Hi from a newbie

[Ferry Dave]

Hi, I've just joined and I'm going to be looking for help and advice regarding the lister/petter engine on the ferry I've taken over on the Norfolk broads. It's a 3 cylinder air cooled with a serial number reading:  4401226LPA3AQ07
So, is that right, it's a LPA3 engine ?
I'm going to be doing the odd service job during the next few months, but the vital thing I need to do is to get some oil into the reduction drive which is v low and shows evidence of water ingress.
The gearbox looks older than the engine and the brass plate on the top is so work that I can't read
It. I can make out the word "lister" but that's it !! I can photograph the box tomorrow, so people may be able to help identify it. Everything I've read after googling my prob comes up with conflicting advice. Hypoid or ATF ? Help !!

[dieselgman]

You are correct, that will be the LPA3 engine model. 1994 year model. This engine model was fairly quickly abandoned by Lister in favor of the water-cooled Alpha version that was continued through current years.

Welcome to the forum!

dieselgman

[AdeV]

... the vital thing I need to do is to get some oil into the reduction drive which is v low and shows evidence of water ingress.
The gearbox looks older than the engine and the brass plate on the top is so work that I can't read
It. I can make out the word "lister" but that's it !! I can photograph the box tomorrow, so people may be able to help identify it. Everything I've read after googling my prob comes up with conflicting advice. Hypoid or ATF ? Help !!

What does the oil smell like that's in it now? If it smells absolutely foul, it'll be hypoid. ATF is much less odouriferous...

Welcome to the forums, hope we can help! I suspect you've got the only LPA3 here, I'd never heard of it... time to hit Google!

[Ferry Dave]

Thanks Guys for the info so far.
Re the smell Ade, there isn't much in it to tell and there has been water in it, so at the mo it's a light grey colour. I'll try and get a better sniff when I can !!!

[AdeV]

As your engine is comparatively recent(!), Lister-Petter may be able to advise themselves - always worth giving the factory a call just in case.

Also, can you get a picture of the reduction box? Maybe we could identify it by its shape/size & thus figure out which oil. However, most of what I've seen would suggest SAE80 hypoid, which will stink...

[dieselgman]

As your engine is comparatively recent(!), Lister-Petter may be able to advise themselves - always worth giving the factory a call just in case.

Agreed on that... but who remains from the old Lister/Petter??? I understand that the currently named "Lister/Petter Group" is now totally new players and a completely different entity than Lister/Petter used to be. Certainly it is under brand new ownership and has completely changed operational modes/suppliers/standards and so forth. I for one do NOT see it as the same company despite how hard they are now trying to present an image of continuity. They continue L/P in name only!

dieselgman

[listard-jp2]

The gearbox looks older than the engine and the brass plate on the top is so work that I can't read
It. I can make out the word "lister" but that's it !! I can photograph the box tomorrow, so people may be able to help identify it.

These engines would have been fitted with a Hurth gearbox from new, but your comment above regards the Lister name, suggests that it could now be fitted with a Lister LM100 (mechanical) or LH150 (hydraulic) gearbox, with a separate reduction gearbox bolted onto the back of the main gearbox.

Usually the reduction gearbox part would be filled with EP80/90 gear oil.

I would further opine that the reason for the milkiness is due to condensation taking place within the reduction gearbox itself.