All the early 6/1 SOM’s were 2.5 kva and the later ones fitted with a 3kva.
They used to have a ‘ten hour rating’ back in the day. For a generator to be badged 3kva it had to be capable of producing that for ten hours.
The Start-O-Matic electrics can be rebuilt. I presume you have a ‘top box’ that’s mounted on the generator and a freestanding remote box? Later units had a smaller, wall mounted, remote box.
I’m in the UK and stock most of the parts.

Lister FR, the best engine range Lister ever made, but unfortunately its got the usual lister FR complaint. Its missing part of the air filter.

Yes, I got an original ’54 FR1 SOM last week and the front of the air filter was missing. Somebody must have a shed full of them!

A couple of points that may help.
The Dursley 8/1 was fitted with smaller diameter flywheels than the 6/1, always semi-solid, and the governor weights are specific to that engine.
Some of the other changes were aluminium 4-ring piston, as mentioned, 2” BSP exhaust port, different compression ratio and heavy-duty big end bearings.
    Mark.

They were made just up the road from me. I haven't got the manual for the 7.5kva 60hz but what did you want to know?

http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel/EngineDating/Dating.htm

50 plus the 18 from the end of the engine number = 1968

Hello to all, and thanks for all your input. Today I received my head gasket in the mail, so I removed the head and what I found was NO cracks in the head, Thank the Lord!! The head gasket showed signs of ''plow by''. It looked obvious to me that my problem was just a head gasket. However, I noticed something in my inspection of the cylinder wall. At the top of the cylinder on one side, about 1'' down from top dead center is an area that doesn't look right. It appears that this area is out of round to the rest of the cylinder. When the rings come up they bridge over this spot. It is discolored from the rest the cylinder walls. My concern is loss of compression in this area. I'm not sure of what to do. Is there a lining that can be replaced along with new rings. Maybe I can get a picture of this tomorrow and show yall, but I'm not sure how to down load it to this forum?

Gordon.

I’m guessing your 6/1 has a chromed bore and what you’re seeing is an area, near the exhaust port, where the chrome has worn through?
Your options are, as Dieselman says, re-bore and fit new piston and chrome rings or fit a new cylinder.
    Mark.

How does a 6-1 get over heated? There were a few times I did start the engine, during the project, without any water in it, but only ran it for a minute or so and shut it back down. Do you think that could have over heated it? Or is over heating topically done with high RPM at heavy loads? Is it true that you can safely get more hp out of a 6-1 if you adjust the governor
to reach 750 rpm. someone said you could get 8hp out of it. But is this harmful and would it cause the Lister to over heat?

Thanks,
Gordon

Hi Gordon,
Cracked heads on CS engines, that I’ve seen, have been caused by lack of coolant, burst pipes ext. I’ve had a few with the cylinder waterways full of sludge and that ends in a blown gasket due to poor circulation.
You won’t have done any damage by running yours for a couple of minutes.
You don’t give any history to this engine. Have you just had it? How long has the head gasket been on? Ext.
I take it you have the top coolant hose going strait up with no dips? The gasket will blow next to the exhaust port if the thermo syphon is inefficient.
It would be worth you checking the mating surfaces are flat and smooth on the head and cylinder; I’ve had some that look like they’ve been used as an anvil!

As Stan says, you will run into problems if you try increasing the speed too much.
Lister did make an 8hp CS and they run at 850rpm, but that has an aluminium piston, a different governor, smaller flywheels and other mods.
Another consideration is, as you have an SOM, the frequency of the genny will increase with engine speed.
      Mark.