Just joined the club

[carlb23]

Please excuse me if these questions seem stupid but I am new to this and I want to do it the right way the first time.  This gen set will be used for backup only since I am grid tied.
While I have never worked on diesels before I have over 20 years working on high performance V8 gas engines.

 I ordered a 6/1 Metro with a 4kWh head and readout from Sam Crosby (seems like a very nice and helpful guy) up in Maine on Tuesday and it is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.  I have been reading posts here for some time now and I was looking for opinions as to weather I should take it apart before even starting it or should I start it to see how well balanced it is first. 

If I take it apart should I completely strip it down and remove the crank and flywheels (this seems to be a real pain) or just pull the head, piston, rod, gears and IP and clean an paint the internals with Glyptal ?

Is there any way to check the balance of the Crank/Flywheel assembly without removing them from the engine?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Carl

[peterako]

Welkom 

oke lets start if you have space and time. strip down total make photos all the way and record the timing position for injection , this to make the ass. easy and avoid problems.
Removing is in most of the cases easy but heavy a strong lifting device for lifting engiens etc will help.
You dont have to do this but if there is casting sand it will destroy slow or fast bearings or sealings.

Also this nice job wil help to picture the simple workings from the engine.

Welkom again and there are no stupid questions, but stupids not asking and hitting the head against the wall after finding a problem.

ASK to learn it is for free and helpfull.

Keep in mind this engine is a workhorse it does not like to run whitout giving power.

Greetings from Greece 

[Biloxibad]

Hello, I just joined Yesterday also.. and decided to jump in also.. I just now did a BIN on EBAY and ordered the other 6/1 that he had in Maine..  Just waitin for final Freight costs to transfer the moneys , Mebe we can collaborate on getting them set up.. 

I am in Missippi , just recently retired living on my acreage full of 16 - 30 inch diameter 60 - 70 ft tall Pine trees, that need to be cleared just so I can get a glimpse of the sun..

 Have lots of time on my hands and intend to build a wood gas gen capable of a dual fuel diesel/gengas system. Then couple it to a massive gen set. We got knocked off the power grid during Katrina and were a very very low priority for Mississippi Power to get us up and running ( 7 weeks)  That is  a  TANKER FULL OF gasoline which at the time was about $4.00 a gallon if you could find it..

Our House survived with some major flooding, which  made it sooooo Hard to keep my smiling wife full of smiles.   That along with no air conditioning , no water,  and only a little road Kill for my 3 squares a day, has prompted me to take on this project..

Once I actually get Started I think I will post a site to narrate my experiences..   

[retardo]

Hello BB,

Try http://members.tripod.com/~highforest/woodgas/woodfired.html . That is a great way to read the truth about what producer gas can do for you. Just don't allow popups beore you go there!

If you use producer gas in a diesel, plan on using idle fuel to keep the engine going, and plan on about 1/3 HP when using straight producer gas. Wet filtration is the only practical way to be able to use it for a small producer.

The rumor is; George at utterpower knows something about producer gas units, and may even have a very few for sale for experimenters. Email him nicely, george @ utterpower(dot).com . Yes, change the (dot) to a . .

The answer to the un-asked question is yes, Retardo built his first Pegasus (producer gas substitute system) about 35 years ago from University of Florida plans.

Solutions and rumors supplied by Retardo Mentalbum.

[Doug]

Its no rumor George has some Chinese Gassifiers....

These were designed for burning grass and agricultural waste for fueling small gas cookers.

There are a few people selling these units but its hard to say if they can be modified to fuel engines and your still going to need to make cooler/filter system.

I will try and find some links for you.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://china-gxl.xm02.host.35.com/tiantian/4.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DJXQ%2B10A%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

http://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org/?q=jxq10Adwg

Here we are....
I believe George is selling the JXQ-10A. There is a fellow in Belize trying to run a Listeroid on it. Peter hasn't posted much on the subject but he imported one or more in around Nov 06. These are refractory lined unit with what looks like stratofied down draft. The grates are cast iron.

Fairly cheap. I believe Petter said something on the order of 700.00 USD for the complete package ( not sure if this was his cost or what he was selling them for I think the later ). Also another fellow in NB selling them but I forget his name.

Hard to say how well this Chinese unit will work if it can be adapted to wood blocks or charcoal at all but as retardo said these are for experimentors. The Fluidyne Pioneer class is a proven designed designed specificaly for engine gas and the design is free if your willing to weld it up yourself ( but its small, then again so is the Chinese unit  )....

Here is another link to a a guy trying to build a producer gas power generator set. The Fluidyne inspired throte tube and grate upgrades are of special interest.

http://www.inetlink.ca/a31ford/cgcmb/old-default.htm#1

[Doug]

I have two retardo....

A pioneer class and an F3.

Who is we?

We seem to be off on a bad footing retardo, but I am only pointing out these are gassifires intended to produce fuel gas for direct combustion in a cooker where tar and dust load aren't issues. In an engine this kind of thing leads to rapid engine destruction. Even a properly built and sized unit will oftern produce tar and a wet scrubber is 1940's technology and not very good at removing dust as a proper cyclone and glass or nomex filter bag.
But I wrote all this before, along with comments on the danger of running a gasifier without burst discs or a flame arrestor.

