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Messages - JohnF13

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1
General Discussion / Beginning of the end?
« on: October 27, 2009, 12:56:33 PM »
Just go this yesterday from the Government, looks like they are going to blindly follow the U.S.  Could well be the end of imports in Cananda but likely not for a couple of years.

Re:  Consultations on draft regulatory text to amend the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations and the Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Madam, Sir,

Purpose

The purpose of this letter is to seek your input on draft regulatory texts to amend the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations and the Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).  The planned amendments are intended to maintain alignment of Canadian standards and test procedures for controlling emissions of smog-forming air pollutants with those of the U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

It is important to note that the attached draft regulatory texts are not official and may be subject to changes until pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I.  Nonetheless, your comments would be appreciated on any technical issues associated with the structure of the planned amendments before proceeding with the pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I.  The pre-publication will be followed by a 60-day formal consultation period, during which interested parties will have another opportunity to make written comments specific to the proposals.

Background
The Government recognizes that the combustion of fossil fuels to power on­road and off-road vehicles and engines is an important contributor to air pollution in Canada.  Environment Canada intends to develop and implement a series of new regulations to further reduce air pollution from vehicles and engines in alignment with world-leading national standards of the U.S. EPA. In Canada, there are currently regulations to control air pollutant emissions from on-road vehicles and engines (i.e., such as passenger cars and trucks, motorcycles, buses and transport type vehicles including those powered by diesel engines), off-road small spark-ignition engines (i.e., such as those used in lawn, garden, light-duty industrial and light-duty logging machines) and off-road compression-ignition engines (i.e., diesel engines such as those used in construction, mining, farming and forestry machines). The Government has already published proposed new regulations to establish stringent air pollutant standards applicable to off-road recreational vehicles and engines (i.e., such as outboard engines, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles) which it plans to finalize later this year.

Through this current consultation, Environment Canada is providing stakeholders an early opportunity to provide input on the draft regulatory text designed to carry out the Government’s plans to amend the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations to require on-board diagnostics systems for on-road heavy duty engines and to amend the Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations to maintain alignment with more stringent U.S federal standards for off-road diesel engines, as described in more detail below.

For more details on the existing regulations that are being modified please consult the following links:

    * On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations: http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/regulations/detailReg.cfm?intReg=65
    * Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations: http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/regulations/detailReg.cfm?intReg=88

      Drafts of the proposed Regulations Amending the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations, the proposed Regulations Amending the Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations and documents that explain the proposed changes are attached.

      Submission of Comments

      Please submit any comments on the draft amendments by November 13th, 2009 to:

      Josée Lavergne
      Chief, Regulatory Development Section
      Transportation Division
      Energy and Transportation Directorate
      Environment Canada
      351 St-Joseph Blvd
      Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H3
      josee.lavergne@ec.gc.ca

      Contact Person:

      If you have any questions or require clarification on the planned regulatory amendments, please contact:

      Jean-François Roy: (819) 956-9747 or
      jean-francois.roy@ec.gc.ca

      Sincerely,

      Allan Van Dyk
      Director, Transportation Division 
      Environmental Stewardship Branch

2
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: October 14, 2009, 02:10:41 PM »
Stan;

I hear ya, but I have none left.  I was planning on keeping one for myself but someone "crying the blues" pried it out of my hands!

3
Listeroid Engines / Re: a compelling need to get up to speed
« on: September 03, 2009, 11:06:30 AM »
Jens;

It was "channeling"!  Seems like we all make the same mistakes but not everyone wants to admit to them. I figure if I can help someone else not make the same errors I have then it is worth the ribbing I might take.

Robert - reminds me of when I built my house - fun times but I'm not sure I'd want to do it twice!

4
Listeroid Engines / Re: a compelling need to get up to speed
« on: September 03, 2009, 01:23:58 AM »
Jens;

Are you channeling me?  In the time I have run these engines I have had several spills, some of them big, but all of them caused by the operator idiot that saw a "shiny object" and forgot to turn off the fuel pump.  I have a timer waiting to be installed that will at least minimize the impact - but it ain't installed yet!

5
Listeroid Engines / Re: a compelling need to get up to speed
« on: September 02, 2009, 07:06:39 PM »
Jens;

It's just a matter of knowing that if the stuff makes a break for it, it is going to gum up pretty much everything it gets into contact with.  Typically I see rubber fuel lines start to weep after several months, eventually they will fail.  There must be some sort of chemical reaction between the fuel line and the impurities in the veggie.  When I do get a bit of leakage (priming or just a simple spill) I try to clean it up as best as possible, but sometimes it is very hard to do, especially if the stuff has had a chance to cool or dry.  I generally find some build-up of "sticky" under the fuel pump and around the plunger - that doesn't take too much to clean up.

As long as the fuel is hot enough when it hits the I.P. I'm not seeing any problems in the system.  I do clean the injectors every 200 hours or so but I have never used diesel for any length of time so I don't know if that is out of the ordinary.

All in all, if you start and stop on diesel then switch to veggie when things are warmed up there doesn't seem to be a problem.

6
Listeroid Engines / Re: a compelling need to get up to speed
« on: September 02, 2009, 11:23:44 AM »
Scott;

Yup, I'll agree with you there.  If someone is in a hurry, then this might not be the best way to go. When I was contemplating going off grid I ran my system for 8 months prior to make sure I had the bugs worked out.  Didn't use a watt of grid power, yet my bills didn't go down much - that's what pushed me over the edge in the end.  Up here, delivery charges (apparently the still apply even if you don't use any power), line loss charges and debt retirement charges add up to much more  than the cost of the actual electricity. 

