What spare parts should I have at home?

[cowboy]

If you had a limited budget (don't we all?) what spare parts would you want to keep at home?   What parts are the most likely to fail?   My birthday is coming up and I'm not sure what to ask for.   

[38ac]

At the risk of sounding like an arse how does budget fit in to the equation? You either have to have the thing running or you don't. If you don't have to have it running how long do you want to be without?
As long as parts are a few days away by UPS which they are right now;
And if under no uncertain terms I had to have a listeroid running for whatever the reason the spare parts list would be a short one, a spare running engine. That does not come from personal experiance but read what people who are off grid own, you wont find many with one engine or system. Backing down a bit in price from that there is a spare parts kit available from CMD that contains about everything you would ever need shy of the crankcase and crankshaft plus a few things you wont ever need for $499 plus shipping and handling. Backing down even more in price same people sell a basic overhaul kit for $175. The reality is overhaul times dont just suddenly rear thier ugly head, they can be planned for but parts shortages to perfrom said overhauls cannot be planned for. I would want to at least have a fuel filter or two, or three on hand and a drive belt for the equipment driven. Other than that someone who has put a lot of hours on one might be able to shed some light thhat I can't.

Punch here to look and dream.
http://www.generatorsales.com/order/lister-parts.asp

[cowboy]

If you don't have unlimited cubic dollars I would have to say that budget has just about EVERYTHING to do with it.   If I had Al Gore money I wouldn't be tinkering with an antique design trying to sort out an ECONOMICAL power source for long term support.   I don't run my engine 24 hours a day,   or for that matter even once every single day.   Right now just the $500 for a complete rebuild kit is out of reach,  let alone a fully stocked parts department in my shop.    A spare engine?     Not so much.   If I am in a situation that I am relying on this system for power it won't be easy to order and receive parts.    After hurricanes come through here it may be days, or even weeks before a UPS truck can get here , or even USPS delivery can be restored.   Heck, the UPS driver won't even come on the property if grazing cattle are present,   let alone if he has to bring a chainsaw and a winch to move downed trees off the road.   On even a nice day I have to go 5 miles most of the time just to find a good cell phone signal!   Ordering parts would just barely be easier than delivering them.   I would be more or less cutoff.   My question was simply directed to those with enough experience to know what the most often failed parts might be so I could have them here to keep it going as long and often as possible when lines of communication and supply are not running as smoothly as a sunny Tuesday afternoon in paradise.     Of course,  if anyone has Al Gore kind of money,  donations will be accepted.   

[xyzer]

rod bearing .....rings......gasket set with spare head gasket.....if you see unusual wear on the idler gear get one of those. That is all I have.

[cowboy]

That's a list I can afford.   Is the bronze idler gear I've seen on eBay and at Central Maine Diesel an original style part,  or an improvement?    They seem to emphasize the bronze metal part of it.

[bschwartz]

I'd add a spare injector or at least nozzle.
I've had the injector line crack, so maybe one of those, as they are cheap.

[38ac]

Well I guess I was put in my place

A person does not need unlimited funds to be a realist and that's all I try to be. Hard to be pointed without coming off like an arse and for that I can only predicate my statements as I did above. I am sorry for that and for your financial situation but not sorry enough to send you money, nor give bad advise that fits your needs, sorry again     

I dont live off grid but I can and do read. You dont have to look any further than the sigatures of those here that depend on Indiian and Chinese engines and generators for power and ask them why two or more? You actualy need look no futher than this thread for that. Or maybe I got it all wrong? They are realy just motorheads like me who like to throw money at engines If so I stand corrected.

[toydiesel01]

extra fuel filter,rings,cylinder liner, complete head, injector, high psi line, fuel pump, gasket set,rod bearings,extra belt, extra water pump if used these should keep you up and running-of course they can be bought a little at a time
the bare minimum fuel filter, injector, high psi line, extra belt ,fuel pump,water pump, the other parts usually give some warning before failure.   Example rings you will see a loss in com presson or hard starting or high use of motor oil.  A broken valve spring gives no warning thou-so ma bey a complete spare head should be in the bare min area, and gasket set.
hope this helps

[cowboy]

38ac,  I didn't really mean it that way.     Look in the dictionary under "has no right to put anyone in their place concerning Lister and Lister type engine clones" and you will see a picture of me.     I won't look exactly like the picture, I've lost weight since then.     I don't know where or how you live,  just trying to give a snapshot of where and how we do.     I was really hoping  to get the point across that I am trying to make a tool here that will be a lifeboat as sorts when needed.       If I can't accomplish that with this engine I will have to sell it and go another direction.     We're not exactly as poor as country church mice,   but then again, I don't know anyone in agriculture right now that is tripping over their bags of money, farmers or ranchers.     Everything we do is driven by diesel prices, and I don't need to tell you whats going on there.    We're feeding hay EXTRA-HEAVY right now with the 4th winter in a row that's colder then the one before,  so expense is always a consideration.    Just trying to gather basic info.    No offense.

