NEW Listeroid

[queenofjacks]

HI, folks-
  I just acquired a new - and I do mean NEW - Listeroid project.  It's a Power Solutions 2/20 with a 12 KW ST type generator head.  The engine has never been in service.   In fact, it has never been hooked to a cooling system!  It came with two large boxes of spares - rings, valves, gaskets, hoses, pipes, etc.  It's mounted on a steel frame with rubber shock mounts -- well done.  I don't have a clue as to who made the 'Power Solutions' brand.  I would appreciate any and all info on this unit.  Pictures will follow, shortly.  The unit is rated at 20 HP @ 1000 RPM.  I don't plan on running it at that speed, though.  I'm going to test run it a bit and find it's "Sweet Spot" - hopefully around 6-700-- RPM and then change out the generator pulley accordingly.  Should be able to pull somewhere between 7 to 9 KW off of it with no problem. 
  --- OK, I've added PICS.  I'm going to do a golf cart starter/generator like I did on my 10/1 Lovson.  It's simple and it works great!  I'll have to downsize the bushed pulley on the generator when I slow down the engine (to somewhere around 650 RPM).  If anybody can give me any info as to availability of bushed pulleys, I'd appreciate it -- They're sort of hard to find!
  OH!  - And it does look like the unit came from George at Utterpower somewhere around 2007-8.  Thanks, 38ac!
            Cheers,
                Charlie
                                                                                               
                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                     

[38ac]

Check out Utterpower.com  Joel Koch and Georege Breckenridge were early on in the Listeroid game and Power Solutions was their enterprise that imported engines for several years.  The engines came from several sources, the  so-called "manufacturer" is a nothing more than what the importer asks to be cast in the crankcase door and printed on the tag. Think assembler, not manufacturer in the western use of the  word.  My samplig of their engines is small,2 to be exact. Quality was same as any other Listeroid, I have been around, hit miss. 1 was OK,  other was, uuh,, not so OK.  You are doing the right thing in not planning to run it at 1000 RPM. It is imperative that the gear lash is  minimal in any twin. I would not assume anything and take it down but I am a nut case of sorts about such as you can read in my rambles here on the site.
Good luck with it, post pics!

[2Ton46]

Sounds like a fun project. Looking forward to reading about the progress.

[LowGear]

Aren't they amazing how big they are when you first stand next to them especially when they're on a cart or dolly.

[Viking66]

Yes they are Big!!!  Way bigger than your mind imagines them to be.

[cujet]

That's much like my 20/2 setup

I run mine at 800 RPM most of the time. It seems to run best at that RPM. I have a dual RPM pulley, both 800 and 600 RPM are machined into the same pulley. 600 is a little slow and jerky for that engine under heavy load, but it sounds better and is a little less frantic when operated at 600 RPM under very low load. (which is what the 600 RPM setting is for, low load fuel savings)

It took some effort to get it reasonably smooth. But once dialed in, it's pretty sweet, and has been lifesaver after the extended power outages post Florida Hurricanes.

I never did mount the 20/2 in a shed/permanent location. I simply drag it outside when needed. Even so, it's been stone reliable, rain or shine. Funny enough, the neighbors come over to look at the engine when it's powering the house.

[ronmar]

Yep, strip it down and do a sand check, worst place for future damage is sand up inside the piston as this will work loose and wipe the rod bearings as they are splash lubed from the top..., as are the cam bearings and any falling sand will find the way to the top oil ports.

Gear backlash is another great thing to take care of for longevity to keep the gears from hammering themselves to pieces.  It probably has a bronze idler, as I think all of Georges PS engines speced the bronze idler gear but you may need to get someone to machine an offset idler bolt for you. That is the best way IMO to smooth out the gear train.  Getting rid of excessive gear backlash really makes them run nice and quiet.

Crankshaft endplay/roller bearing pre-load, you can play with the bearing carrier gaskets/shims to set that.  Should be about .005" cold, which is just about the minimum of movement I can feel by pushing/pulling on it by hand.

pay attention to the gaskets or half gaskets under the cylinders and confirm their proper use by measuring differential squish using lead shot under each edge of the piston directly above the ends of the piston wrist pin. they use gasket/shim buildup under the cylinders to tilt the cylinders to align them with the plane of the piston/rod(perpendicular to the crank).  This is how they account for any casting/machine errors in the crankcase.

Good luck.