Mechanically that sounds like an interesting project. Might take a bit of dampering or flow diversion to get the two cylinders balanced on cooling.

Agreed this would be another potential problem to overcome, but I would take some inspiration from the later designs of aircooled Lister Petter TS and TR range AKA flat top engines (due to the design of the rocker covers), and copy the ideas from there design of baffles and shrouds which ensure equal cooling distribution across all cylinders.

The problems you will run into keeping the VA going will be parts not similar to the 8/1.  There is a fin cooling coil that attaches to the injector. No known source for that. The engine will run without it.

While it is correct that this part is no longer available, its not a difficult item to manufacture (from a pattern), as it is a non wearing part. Although not missing on my engine the fins were well damaged, so I manufactured a replacement from Copper as I had a suitable sized blank, and it offered increased heat transfer.

Yes you can run the engine without it, but oil and grease will tend to leak down the engine from the rocker gear onto the finned cylinder head surfaces, which is not good for engines operating long hours in hot and dusty environments, as the dust will stick to the fins and significantly reduce the cooling effect.

Other observations that may be of interest:

The cylinder head gasket (3-30-31), and bumping shim (8-30-32) are both still listed on Sleeman and Hawkens website, so should still be available.

This is a far less complex gasket set than the CS watercooled version so I am surprised the likes of SEP are not selling it.

Why sleeve back to STD when oversize 8-1 pistons from India are available, as sleeving back to STD is going to cost far more than a rebore (after sleeving you might even need a new STD piston as it may be worn, particuarly in the top ring groove area beyond further use). By all means sleeve back to STD when you have exhausted all the oversize options.

Other common parts:

If you dont mind dispensing with the lifting eye on the rocker cover, then the cylinder block studs from the water cooled CS can be used in their place.

The rocker gear is identical to the CS version, but it is configured slightly differently using two instead of just one rocker pillar.

Both valve guides are the same, and are the same as the CS exhaust valve guide.

The fuel filter is usually a Crossland item which is the same as used on a host of later Lister and Petter engines.

Not surprisingly Listers raided the parts bin for bits when the originally designed this engine, as there are also parts which will fit from other Lister engines as well: If you are unfortunate enough to have one with a rotted out flywheel fan cowl, as I had. You may be surprised to know that this is very similar to the Lister HA2 and HA3 engines that have a sheet metal fanshroud, and this item is easily modified to fit the VA engine, and by default the cast iron fan impellor which bolts to the flywheel is also identical to the Lister HA2/3 equivilant.

The fan shroud side flywheel is also similar to the Lister HA2/3 version, but is not interchangable due to differences in the design of the hub, and in particular the mounting arangements (taper verses key).

The paper element air filter cannister is also a Crossland item which is the same as fitted to Petter PJ engines

I wish DD every success in this venture, as its an opportunity for our American friends to get there hands on some genuine Lister products, and by pooling the cost of the container, the shipping costs will be so much cheaper, due to economies of scale.

Container shipping will be much cheaper than shipping items individually, due to the additional costs shipping agents load onto individually crated items. As DD has his own transportation facilities, again cost savings will be made here as well.

The one negative comment so far received, may be due in part to all the hidden costs that often only start to become apparent once you are committed to the shipping of a single item. If your not experienced in shipping items between countries then these charges can come as an unwelcome surprise.

From my own personel experience of shipping a Kohler K532 engine back from the USA, that I was given FOC for help locating some enginge parts in the UK. Upon arrival at Southampton docks additional charges seemed to be made every time somone touched the crate. It even went as far as a hazardous shipping charge for the engine oil that the UK shipping agent said was still in the engine, I found this strange as the prevoius owner had steam cleaned the engine, drained the oil, then removed the sump, and cleaned any residual oil in a solvent degreasing bath, then replaced the sump with a new gasket. All prior to it being shipped from the USA. In the end I told the agent to forget it and that was the last of it.

If you don't mind me asking "I have some pictures of a Lister SOM that is being restored" Is this an engine that is being rebuilt for you in the UK, prior to shipping to the US?

Is your engine being rebuilt with genuine or Indian parts? because if your using Indian parts would it not be cheaper to source them in the US, and rebuild it yourself.



The reason I ask is because I would like to know is because, does this engine not fall foul of the EPA regulations which have all but stopped importation of complete Listeriod engines. Or is it exempt in some way because it was manufactured way before the EPA legislation came into effect.

Most of the parts you mention in your list are stock bearings and oil seals which should be obtainable from a good bearing stockists, just take along your old bearings and seals for patterns.

For the Lister specific items you might like to try Marine Engine Services, located in Uxbridge, UK, their phone number is: (0)1895 236246.

If as you state "i had it running on one cyl with the tie rod disconnected and it didn't matter where i moved the horizontal shaft to....nothing happened...."

Then it is not possible that "the lazy cylinders injection pump has stuck (mico)" because if this was the case then you could not move the injector pump rack at all (horizontal shaft).

I would recommend you take the following course of action to narrow down where the problem is.

Firstly check to see that you have fuel going to the injector pump, by loosening the banjo bolt on the pump inlet, as you might have an airlock, or a blockage causing fuel starvation.


"anyway i can free it up with out taking it to bits?" This is looking the most likely course of action for your engine, but before you do that why not disconnect the injector pump to injector pipe from the pump and give it a brief run on one cylinder to see if the pump is operating, ie it squirts out diesel from the top of the pump with the engine running on one cylinder.

If that test is OK, then re-tighten at the injector pump and loosen the injector pipe at the connection to the injector, and repeat as before, so as to remove any airlocks between the pump and injector (as any diesel engine hates airlocks in the fuel system). 

If the engine still only runs on one cylinder after you have tried all that, then pull the injector out of the cylinder head (on the lazy cylinder) and temporary connect it back to the pump (outside of the engine), and start the engine again (taking great care to keep well clear of the injector spray holes, as the pressures involved are enough to inject the diesel fuel into human flesh in an instant).

All of the above will narrow it down to either a pump, injector, or a fuel starvation problem.

If all of the above checks out OK, then the only other area to investigate is engine compression on the affected cylinder.

All the best,

Listard-jp2

Does your engine have seperate manifolds for inlet (cast aluminium)  and exhaust (cast iron), or is it the earlier all in one cast iron manifold.

If it is an all in one manifold then a manifold from a LD1, LR1, SL1 engine will also fit the SR1 engine.