Well I got my engine home Aug 16th. When I arived to the destination to pick it up it had no exghaust no cooling system hooked up so I had to take the word of the seller it ran as advertised. I dont think they lied because I have become good friends with the seller and nephew. We loaded the engine on Aug 15 th and started the 1000 mi trip home. We spent 6 days on this trip so the whole trip was a great vacation. My wife was a little over whelmed by the size of it. The funny part was when we stopped in the local Walmart one onlooker came up to us with praise for the engine and the whole history behing the engine. It seems he was involved in helping the seller put the system together and drove all the way to Huston to pick up the engine. I was concerned before I saw the engine that it might not have a large enough base under it. It has 2 12inch I beams for support. I still have my work cut out in building an exghaust system, change the air filter system and desgin a cooling system before I even crank it. I figure it will take me a week to dig the footings and frame up a slab since I now know the size of the base. After it is set then I will begin work on the building. Since this building will also double as a above ground toranado shelter this will take a little time. I had an idea of using tractor tires for the forms of the base with plenty of steele then the ribs of the tires will help with vibrations from the base. Has anyone tried something like this??? Then I will pour the floor about 4 inches below the top of the tire to make it lower than the base. I plan to use 6 inches of concrete in the floor and about 2 or 3 tractor tires thick for the base. I am asking for ideas this time before I make plans. My next step is to pull the panel from the front of the engine after I drain the oil and look inside to see if there is any sand. i also plan to put a couple of magnets in the sump. I saw the oil filter that came on the engine and it will have to go. I havent looked into what options I will have to rebuild this. This is all for now. I appericate this forum for all of the good advice I have been given. Knowing that I did go a little over board with the engine and generator only lets me plan to build other projects I have been limited to because of the price our electricty bill has run. I am confident when I am finished the engine and generator will have a work out. THANKS AGAIN. Mike PS I recieved my Audels book in the mail while we were gone. So I should be fixed for diesel information. Thanks Murph

Thanks for the info, I have my eye on a couple of them. A friend of mine who is also my mechanic here in town is almost as excited as I am about getting my engine even if it is over sized for my first lister. I get it the 14 of Aug. and will be home by the 16th. I have made several plans since I found out that it would be large enough to use the electricty for some projects I hadnt planned on before. I bet I will make the engine work when I have it running. I still plan on a cement structure for the storage area of the motor because it will double as a storm shelter. We have a company that makes above ground shelters and these buildings will take a direct hit from a toranado. My plans are built around thier enginering just a little stronger. I have started securing used motor oil and used veg oil. I havent decided on which I will use in engine. I am leaning towards vegtable oil and using motro oil for suplement heat for green house. I will start my shed with pouring the base for the motor then build everything else around it. I might need to rebuild the base on the generator sincs I have no idea about how heave it is. I do know Power Line sold the system and I was told they were reputable. Any insight on them? This is probably enough for now. Thanks again.

Well I have had time to calm down and buy my wife flowers and told her it was just because I LOVE HER. GOOD IDEA. My requirements for my house now are AC (central), ele water heater and electric dryer. Now with that said I also purchased a small farm tractor which has very little acessories. My paln is to build several items for it. I probably wont be working on these in time of power failure but it would take some of the load if I needed it. I am also going to put up a mid size green house. 12 x 40. I was concerned about what to do on cloudy days and short days from the limited sunlight. It sounds like I would be able to light it up like summer. The rest of the power usage is from normal lights left on when they could be shut off. I have plenty access to all of the used veg oil I would like at this time. My plan is to start getting it and next summer during the day when the ele comp wants to double its rates is turn off my service and go on generator and see how it works every day. Probably 10 to 12 hours. I know I will still be building attachtements for my tractor so I will be using welder during that time. Mike PS I did order a CD and book from utterpower, Bob I believe. Someone spoke of running the engine a certian temperature. What is the best way to monitor this? i hope the book will explain all of the questions I might have in language I will understand. Like I said earlier I can save a life most of the time without a problem. Engines are a little harder. I have never played with a governor in all of my past growing up on a farm. I have OH numerous tractore with my dad.

So here is what I have. We have a 100 amp service into our home and I was told that was the bare minium. They suggested 200. I have AC, ele water heater, and ele dryer. I also have children that dont know the light switch works both ways. I am also building a shop with an ele welder and then all of the other electrical that everyone has. Now all of this is not always on I hope. As for the engine all I know at this time is that it is a Power Line unit down in the gulf coast and I have been told it has only 1 or 2 hours on it. The gentleman is no longer able to crank it so he decided to sell it. I have been reading quite a bit on these engines and I hope that I have not bit off more than I can chew getting such a large one at first. I am not stupid but I am no ways intelegent when it come to engines and especially alternators. I depnd on others for thier expertise. I am picking up this unit Aug 13 since this was the soonest I was able to get some time off work. My education back ground is a bachelors in nursing so I can save a life and I hope I can save an engine. I have always been pretty self sufficent and I have access to all of the used cooking oil I need free from fast food stores. I am also going to be putting up a small to medium size green house this fall and I have used motor oil if I want to help heat. Someday my goal is to tell the utility company SEE YA. Not before I know I can do without. In a hundren mile radius of Dodge City where I live we have for the last 2 years have had towns without electricity for up to 6 weeks. I reminded my wife about this when I told her I was investing in this. A friend of mine told me I should up grade the alternator to a 20 K because the 15 would not keep up. I did purchase one and a PTO conversion kit and plan to put the 15 on my garden tractor for portable electricty when I might need it and for the neigbors if needed. I do have plans to sometime soon to get a smaller engine which I can take apart and play with it and see if I can make it run again. I would like to put it on a pump jack when I build one since there seem to be none of those around this part of the country to water my garden. So that is just about it for now. I have ranted on enough for now. All advice will be much appericated. Mike

I will be recieving my first Lister engine and ST generator soon. I pick it up around Aug. 13. I am very excited to have it home.