If people want to buy one great if it works even better. But the truth is you have no idea if this thing can reliable produce clean gas and obviously the cast iron grate and throat design are a concern because you have already admitted  it needs fire brick to make it work.

What is your financial interest in this?

I'm going to add one more thing....

If you can buy and set one of these Chinese things up for 1000.00 - 1500.00 USD ( with taxes and shipping ) and it works moderatly well thats fantastic and I think everyone with an interest in Gas should look at it and seriously consider it
But as you stated its experimental and as you already know from your previous experience these are not toys and require constant attension to run.

[Doug]

I am just plane old Doug...

And I try to be honest and open.

Since you have all the answeres and can direct people to where they should buy them step right up.

I've invested a lot of time and effort in trying to help people here not because I sell stuff but I want to help.
Or rather I did want to help.

I'm done here.

[biobill]

Hmmmm  Well, back to the origional question.

carlb23

this is a paste of my response in an earlier topic
   My engines are workers. The latest Metro 6/1 got the following service before going on line.
1) Torque headnuts
2) Adjust valves and align rockers
3) Improve finish on pushrod ball ends (looked like they were hand ground on a course wheel)
4) Check crankcase for sand and dirt
5) Inspect cam and tappets
6) Check big end nuts
7) Check (with mirror) bore and piston
Lube valvetrain, cam bushing, big end, gov links, fill crankcase.
9) Clear paint from crankcase breather and tappets
10) Check external fasteners
11) Bleed the injector pump and let her rip

      Engine has been fine. I did adjust the piston/head clearance at a later date. I'm sure if I tore into it deeper that I could find things to improve. Maybe this winter if time permits. But for now, it's doing what it needs to do and seems like it will keep doing it for a while.
                                                              **********
Complete prestart teardowns are nice, depending on your circumstances. I've got two 6/1 Metros, both chugging along just fine with  minimal pre service fuss. Could just be lucky I suppose. I would remount the resister that's mounted on the cooling grid of your gen head. That cover will fatigue really quick which will break a wire and put you out of business. I mounted mine on an angle with rubber cushions and it has been fine. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it .

                                                       Bill

[Biloxibad]

 I am about a week behind ya. Ordered just a 6/1 from him today,  so will be watching this thread to see how you are doing..

I plan to add on a wood gas system like this [url] http://www.gengas.nu/bilder/gk_stationar.shtml [url] ,  Got to be pretty says the BOSSLADY..

Once we prove out the set-up,  I plan to change to a larger twin like a 20/2 to make up for the lost HP due to dual fuel system losses of woodgas vs diesel, but am going to make my major mistakes on the 6/1 for the present as I will only need 1/2 the number of parts  when I screw up.

Good luck to you.

[wirenutrob]

Welcome to the party ,

I think if you read this forum some more you will be more enclined to take your engine apart as soon as you get it. I thought I had a clean engine after checking it out for 2 days.  Finally got it up on line and loaded then after a very short 2hr or so test run a piece of metal came loose from behind the oil deverter housing on the inside top of the engine. Trashed my piston and cylinder. I was lucky I was standing right there when it happened. Point... If... I had taken it apart and checked it out better I might have caught that scrap of metal... The time you spend in tearing it down will be well worth it in the long run. You need to order that CD from george over at utter power, best saw buck I ever spent. I keep hearing over and over again about the casting sand problem. please listen to us and take you new engine apart down to the block!!. Look here on how to make you gib key for removal of your flywheels, they are your biggest hurdle. There is a video out showing the terrible way these engines are assembled in India, you should watch it!
I can tell you that these engines are very forgiving and if you can work on a lawn mower then you can understand and work on these engines.You can't hardly screw them up! All your information is right here on this sight.
Good luck,
Rob

[Biloxibad]

CD is on the way!   Thanks for the encouragement..   and Yes I think I will take it all the way down when it arrives,   am I going to need a gasket and head gasket kit or should I just make my own?  whaddyathink?

[wirenutrob]

Good afternoon....

I am very glad you decided to get that  CD. As far as parts goes... the 6/1 engine is the most popular one as far as I can see, so finding parts is just a matter of chooseing one. Is see several here on the forum.  There is a guy in N.C. listeroids.com, utterpower.com, you can find parts on e-bay too. then you can most likely order parts from where you got your engine.
Rob

[cujet]

I found all sorts of faults in my complete teardown. Yes, the engine ran fine, but it had major issues that would have been trouble down the road (especially at overhaul time as the parts would have been ruined).

By the way, if you have cast iron piston(s) take a good look at the underneath. If it is black in color, that is oil based, extremely dense casting sand. It will stay there for a good long time. However it will reduce your engine's lifespan by adding grit to the oil over time. It is expecially hard to remove above the casting flanges. I had to use a glass beader with a 90 degree nozzle. The underneath of a cast iron piston needs to look like new cast iron. NOT BLACK!

Aluminum pistons are another story.

Crankshaft removal is probably not necessary on a single. For my twin, I needed to remove the center bearing, Glad I did!

Chris