[38ac]

Too bad typwriters dont have facial expressions eh? guess thats why we have smileys No offence taken.  I could have paid more attention grammer type classes and it would have helped me type but sure wouldnt do much for me when knee deep in an engine. Good luck however you decide.

[xyzer]

I'd add a spare injector or at least nozzle.
I've had the injector line crack, so maybe one of those, as they are cheap.

Add one of those to the list also....my spare cracked and I should order another..

[Horsepoor]

Cowboy,

You mentioned you live near Huston TX and must pump water for live stock during natural (hurricanes) or man made disasters. I only have two horses, and three dogs but must also pump water from a well if they or us are going to drink. Add to this, I am an emergency responder and must be on duty for 12 hr shifts which are really 14 hr or 15 hr shifts when you figure prep and travel time. My wife works for the V.A. hospital on the day shift and was classified as essential staff.

2005, during the first West Palm Beach hurricane, I ran a gasoline generator for 21 days @ 20 gallons every 24 hrs. The second hurricane hit three weeks later which left me without power for almost 14 days. All total, I burned well over a thousand dollars in fuel, this was and is unsustainable, but, I had hot showers, cool sleeping temperatures, cold beverages, lots of friends and family vi sting, even managed to supply some power to my neighbors with my 18 HP Generic 10,000 KW unit.

All this lead me to discovering Listeroids. I now own two (GTC 20/2 down rated to 850 rpm with an ST 15 head) producing a maximum of 11 KW out of it but a comfortable 8 to 10 KW all day / night. I also built out a Metro 6/1 up rated to 800 rpm where I can draw a maximum of 4 KW. My little 6/1 is protable, so I can take it to a friends house or relative. I might even use it at night to since it will drive ONE 2 ton airconditioner (upstairs unit for bedrooms), a couple of lights, intermittent on and off refrigerator, and even manage to start and run my 1 1/2 HP water pump, but that absolutely all I can ask it to do. So in the future, I might make this my night time unit. During the day, my wife wants hot water heated by electric, both air conditioners, washing machine, dryer, you name it. I need the listeroid 20/2.

This interest led me to find a couple others nearby who also discovered listeroids. Please check out my friends web site (listerboy) and refer to page 4 forward for a lot of useful information. http://www.listerboy.com/lister.html

If you are interested, here is a quick link on my GTC 20/2: http://www.youtube.com/user/rocketboy911#p/u/3/3HYakTZnypA

And here is a run down on my Metro 6/1: http://www.youtube.com/user/rocketboy911#p/u/4/ToXLQTXQ3qI

Between Listerboy, CUJET, and myself, all of us live within 30 minutes of each other, we have a large inventory of spares. I feel comfortable knowing I have 400 gallons plus of waste jet fuel on hand and two units to burn it in.

Bruce

[injin man]

Cowboy

I too survived Ike and was runnin' a screamer for well over a week. It will be a
cold day in Hell before I do that again. My place is just south of Alvin and I have
a pile of spares for the 6/1 roid. Folks in other, safer places don't understand our
need to be ready for a disaster like we do on the coast.

Ben

[Horsepoor]

As i watch the world twist and turn towards diaster, I get some comfort in knowing my 6/1 and 20/2 will allow me to weather a short duration disaster (i.e. 90 to 180 days) with no real disruption in my life style. I too loaded up on spares, plus the spares my friends have, add in 600+ gallons of waste jet fuel gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. The only thing that realy scares me is the EPA and Obama.

[cgwymp]

As i watch the world twist and turn towards diaster, I get some comfort in knowing my 6/1 and 20/2 will allow me to weather a short duration disaster (i.e. 90 to 180 days) with no real disruption in my life style. I too loaded up on spares, plus the spares my friends have, add in 600+ gallons of waste jet fuel gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. The only thing that realy scares me is the EPA and Obama.

I'm more worried about unrest in North Africa/Middle East, and the Republicans....