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Author Topic: Listeroid Oil Change Interval  (Read 2232 times)

veggie

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Listeroid Oil Change Interval
« on: October 24, 2019, 12:26:55 AM »
The original oil change intervals set for Lister CS engines were determined back in the 1940's era.
Oils of that vintage may not have been of the same quality and molecular blend as today's oils.
So I'm wondering if we can extend the recommended interval from 250 hrs to something longer?

Reasoning:
1] Most of the newer listeroid variants have roller bearings instead of sleeve bearings on the crank.
This reduces frictional shear at the bearings and makes for a cooler running bearing. Less demand on the oil.

2] Low temperature requirements. The sump is far from the cylinder head & cylinder and the oil is not circulated up to the head where it can gain heat so the whole oil system runs at a fairly low temperature of something like 130f.
Heat breakdown is probably not existent.

3] Today's good quality oils have superior molecular chains and bonds with great fluid film strength properties and oxidation resistance.

I realize that many users simply buy the cheapest basic oil they can find and then change every 250 hrs or less.
That's fine too. But what are your thoughts on longer duration intervals?
I am in the process of adding a small 12 volt gear pump and an inline automotive filter to my Roid again.
The pump will be on a timer relay which runs the filter system on a 50% duty cycle of 10 minutes on...10 minutes off when ever the engine is running.
So the oil should be kept fairly clean.
I was thinking of extending the oil change interval to 500 hrs.

Anyone experimented with longer oil change intervals ?
« Last Edit: October 24, 2019, 12:30:22 AM by veggie »
- 6/1 GM90 Listeroid - Delco 33si Alternator
- Changfa R175 - Lease/Neville Alternator
- JiangDong R165 Air cooled - 2 kw
- Changfa S195 (Waiting for a project)

mike90045

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Re: Listeroid Oil Change Interval
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2019, 06:59:48 AM »
my worry is moisture/water build up.  the oil never gets hot enough to dry out. 

I believe there is a fair amount of blowby and acid production into the oil, and I've never liked acid and bearings living together.

AdeV

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Re: Listeroid Oil Change Interval
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2019, 08:26:10 AM »
my worry is moisture/water build up.  the oil never gets hot enough to dry out. 

I believe there is a fair amount of blowby and acid production into the oil, and I've never liked acid and bearings living together.

A possible solution to that issue would be to install a fine mesh at the bottom of the sump, covering (say) the bottom 1/2". Any water (which is how the acids get around, since you don't get acidic oil), would tend to settle down below the mesh. The purpose of the mesh is to prevent it getting sploshed up into th engine when it's running. (By the way... I have no idea if that would work, you might need a solid screen, with only a tiny hole to allow moisture in the oil to fall through). Anyway... assuming you can keep a small moisture-trap space below the sump from being unduly disturbed during running, this could be periodically drained manually. It wouldn't take long before you got an idea of how much water was coming out of the engine, and thus the drain intervals. And it keeps the acid out of the way...

Just thinking out loud, really... feel free to poke holes in the above.
Cheers!
Ade.
--------------
1x Lister CS Start-o-Matic (complete, runs)
0x Lister JP4 :( - Sold to go in a canal boat.

veggie

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Re: Listeroid Oil Change Interval
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2019, 02:49:06 PM »
my worry is moisture/water build up.  the oil never gets hot enough to dry out. 

I believe there is a fair amount of blowby and acid production into the oil, and I've never liked acid and bearings living together.

Good point.
I installed a better crankcase breather system on my engine. The breather has a check valve on it's way to the air intake filter so the air blown out by the piston cannot get back into the crankcase.
When the engine is running and I disconnect the tube to look at the flow, there is a considerable amount of air movement through the tube.
That big piston displaces a lot of space in the crankcase when it moves from TDC to the bottom of it's stroke.
I wonder if that constant replacement of air along with oil at 140f would be enough to carry away water vapour along with the other crankcase gasses?
« Last Edit: October 24, 2019, 02:55:33 PM by veggie »
- 6/1 GM90 Listeroid - Delco 33si Alternator
- Changfa R175 - Lease/Neville Alternator
- JiangDong R165 Air cooled - 2 kw
- Changfa S195 (Waiting for a project)

veggie

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Re: Listeroid Oil Change Interval
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2019, 02:51:39 PM »
I'm currently finalizing the tubing from the engine to the oil pump and onward to the oil filter.
I will post some pictures of the crank ventilation and filtration system after I'm done.
- 6/1 GM90 Listeroid - Delco 33si Alternator
- Changfa R175 - Lease/Neville Alternator
- JiangDong R165 Air cooled - 2 kw
- Changfa S195 (Waiting for a project)