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Author Topic: Yanmar engines?  (Read 9581 times)

Number21

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Yanmar engines?
« on: October 16, 2009, 07:36:43 AM »
I want to get a diesel engine to use for heat/power at my shop running on a mixture of WMO. I've always wanted a Lister clone, but a 6/1 is a little underpowered for me, and don't quite want to invest a couple grand into a bigger one yet.

I'm starting to look at this 2 cylinder 13.4hp Yanmar engine probably attached to a 6kw gen head.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009101601214460&item=28-1684&catname=engines

I don't know anything about Yanmars or much about diesels, do you think that would make a good long term generator? Could I run it at half speed (1800 RPM) to direct drive the gen or does the diesel need to rev higher than that?

I expect Yanmars are good quality, and easy to find parts for in the US, right? How many hours might a peice of farm equipment rack up with a Yanmar engine before it's worn out?
« Last Edit: October 16, 2009, 07:38:22 AM by Number21 »

SteveU.

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2009, 02:21:31 PM »
Hello
I own a 3 cylinder Yanmar watercooled in a 950 John Deere tractor. One of the brother-in-laws owns a gray market imported Yanmar 3000 tractor too. Same engine.
These are both an older InDirect Injection  maximum horsepower 2600 RPM - maximum torque 1800 RPM heavy all cast iron engines and therefore were designed for 3rd world poor non-standardized diesel fuels. Neither one of us is willing to run alternative fuels through ours because Yanmar as a world class quality engine designer/manufacture  .   .   .   .   well their parts are Tier1 level expensive.
Any manufactuer designing a 3600 RPM capable diesel fuel engine is going to have to use a Direct Injection system to get the combustion characteristics to produce this RPM. This will always require a good engineered standardized diesel fuel. So, virtually NO fuel flexibilty here. Probably Only a good meets spec standards Bio-diesel.

This surpluscenter engine is an excellant quality Yanmar quality engine for 1/4 the price of new retail. Your cheapest source for parts would be to while they are still available just buy a whole 2dn, 3rd engines as spares. You will find ordering in just a minor parts kit will exceed this complete surplus engine price.

All my own opinions
SteveU.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2009, 02:25:50 PM by SteveU. »
Use it up. Wear it out. Make Do, or Do Without.
 Electrodyne 12vdc. AC MeccAlte 8.5kw
John Deere 950 w/Yammar 3cyl IDI; Peterson 21" sawmill w/20hp Kohler v-twin; four Stilh chainsaws,  Stilh weedeaters; various Kohler, Onan, Honda, Briggs, Tecumseh singles.

billswan

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2009, 02:55:11 PM »
Got to agree with what steveu said about yanmar being expensive for parts. I over hauled one of those 950 john deere yanmar engines because a previous owner of it failed to keep oil in it for what ever the reason. And the parts through JD were astronomically priced. Great little engine and tractor you just need a lot of cash if it breaks!

Billswan
16/1 Metro  in the harness choking on WMO ash!!

10/1 OMEGA failed that nasty WMO ash ate it

By the way what is your cylinder index?

Number21

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2009, 12:44:50 AM »
Hmmm...one of the other things I have been thinking about is just buying an old diesel pickup truck for about $1000 and cut off the back half.  ;D The reason I thought the Yanmar might work on WMO is because I know there are a lot of people who run older mechanical injection Ford/GM diesels on a 50/50 or more mix and seem to run thousands of miles without much trouble. If I could get my fuel under $1/gallon (roughly a 50/50 mix) I would be happy.

But again, I'm just thinking out loud. My experience with diesels includes starting a John Deere tractor and driving it for maybe 50 feet. That's it.  :)

oliver90owner

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2009, 09:50:33 AM »
a 3600 RPM capable diesel fuel engine is going to have to use a Direct Injection system

I could disagree with the 'must be direct injection at 3600 rpm' comment.

Landrover engines in the 1960s ran at 4200, more recent Peugeot diesels in cars ran 4600 or perhaps more and I think my Vauxhall has an IDI engine.  Yes, most have gone to DI - noisier but more efficient, but a bland statement like that is not quite correct.  In fact just 100% wrong.

Regards, RAB

SteveU.

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2009, 06:18:58 PM »
Thank you RAB.
I stand corrected. I confess to never having much interest in automotive diesels. Been hooked on this cheaper gasoline here in the U.S.
Good to hear you are still alive and kicking.
How's your old horizontal slow speed doing?

Regards
SteveU.
Use it up. Wear it out. Make Do, or Do Without.
 Electrodyne 12vdc. AC MeccAlte 8.5kw
John Deere 950 w/Yammar 3cyl IDI; Peterson 21" sawmill w/20hp Kohler v-twin; four Stilh chainsaws,  Stilh weedeaters; various Kohler, Onan, Honda, Briggs, Tecumseh singles.

oliver90owner

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2009, 06:27:33 PM »
Going very slowly. To many irons in the fire, I suppose.

Regards, RAB

torquemada

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Re: Yanmar engines?
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2009, 03:22:51 PM »
i've got two yanmars in my sailing catamaran....and i gotta say i would NEVER buy them again...the spares are extremely expensive and in the USA you are locked into franchised dealer prices,EVERYONE in a region gets the parts from them so price is virtually fixed,the smaller two cylinder engines are over complicated and if you don't change the oil on them as regular as clockwork they wear out very quickly,i don't expect to get 5000 hours out of my engines,which for a boat is not very good.
they also have a tendency to eat V belts unless the pulleys are kept scrupulously clean,the pulleys are also the cheapest pressed steel going so rust at the first sign of moisture........just my hands on observations........keith