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Author Topic: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines  (Read 7791 times)

listerdiesel

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Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« on: September 17, 2006, 11:25:20 AM »
Many of you will be aware of the large range of Petter diesels that were made over the years, but a couple were never made or sold in large numbers, and are quite rare these days.

First was the AV1LAB engine. This was an AV1 engine that was produced for laboratory oil and fuel testing. It shared a lot of common parts with the standard engines, but a large range of accessory parts were also available to help with its main function. It is believed that only about 100 engines were made over the years, I missed one a few years ago when BR Research at Derby was broken up. They had a complete installation there which I was offered on a commercial basis but the managers overrode my contact and it went elsewhere.

The AV1LAB had its own handbook, specially printed for it.

Second was the AVB engine. This was an 'AV1 on steroids' and apparently was able to take pressure charging by an external blower and produce something over 30bhp, while still being the same physical size of the AV1. The head was a special casting that was much thicker than the AV1 and has strengthened holding flanges for the cylinder block studs. We have two of these engines, but they are not for sale.

I haven't come across any handbooks for the AVB and would be pleased to hear of any copies on the net or privately.

I will get a section on our website for these engines when I get a minute, probably in the same section as the Caterpillar research engine, as they came from the same environment.

Peter

Doug

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2006, 04:10:57 AM »
I'm interested in this for sure. But If you could scrape together info on on the AV1 and the varients India based its Petteroids on that would be fab. I still have no idea what the original bore and stroke combination for the AV*** types were, this would be nice information to have.

Thanks
Doug


listerdiesel

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2006, 06:18:41 AM »
Doug:

The AV engines of both water and air cooling types were 80mm bore by 110mm stroke,  33.7cu ins, 553cc capacity.

Note that there were series I and series II engines, series I had horizontally orientated injectors, series II had them at 45 degrees to the horizontal.

I hold manuals for nearly all the Petter diesels and some Armstrong Siddeley (AS1 etc) engines which were taken over by Petters.

There are also the B, PJ, PC, PH, PHW, AC, PDV, AA, AB, PA, PAZ, BA, and a few variants on the themes.

I took some pic's up the farm last weekend of the AVB and AV1 engines, I'll get them on our website over the weekend.

The Cub diesel (flat twin water cooled) contributed some of its bits to the AV1 series I engines, but that was not a success with poor starting from cold, so the AV Series II was developed with the angled injector and revised injection details. The Cub's are another fascinating little power unit in their own right, there are some details and pictures on the website.

Peter

Doug

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2006, 04:07:04 AM »
I could realy use some manuals....

Could you send me ome scans of the Petter types that my 102-116 evolved from?

PM and I'll send you my email.

The engine I have came with documentation that leaves a little to be desired. At least the original specs for similar types would give me a baseline for what to expect and aim for.

Thanks

Doug

listerdiesel

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2006, 04:06:05 PM »
I could realy use some manuals....

Could you send me ome scans of the Petter types that my 102-116 evolved from?

PM and I'll send you my email.

The engine I have came with documentation that leaves a little to be desired. At least the original specs for similar types would give me a baseline for what to expect and aim for.

Thanks

Doug

Doug:

I'd love to, but have not got the time at present. With website maintenance and emails taking up the small amount of time I get, it just isn't possible to even think about scanning manuals. We have 250+ engine manuals here, and none of them are scanned, even the Lister engine books which are probably a quarter of that total.

We run our own electronics business (http://www.prepair.co.uk) and typically get home at 19.30 each evening, and by the time we have had something to eat and catch up on email etc., it's time for the sack.

This last Friday we finished late, were up at 06.30 Saturday for a trip to Preston, Birkenhead and back again, 450 miles total.  That leaves today before we are back to the factory tomorrow :-((

What I will try and get done is a scan of the engine data pages, that would at least be a start and I can put them on the website for everyone to access.

I am currently working through 60+ pages of Bernard (France) engine data sheets which I started last weekend, have just got to the stage where I am putting the menu pages together, after that there are still more magneto books and so on. We should hit 6000 webpages before Xmas...

Oh, and the other thing is that we are moving factory next month! :-))

Regards,

Peter

listerdiesel

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2006, 05:53:58 PM »
Four pictures taken last weekend are on the website at:

http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel/Caterpillar/CaterpillarMenu3.htm

The Caterpillar research engines are interesting in their own right, and the Petter LAB engines are in the right place there with them.

You can access the Caterpillar section from the main menu if you get lost...

Peter

Doug

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Re: Non-Commercial Petter Diesel Engines
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2006, 10:32:14 PM »
Thank you for posting the pictures....

All information is of use and interest.

Doug