The engines are all JKSoN's.  Of course, they have had work done on them, the older one needed a replacement camshaft at 24k but I figured it was entitled at that point.  I de-carbon every month or so, only takes an hour now (I always have a spare cleaned head ready to pop on then clean the other at leisure) and have installed offset idlers, plain shell bearings and hollow dippers.  Sometimes I wonder at what point is an engine no longer "original"......My engines are never cold, there is warm water circulating through them all the time and oil changes are done every 300 hours or so.  Fuel is WVO, but you have to be aware that it is stickier than diesel and that needs to be dealt with.

7
Listeroid Engines / Re: a compelling need to get up to speed
« on: September 01, 2009, 02:22:41 PM »
Hi Robert;

I don't know why a lot of the replies here have been so "down" on Listeroids.  Yes, they need some TLC, but with some prep they can run thousands of hours. My set-up includes 2 x 6/1's for everyday use (they provide power 95% of the time), a 10/1 for bigger loads and a Chinese AG 28hp for the big wood/metal working stuff.  I have 3000 A/H of batteries and a pair of Xantrex 12/2400 inverters.  No solar - just can't justify the cost.

I have been off-grid for 3 years now (my buddy has been off 4 years) with no problems.  In the summer I run an engine about 15-16 hours/day to charge batteries and provide house power.  In the winter an engine runs 24/7 - this is why I have 2 x 6/1's, one runs 24 hours then I switch to the other for the next 24 - that way I can do any maintenance that is necessary.  It also gives me a cushion if an engine goes down.

I do have an outdoor wood furnace and also a waste oil burner to heat water for my radiators and tap water.  All in all, it is a system that is relatively easy to look after and for the most part, only takes a hour a day or so.  Of course, if an engine goes down then it will take longer - but even the most complicated repair can be done in a few hours if you have the parts on hand.

One of my 6/1's has over 24,000 hours on it, the other has around 14,000.  Of interest is that the second 6/1 has been converted to a "FergenLister" - I stripped the top end (head, piston, rod, cylinder etc) from the 6/1 and replaced them with the gubbins from a 10/1.  Everything fitted exactly (that was what I wanted to know!) With a bit of added compression I think that engine is now giving me around 7hp at 650 rpm.  Probably not worth it for anyone else, but it seemed like a good idea at the time - I wanted a bit more power without having to increase speed.


8
Other Slow Speed Diesels / Re: Chinese double flywheel diesel
« on: July 19, 2009, 04:35:38 PM »
Never seen one for anywhere near $800.  Although they look like the Redstone they are missing some parts which of course adds to the cost.  My Redstones cost quite a bit more than that FoB China.......add transport, taxes, duties land shipping and the fun of dealing with Customs....

9
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: July 06, 2009, 07:20:35 PM »
blink;

No others that I know of have any run out on the camshaft.  As for the end bushing, I'm aware of one other engine that had it omitted.  Several engines are now up and running giving good, stable power, it does seem that there were some problem children in this lot but the majority seem to be OK.

10
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: July 04, 2009, 11:19:54 AM »
I have a bunch of photos taken during a tear-down, I'm busy making them into a CD.  Apart from the sand issue (most important) the camshaft play is the biggest problem we have found.  It would seem that there "should" have been a shim in there to prevent excessive play but it wasn't installed.  It's a pretty easy fix but it should not have been omitted.  I'm talking to the Chinese now about a new order and I will be tightening up the specs as a result of people's findings.

11
Listeroid Engines / Re: My Listeroid sprung a leak
« on: July 04, 2009, 11:13:13 AM »

sigh;

Andrew, didn't I TELL you Indian tin is junk and needed to be replaced ASAP?  As Bob says, take off the stock filter and replace it with an in-line one.  Has worked well for me for 20k+ hours!  Pop over and see me this morning and I'll get you fixed up.

12
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: July 01, 2009, 12:40:15 AM »
Well, that was quick - all of my Redstones are gone except for the one I am keeping.  Think I'll order a few more, looks like there is a need for them.

13
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: June 26, 2009, 12:56:25 AM »
Blink;

The Redstones don't get a "pass"  The most critical people are those that own them and have done a tear down.  Yes, we found sand in a few engines - but we also found excellent machining, fit and finish.  Some work is required with these first engines to get them up to snuff, but that is why most have been sent to a few
'gearheads" who can tear down an engine and rebuild it without getting all knotted up. 

Yes, we had one user run with 16 quarts in the sump, instead of 12. That caused the engine to carbon up a valve, but he did not even have to pull the head.  He just tapped it, and it came out of it.

We have had several users fuss about excessive end play in the cam, but that is really easy to reduce using a flat washer.

On one engine, the owner reported one of the piston rings that was not spaced as evenly as he would have liked.

We have had one engine with a broken solenoid wire. It took twenty minutes to re-solder.

About one in three sold have varying amounts of grit/debris initially.

Most all run at 900 to 1300 RPM.

Sorry, it is not so exciting.

These are new engines to North America - so far so good, but there is ALWAYS room for improvement. 

14
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: June 25, 2009, 12:42:34 AM »
Steve;

There are several out there now that are beginning to rack up hours, but it will take people like me to get significant hours in a relatively short time frame.  As is usual here, Life kinda intervened and stopped my Redstone work in its tracks, I hope to get back onto it in the near future.  I will report on progress and on people's insights into the engines but as with all "new" things, it does take a bit of time.  I'd love to tell you I have 10,000 hours on a Redstone with no problems, just can't do that right now.

15
Red Stone Engines / Re: The Redstone Diesel project
« on: June 24, 2009, 07:54:36 PM »
Steve;

Both Joel and I run private businesses and neither of us will disclose how many of anything we sell, it is private information. 

Suffice it to say we brought in 20 engines between us and we have very few left.  Of course, I am keeping either one or two to put into my off-grid genshed, that should tell you what I think of the Redstones.

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