Author Topic: Looking for FR1  (Read 10651 times)

Reg Burn

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Re: Looking for FR1
« Reply #15 on: July 07, 2011, 01:59:53 AM »
Thanks listard-JP2. I had seen that engine but felt it was too far gone for a beginner (like me) to deal with. I didn't want to have an endless run-a-round searching for hard-to-find spare parts. This will be a problem with the FR engines so I have decided to look at the CS range that seem more plentiful and will just keep my eye out for an FR1 in the future.
Incidentally have you seen the FR3 on ebay, with a massive pump and trolley. The seller wants £700 and has relisted four or five times, when I contacted him he said he would be prepared to split the lot. There was also recently a Lister Blackstone 25 HP engine in pieces that looked remarkably like a FR4.

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listard-jp2

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Re: Looking for FR1
« Reply #16 on: July 07, 2011, 11:56:57 AM »
I had seen that engine but felt it was too far gone for a beginner (like me) to deal with. I didn't want to have an endless run-a-round searching for hard-to-find spare parts. This will be a problem with the FR engines so I have decided to look at the CS range that seem more plentiful and will just keep my eye out for an FR1 in the future.
Incidentally have you seen the FR3 on eBay, with a massive pump and trolley. The seller wants £700 and has relisted four or five times, when I contacted him he said he would be prepared to split the lot. There was also recently a Lister Blackstone 25 HP engine in pieces that looked remarkably like a FR4.

The problem of spares availability that you identify, is the one major reason why FR engine prices will always be alot less than there CS cousins. In addition some people consider the FR engine range to have a reputation for being overly complex (but what isn't complex when compared to a CS), and the FR1 engine in particular is considered to have poor power output due to gear train losses and the number of ancillary items it drives ( circa 5% of these losses can be clawed back by removing the radiator fan if you have a need for heat recovery off the engine). The water circulating pump is also considered to be another power sapping item, however the mechanical losses are still less than using an electrical water circulating pump that you would need on a CHP set using a CS engine due to losses in the conversion of mechanical to electrical to mechanical power.


All of which suits me as it keeps the prices depressed when compared to a CS  :D.


Spares are still out there for a reasonable price if your clued up and are prepared to do the research. I personally would choose an FR engine over a CS every time, as the FR engine has many desirable design features when compared to a CS, one such being a governor which runs at 1.5 times engine speed, which provides extremely good speed control, when compared to the CS which has a governor running at 0.5 times engine speed.


I have a constant search running on eBay for Lister FR engines, and have seen both of the above that you mentioned.

PM me if you ever have a need for FR parts, and I will give you some pointers.