Author Topic: Changfa engine?  (Read 60133 times)

Fred

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #45 on: November 20, 2008, 04:39:02 AM »
Bob g - The bore size is 41/4, actually about 1/16" shy of 4.25. It is a fiber gasket with a steel fire ring. I'm wondering if the newer 195's are di and perhaps they take a different gasket than the older idi engines with the swirll combustion chamber.  I will check on the Changfa website and have looksee.

mobile_bob

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #46 on: November 20, 2008, 05:33:09 AM »
my changfa 195 uses the 4.25 approx after crush gskt graphite with steel firering
my changfoid 195 uses a 3.75 approx before crush gskt copper laminated fiber core.

maybe i better go guage the top step of the liner to get an exact dimension on the gskt
i ended up sending the blown one to thailand to have more made up, they won't get it for a week
so i have time to get it right.

i am ordering 5 of them so that i have some spares to continue the dyno testing  8)

it sure is a pain to have to wait, i have another gkst in a kit, but i don't want to open the engine crate to pull it
out.

i guess if i get impatient enough that is what i will end up doing.

meanwhile i have been working on improving the test protocols, test report sheets, instrumentation, and spreadsheets to crunch all the numbers.

maybe i will have time to set up a jacobs ladder?  and a really big knife switch!

mwahahahaha

bob g

bob g
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horsefly76

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #47 on: November 20, 2008, 06:07:32 AM »
How bout a Kubota EL 300D

And I think a swan made air cooled 170cc?


"Hi my name is Aaron and I'm a japfoid junkie"

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rcavictim

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #48 on: November 20, 2008, 06:24:31 AM »
Quote

Mine is not an air cooled vertical and by the way how dare you? It's a real McCoy horizontal water cooled. Just like a Changfa but probably designed before the Changfa and likely better built as Yanmar claims they did this sort of thing first. If you look at the various YouTube videos of Yanmar marine diesels it looks just like them except horizontal. I'm pretty sure I'm in as your Changfas are really Yanmaroids.

Well I was not meaning any disrespect.  I have never seen anything from Yanmar except the air cooled verticals like the ones now being sold as industrial diesel engines by Princess Auto and also one of the members here from Ontario is a stocking dealer of these air cooled small high speed vertical diesels. 

Incidentally I proposed adding a cubbyhole where these air cooled 3600 RPM industrials could find a home here as well.  I'd be interested in knowing if they get more reliable/long lived for example if you buy the large 10 HP engine and spin it at say 1800-2000 RPM instead of 3600 to run your 2500 watt generator, a ~50% engine power derating. 
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
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buickanddeere

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #49 on: November 20, 2008, 02:19:45 PM »
  For longer life expectancy and less maintenenance per year. You will be happier running a 12HP engine 6hrs a day rather than a 3HP engine 24hrs a day.
  Plus as previously stated. The 12HP will have enough power to carry the house as a standby power source.

rcavictim

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #50 on: November 21, 2008, 01:16:32 AM »
  For longer life expectancy and less maintenenance per year. You will be happier running a 12HP engine 6hrs a day rather than a 3HP engine 24hrs a day.
  Plus as previously stated. The 12HP will have enough power to carry the house as a standby power source.

Buick, I agree with you however my question was specifically about derating a 10 HP, 3600 RPM air cooled engine down to 4 or 5 HP to make it last longer.  This would potentially be for a user who was unable to fabricate a genset with the complexity of adding a radiator, fan, tank, thermostat and necessary modification of a stock hopper cooled, slower Changfa horizontal (which would be MY CHOICE).

Not everyone who lives off-grid has the technical skills and necessary tools  to fabricate a genset and not everyone who knows how has time to make gensets for others who need them.
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion

Stan

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #51 on: November 21, 2008, 01:36:04 AM »
I can see the offgrider not having the time, but if you are going to be living off grid, there are a whole bunch of skills that you will eventually need that relate to building a genset.  ATTENTION NEWBIES  Anyone who is considering living off grid had better know that your most valuable tool is your brain, and you'd better load it up with a whole host of skills before you even think about moving off grid. 

Just casting my mind back to my off grid experience in Dawson Creek and a few of the skills I needed.

Stan

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mobile_bob

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #52 on: November 21, 2008, 05:57:48 AM »
i guess it all comes down to ones definition of "offgrid"


there are those that move a mile outside of town with a bunch of money and setup offgrid,
maybe they can hire done what they can't do?

an then there are those that move out to a place like dawsons creek, and setup offgrid
then i agree, you better be a really good jack of all trades and master of most?

i can see a use for an aircooled diesel, but my preference would be the water cooled version
for doing most of the work, unless it was very intermittent use?

what gets me is the price some of these little aircooled diesel gensets are bringing!
4 grand? 5 grand?

not me!

but then again anyone looked into a residential cogenerator? they start at 12 grand and aren't all that large of capacity.

bob g
otherpower.com, microcogen.info, practicalmachinist.com
(useful forums), utterpower.com for all sorts of diy info

roverjohn

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #53 on: November 21, 2008, 05:39:58 PM »
Quote

Mine is not an air cooled vertical and by the way how dare you? It's a real McCoy horizontal water cooled. Just like a Changfa but probably designed before the Changfa and likely better built as Yanmar claims they did this sort of thing first. If you look at the various YouTube videos of Yanmar marine diesels it looks just like them except horizontal. I'm pretty sure I'm in as your Changfas are really Yanmaroids.

