backup generator mystery specs/ model

[pybyr]

This _IS_ wood related in that I hope to use this generator as a way to run my Econoburn wood gasification boiler during extended power outages...

I was just given an older Kohler "electric light plant" (generator for remote off grid locations) 6.5 kW made by Kohler Canada that is powered by a Lister 2 cylinder air cooled diesel engine.

the Kohler is marked 6.5 RMO 61 and I have googled that and found nothing so far

It is definitely post-WWII- but is also moderately old, inasmuch as there is nearly no plastic anywhere on it- it's all serious metal.

The aircooled 2 cylinder Lister engine has some cryptic numbers on a tag, but nothing that says model number

Prior owner gave it to me because he could not get it to start; I suspect it could be as simple as bleeding air out of the fuel injector system, but would like to know more about what the model is, so that I can approach it systematically.

Appreciate any suggestions of info you may recognize, or suggestions of where to look/ check.

Thanks

 

[amateur cutter]

Diesel is diesel, Fresh fuel bleed & maybe a little brake cleaner or WD 40 in the intake, see if she fires. Run some ATF through the fuel to clean injectors, set voltage with engine rpm on that one I think. If she doesn't fire post back. A C

 

[pybyr]

The guy who gave it to me is not the original owner; the original owner was a highly eccentric physicist- sort of the prototypical mad scientist- now dead. It sat for years in between.

I have every reason to believe it may have been run til out of fuel (in which case there's air in the system and it'll be really hard to get the injectors to "pop" correctly until that air is bled out) and or that any fuel in it could be a decade or more old.

So rather than crank, crank, crank, I want to do it right and bleed it with fresh fuel.

The engine is an interesting and sorta intricate design where the injectors are under the valve covers. From digging a bit more I am now taking a WA but slightly educated guess that it is a Lister SR2 engine.

 

[amateur cutter]

If you can empty the remaining fuel, install fresh, I'd go with kerosene to start, & open the lines at the outlets of the injector pump first. Roll it till you get fuel at these fittings. You may be able to get it to start that way without removing the valve covers. Are the connectors to the injectors under the covers, or do they protrude through the valve covers? I think I would still shoot WD 40 into the intake just for a little lubricity to the cylinders. I'm betting she'll fire & run fine barring any previous mechanical issues. Please let us know how it goes, & BTW I would love to have one of those too. A C

Edit: maybe try here also? http://listerengine.com/smf/index.php?topic=4808.0

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

One of these links are to manuals and one is for the manual itself. Tells all to get running. I was curious to see if this engine is like mine in my VW. My injectors are under the valve cover too. It is called a pumpe Düse or pump nozzle, etc.. It is different than yours as mine are cam driven injectors. The cam turns, pushes plunger and bam 26,000 psi...It requires 2 additional pumps: 1 5psi pump intank, secondary 250psi pump on cam. So there are 6 pumps im my car. Never have to worry about running it dry.


http://www.motoren.ath.cx/


http://www.motoren.ath.cx/Download.php?filename=/lister/lister_man.pdf

 

[willworkforwood]

Trevor,
I don't know anything about the generator you have there, but I will tell you that the EB controller/fan is highly sensitive to the quality of the generated power. I installed a 8.5K B&S via a transfer switch/sub panel a couple of years ago. I'm sure that this genset doesn't produce a high quality sine wave, but it's also not too bad either - KILL A WATT shows around 115V and 60 hz. All of my electronics run fine, and I haven't fried anything after 2 years with a few usages. That being said, my EB controller/fan does not like this feed - it immediately started to "breathe" up and down. When I saw this happen, I immediately shut the EB down, and have not tried it again. It may just be the 115V alone - perhaps just low enough to trick the Nimbus into driving the fan up and down. But whatever it is, I'm not going to chance frying an expensive component. So, my guess it you're problably going to run into something along these lines with that older generator. The EB controller/Nimbus probably requires a very high quality genset. If you do get it going and run a test of your EB, just be standing by ready to flip the switch ;-). We're just getting the pics from Bratt, Ludlow and Rutland :bug: - I hope you're safe on high ground up there tonight.

 

[ROBERT F]

I would think that even if it was "dirty power" that you could get a decent power system with the proper modulating capacitor to "clean it up". and the listers were nearly bullet proof, but a little loud and funny sounding. huge following for them, so someone on the net is willing to help. give it some time with the recent storms people are mighty busy right now!.