petter mod b1a

[getterdone]

i decided to get my 10hp air cooled b1a petter going again. just in case i need some hp to run something.
i took the tank off, and cleaned the biodiesel out of it.
i took the fuel system all apart and cleaned everything.
put it all back togeather and put fresh diesel in it and tried to cranh it up.
i got wore out and had to go inside to get cooled off.
when i was building my house,i was using this engine to charge batteries for my power.
it got to where i could not start it so i quit using it. pushed it into the barn, and would fix it latter.
well.,latter is now.
i know whats the matter with it. when i was tring to crank it up a bunch of carbin puked out of the exaust.
i really don't want to pull the head.[but i will if i have to]
i think i will use a gas pony motor to start it and if this works i will mist some water in the intake to steam clean the combustain chamber.
wish me luck............

[LowGear]

Good Luck getterdone.

When you're pulling the head; try and remember how much more difficult this chore would be if it were water-cooled.  Or the storm was coming. 

Casey

[dieselgman]

Cleaning out combustion chamber with steam is a good idea, but must be done with the unit fully loaded and quite hot! Water can migrate past the rings otherwise and likely contaminate your lube oil. What do your exhaust ports look like? If they are not too bad then then steam method might just save you some labor and time. You might also look to air leaks anywhere in the fuel system, if it is not fully primed and purged then starting it up can become a real bear.

Best of luck!

dieselgman

[magnicon]

Remove the rocker cover and with the piston aproaching tdc repeatedly rap each valve with a small hammer.this should seat them,when you have got it running promptly sell it as that was the worst engine that petter or listerpetter ever produced.

[getterdone]

well i got it running.
i didn't have to pull the head.
i started it with a 5hp gas engine, as a pony motor.
i ran it near full speed and heated it up real good. i didn't have a load hooked up to it though.
i then reved it up and let it slow a few times .
then as a fine mist, i spraid water into the intake with the breather off.
i let i run for a while.
after it cooled for a while., it starts like a champ.
luck was on my side.

OK some questions for some one that knows these engines. what is max rpm. what rpm sould i run it at for best fuel consumption?
i have a Dayton 4000 watt generator head i could hook up or a 10,000 watt harbor freight generator head.
i know the 10,000 watt would mach the hp rating of the engine better. bad thing would be the 10,000 watt is already hooked to my 6/1.
see i just got the 4000 watt head............but the 4000 watt head is better quality and best suited for the 6/1 listroid.
i think I'll switch them.
what do you all think?

[Tom]

Well with 10hp that engine should be able to make 5kw+ continuous. Since you have a choice the 10kw head will allow you to get as much as the engine will have to offer. 

[listard-jp2]

OK some questions for some one that knows these engines. what is max rpm. what rpm sould i run it at for best fuel consumption?
i have a Dayton 4000 watt generator head i could hook up or a 10,000 watt harbor freight generator head.
i know the 10,000 watt would mach the hp rating of the engine better. bad thing would be the 10,000 watt is already hooked to my 6/1.
see i just got the 4000 watt head............but the 4000 watt head is better quality and best suited for the 6/1 listroid.
i think I'll switch them.
what do you all think?

The Petter BA1 engine will run to 3600RPM, but it is more usual to find engines that are set for 3000RPM maximum. The Petter BA1 and BA2 range was was a very advanced engine for its time, as it incorporated many novel design features, such as balance shafts (BA1 only), lightweight cast Aluminium crankcase, high flange fuel injection pumps, aluminium pushrods, clockwork decompressors, etc.

The BA series have several well known design flaws, such as: no cylinder head gasket (metal to metal contact, for supposed better cooling), which often lead to cylinder head joint face failure, airlocks in fuel system due to having the fuel filter housing biult into the crankcase (causing the fuel to boil on hot running engines), retarded injection timing on hot running engines, due to expansion of Aluminium crankcase.

Most of these problems were to be found on variable speed application engines, when fitted in confined space applications. Due to these problems it was not a commercial success for Petters, and was quickly dropped from the range when the Lister Petter merger took place.

At full load your 10,000 watt generator head will be too much for this engine, as 1 BHP = 746 watts, and when a safety margin is taken into account this figure will drop even further.

[listard-jp2]

when you have got it running promptly sell it as that was the worst engine that petter or listerpetter ever produced.

That really depends on your point of view, and whilst my previous post detailed the deficiencies of the BA series. With sympathetic care and attention most of these problems can relatively easily be overcome.

I myself have several Petter BA engines: 2x BA1, and 1xBA2 (in a Thwaites dumper). From my experience these engines are reliable [if maintaned well, and problems are quickly dealt with as they occur], but I concede that the BA is no way as robust as a comparable air cooled Lister engines, such as the SR range.

In its day the BA range, had the highest power to weight ratio of any comparable industrial diesel engine.

FYI: Petter also made a smaller version of the BA1 which was known as the DA1, but is extremely rare with only a few being made.

[getterdone]

thank you guy's so much, for your in put.
I'll make sure that max rpm doesn't run over 3000rpm.
it will be only used as a back up, and occasionally as a battery charger when the lister 6/1 is down for service.
it sure is a little noisy er than the water cooled 6/1.
it would make a great minibike engine. ha!
i think i gave $ 200.00 i don't think i got hurt.
I'm just glad to have it running again.

[listard-jp2]

it sure is a little noisy er than the water cooled 6/1.
 

Thats an understatement  ,  especially if your engine is only fitted with a pepper pot silencer, as would normally be the case, unless the original customer specified a higher degree of noise suppression.

[getterdone]

I'm glad i got it running. because last night my lister 6/1 stopped running. the problem was the injection pump rack is sticking. that's what happens when you run veggy oil.
any way i took it off this morning and its soaking in paint thinner and laquer thinner. that's all i have on hand at the moment.
buy the way does any one know what is the best cleaner for veggy oil?
i'll be putting it back together this after noon. and hopefully back running to night.
if i don't get it back together this afternoon i'll be running that loud petter b1a.

[Tom]

Soak it in Marvel Mystery oil. Had the same problem with mine and it cut right through the polymerized oil that was making it stick.

[getterdone]

got the injection pump cleaned and put back togeather for the 6/1.
lacquer thinner worked ok I'll try the mystery oil next time.
i did have to do a little head scratching when i put the rod thingy back in. it can go two ways.
i put the pump back on and primed it. runs like a champ now.