are less recessed than they should be this would reduce the bump volume even though the bump clearance is within specifications. I suppose a reduction in bump volume may lead to changed ignition and possibly a knock?

I note the manual advises valve heads must not be less than 1.39mm and not more than 2.54mm under the face of the cylinder head. I did not check this measurement on my engine.

I could test this by placing more paper 'shims' under the barrel, thereby increasing the bump clearance and bump volume. This may not happen for a while as I've just started to do a rebuild of my Lister HB2 engine.

Anyone else had a similar issue before? - comments welcome.

Thanks for the comments Mike.
All parts of the engine were cleaned including all parts of the head and piston. There wasn't much in the way of carbon build-up prior to cleaning anyway.
 
The CS 8/1 engines do not have a compression change over system. There is a plug where the compression change over valve would normally screw in and it appears the CS 8/1 only operates in what would be the higher compression mode of the CS 6/1. I haven't attempted to remove the plug, although the injection chamber has been pressure cleaned and does not appear to have any build-up.
 
I'm sure the head is original. I have the original manual and parts list that came with the engine. The previous owner also gave me the service record notes from since the engine was new and there is no mention of changing the head. Apart from the absence of the compression change-over valve, heads for the 6/1 and 8/1 appear to be identical. Incidentally, the CS 8/1 uses a tappet clearance of 0.20mm for both the exhaust and inlet valves compared to the 0.43mm (Inlet) and 0.82mm (exhaust) tappet clearances for the 6/1.

Fuel and oil are new. The fuel tank and fuel filter are also new. The CS 8/1 engines have a Delco 296 cartridge-type fuel filter compared to the old 'filter wick' of the CS 6/1 engine. I buy fuel in 205 litre drums and use the same fuel in all my diesel engines without issue. I use Penrite HPR Diesel10 10w-40 semisynthetic oil in all my diesel engines and they seem to like it.

There must be something I have missed that is causing the engine to make this 'knock' sound and hopefully someone will point out the "obvious".

Cheers

Would appreciate help/comments on the following:
I have a Lister CS 8/1 (Made in England; not Listeroid). It runs noisy with a pronounced 'diesel knock-like' sound, more pronounced than my other CS Listers. I sounds similar to one of my air-cooled Listers.

I checked the timing, and spill time, and reset the tappets, to no avail. I have replaced the big end bearing, small end bearing, gudgeon pin, rings, valve guides, valves, valve springs, and injector nozzle. The big and small-end bearings did not need replacing but I did it anyway just to eliminate them as a cause. I have serviced the injector and fuel pump. In addition I have run it with a fuel pump and injector off another CS 6/1 engine but the noise is still there. I checked and cleaned all linkages (including governor) and they all work as intended. I have checked the bump clearance with 2 small lead balls and adjusted to ensure it's within specks (1.9 - 2.03mm). This model has one oil scraper ring above the gudgeon, but there does not appear to be significant piston wear. I have run it as slow as I can and the 'knock' occurs just before the exhaust valve opens as might be expected with a typical 'diesel knock'.

Incidently, the engines starts and runs very well.

This is a 1978 Lister 8/1 (one of the latter English CS 8/1 Listers) and the barrel has recessed corners with the 4 studs on the outside rather than incorporated into the barrel as on almost all earlier CS Listers (the barrel is the original English Lister barrel and still has the factory hone cross-hatch). Could this different shape of the barrel with the 4 studs on the outside be contributing to the 'knock' sound? Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Alternatively, is there something I may have missed?