Well I was not meaning any disrespect.  I have never seen anything from Yanmar except the air cooled verticals like the ones now being sold as industrial diesel engines by Princess Auto and also one of the members here from Ontario is a stocking dealer of these air cooled small high speed vertical diesels. 

Incidentally I proposed adding a cubbyhole where these air cooled 3600 RPM industrials could find a home here as well.  I'd be interested in knowing if they get more reliable/long lived for example if you buy the large 10 HP engine and spin it at say 1800-2000 RPM instead of 3600 to run your 2500 watt generator, a ~50% engine power derating. 

Non taken, I was having fun and I guess I should have included a smiley. Here's a time line of Yanmars diesel history:
http://www.yanmar.com/about/
It looks like they built the first "Changfaoid" in 1933 which is likely before Changfa existed.

mobile_bob

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #54 on: November 21, 2008, 06:50:10 PM »
that 1933 engine could just as easily be seen as similar to a blackstone, or a lister rolled onto its side
i really don't think that engine is the genisis of the changfa

now the yanmars of the early 80's? maybe they are

besides there is only so many ways to build a single cylinder diesel
upright horizonal, laid down horizontal, vertical shaft lawnmower type?

i don't know who first came up with the design, but would be interesting from a historical view

the changfa is a fairly well refined engine in my opinion, not perfect, but close enough to work with at least.

maybe one day down the road another option will come up that will be even more reliable and still be a simple design?

till then

"long live the mighty changfa"

:)

bob g
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sodbust

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #55 on: November 23, 2008, 04:00:44 PM »
The number of parts and labor,, for a 3 hp are the same for a 8hp,, 12 hp.. So the money saved is not that much in the end..  I agree,, get one big enough to do some real work,, and make some real heat.  Your just spinning your wheels and money with a toy otherwise.

sodbust

rcavictim

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #56 on: November 23, 2008, 05:19:08 PM »
The number of parts and labor,, for a 3 hp are the same for a 8hp,, 12 hp.. So the money saved is not that much in the end..  I agree,, get one big enough to do some real work,, and make some real heat.  Your just spinning your wheels and money with a toy otherwise.

sodbust

The labour is less for an air cooled engine as one does not have to modify the hopper cooling system of a Changfa as supplied and install a thermostat housing hoses and radiator system.  The major problem with an air cooled engine is the 3600 RPM.  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaa BANG.  Silence.  Go buy a new engine.  These are the reasons I was asking about the idea of half speed operation of a larger air cooled single.  I can slap an engine, lovejoy coupler and ST head on a frame for the guy but I don't have time to fabricate a fancy liquid cooled plant for him.  I am up to my limit on projects I am doing just for my own needs right now.  One of these awaiting a round-tuit are a fancy liquid cooled plant employing my new Changfa 1115 that is awaiting my attention in the middle of the shop floor.
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion

mobile_bob

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #57 on: November 23, 2008, 06:03:27 PM »
" Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaa BANG.  Silence.  Go buy a new engine"

that was the funniest way of putting an otherwise unpleasant subject i have read for a while, put a smile on my face.

bob g
otherpower.com, microcogen.info, practicalmachinist.com
(useful forums), utterpower.com for all sorts of diy info

ZackaryMac

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #58 on: November 25, 2008, 03:07:19 AM »
3600 rpm doesn't make an engine short lived, poor design and quality do. I've seen local farmers with Honda-powered equipment with thousands of hours on them and they still work great.
  I know I'm not comparing apples to apples, but the rpm doesn't necessarily make an engine short lived. Look at modern sport bikes that rev to 16,000rpm. They can put 10's of thousands of miles on them and still be strong. Yes, they don't rev to 16G all the time, but at highway speed many of them are at 6g or so.

Just my opinion of course *puts on super-duty flame suit*   :D
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All are diesel.

rcavictim

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Re: Changfa engine?
« Reply #59 on: November 25, 2008, 03:32:31 AM »
Look at modern sport bikes that rev to 16,000rpm.

Just my opinion of course *puts on super-duty flame suit*   :D


What are you serious?  16,000rpm ?!  :o   Please permit me to share my prediction.

" Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....aaaaaaaa BANG!"   :D
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion