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Author Topic: run away petter  (Read 8937 times)

sid

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run away petter
« on: June 17, 2009, 12:19:21 AM »
it is a well known fact that the petters sold from the west coast have a well earned reputation for running away,leaking oil and fuel and almost anything else that can break or fall off/as an owner of one I can voice my openion of them///the one bad part is they were sold even when it was determened that they were dangerous/// after owning one for 3 years and with the promise to my self that I would never sell it and use it only for parts/ I finally solved 2 problems// I modified it so the speed could be controled to some degree and some one wanted to buy it/// after a long discussion with the buyer and many warning ,it changed hands// with a considerable loss on my part// it went to a man who has a reputation as a very skilled mechanic..// believe it or not,we are still friends//I now have 2 petters left but they came out of North Carolina from Mike who has a reputation of sell very high quality engines//I still have 2- 8 hp listers I purchased from him// one in 1999/ many years before the sand issue came up from importing junk///
   I have been away from the forum for a few months.been to a lot of engine shows from Florida to Portland Indiana and have not have internet connection at most place so I started leaving my lap top at home//I am behind in a lot of topics so I will try to catch up/ has the one ton concrete block issue been settled yet/ send me an email and I will send you a move of my 8 hp lister running on a drop frame cart mius the concete block and not even shaking the cart//of course it was imported in1999 and is well balance and behaved//
I see the forum has gained a few members but do we keep track of the ones that just slowly fade away/ I wonder how many are still active///as one of the first few members I have seen a lot come and go and a lot were drive off because of their views../of course some had a very short fuse to begin with and it did not take much to upset them///of course we have our share of the (I am always right and you are wrong group)///but all in all ,just a typical group///excpt at time we have had some excellent knowledge appear here//and a fair share of all of the other// sid
15 hp fairbanks morris1932/1923 meadows mill
8 hp stover 1923
8 hp lg lister
1932 c.s bell hammer mill
4 hp witte 1917
5 hp des jardin 1926
3 hp mini petters
2hp hercules 1924
1 1/2 briggs.etc

Doug

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2009, 01:02:54 AM »
Tell you what Sid any videos you would like postsed I will help you witha Youtube acount if you would like so you can show the world.

And for that matter anything you may have seen at shows too.

Good to hear from you again
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken

rcavictim

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2009, 09:18:41 PM »
Hi Sid,

Thanx for dropping back in for an update.  FYI and everyone else here I'm mostly in occasional lurk mode here now.  A couple of generator projects are on hold with engines including a new Changfa 1115 sitting here looking for alternators and I am hoping to get back to building my big wind turbine that got quite a lot accomplished last summer season.  Haven't been able to get back to it yet this season due to my fibromyalgia flaring up after overworking myself last season.

Yes please send Doug your videos so we can all see 'em.
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dualĀ  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

sid

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2009, 12:33:55 AM »
Rcavictim/ good to hear from you and I have been wondering how your wind turbine was progressing// that is a very large project for anyone/good luck on it/sorry about your fibromyalgia.I think pain slows all of us, a little at a time///I have developed a bad right shoulder and it makes starting a diesel a lot of fun and pain/ but I have to admit. when ones fires off, the pain is forgotten until later.but I am better off than most.I try to never feel sorry for my self and keep going///I try to plan out at least a year or so just to have something to do/ I have 8 trips planned now and looking forward to all of them. keep us updated on the wind mill/ thanks.SID
15 hp fairbanks morris1932/1923 meadows mill
8 hp stover 1923
8 hp lg lister
1932 c.s bell hammer mill
4 hp witte 1917
5 hp des jardin 1926
3 hp mini petters
2hp hercules 1924
1 1/2 briggs.etc

panaceabeachbum

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2009, 04:31:53 PM »
I have been reading up on the petter runaway issue and would like to know more. I bought one off ebay and need to know what to look for .   I will be tearing the engine down for inspection when it arrives

Doug

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2009, 07:05:16 PM »
The trouble is if a Petteroid govener fails the injector pump has a speeder spring that will try to push the rack wide open.

This realy isnt a problem unless there is an issue with the govnener and all the reported runaway mini petters were sold by Utterpower ( can;t rememeber the brand but they are no longer sold here ).

The other things to rememeber th is the Petteroid has a crank case vent that draws from directly from the rocker box to the intake port. If the rocker has an oil line ( yours does not and none were imported to North America that way. Possible exception the KOEL diesel in the 70s ) and there is an isues with the crank case oil possibly being sucked directly into the engines ).

Lots of ifs but most of the runaway mini petters ran away because the the engines were junk from the start
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken

panaceabeachbum

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2009, 10:12:37 PM »
good deal , thats the conclusion I had gathered from reading all the post in this section , just wondering if there was anything else to look for.

I am planning a tear down and inspection in a few days. I am very familiar with gasket making. Are all the gaskets std material? Will the head gasket be anything special I might need to round up this week?

Doug

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Re: run away petter
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2009, 01:46:29 AM »
Odds are most of the gaskets can be reused if you are careful. They are just paper so no issues making your own.  Same for the head. My petter uses a slightly different gasket set since the engine has a gear lube pump so all the gaskets from the cam gear cover area are different from your piston pump version.

I have a spare head gasket if you need it. But if you careful and retorque the head a few times ( as it warms and cools make sure the gasket is fully compressed ) you might now need a replacement.
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken