Lister Type diesel engine
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atgreene
Platinum Member
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- Aug 10, 2007
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- Sebago, Maine
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- 2005 TB135 Excavator with Thumb, Quick Attach System, Ripper tooth, 3' Hydrauic Tilt Clean-up Bucket, Skeleton Bucket, 1986 Kubota 4150 with Loader and Quick Attach with Woods Forks, JD B, 1963 IH 504
Lister diesels were built in England as a marine heavy duty long running power plant. centralmainediesel.com has them hooked to generator heads.
Listers are infamous for their longjevity and unique sound. Usual hp was 12-24. Chinese and Indian manufactures have now taken the specs from the old Listers and made new ones from the old blueprints. They are referred to as Listeroids.
Neat engine, my grandfather had a 2 cyclinder with a 5k generator. It had a decompression valve on top of each cylinder. Hit the starter with decompress and crank until it got up to speed, then let go of the decopressor and it would pound to life.
Listers are infamous for their longjevity and unique sound. Usual hp was 12-24. Chinese and Indian manufactures have now taken the specs from the old Listers and made new ones from the old blueprints. They are referred to as Listeroids.
Neat engine, my grandfather had a 2 cyclinder with a 5k generator. It had a decompression valve on top of each cylinder. Hit the starter with decompress and crank until it got up to speed, then let go of the decopressor and it would pound to life.
RonMar
Elite Member
Yep, built in Dursley england from the 1920's to the 1980's. Not just marine, but light/rural industrial. Typically heavy cast iron, low speed/low horsepower. They have large heavy flywheels, so store a tremendous ammount of energy. As a prime mover for a generator, this large spinning mass is ideal for starting large induction motors. The listeroid I use is a 6/1, 6HP/single cylinder. It is good for 3KW of continous electrical load. But it's large mass will start heavy inductive loads like a generator with a much higher rateing. That is how I can get away with 3KW and still power my well pump.
The engine alone weighs around 750# with 300# of that being in the flywheels. My all-up genset weight is around 1000#. It is started with a hand crank and runs at around 630RPM in my case to get me 60HZ out of the generator. That low RPM Thump, Thump, Thump makes them very pleasant to be around. Way more pleasant than an 1800 or 3600 RPM genset screaming away. With mine running, you can hold a conversation over the top of the engine without yelling. The valve train is almost as noisy as the exhaust is... They are reasonably efficient, and I use just less than .125 gallons per KW/HR of electric load. This slow speed was the main reason for their long service life. They are also extremely easy to work on. With only basic hand tools, I can have the engine striped down to nearly a bare block inside 30 minutes.
Go to Youtube.com and search "listeroid" and you will find a bunch of interesting running videos.
The engine alone weighs around 750# with 300# of that being in the flywheels. My all-up genset weight is around 1000#. It is started with a hand crank and runs at around 630RPM in my case to get me 60HZ out of the generator. That low RPM Thump, Thump, Thump makes them very pleasant to be around. Way more pleasant than an 1800 or 3600 RPM genset screaming away. With mine running, you can hold a conversation over the top of the engine without yelling. The valve train is almost as noisy as the exhaust is... They are reasonably efficient, and I use just less than .125 gallons per KW/HR of electric load. This slow speed was the main reason for their long service life. They are also extremely easy to work on. With only basic hand tools, I can have the engine striped down to nearly a bare block inside 30 minutes.
Go to Youtube.com and search "listeroid" and you will find a bunch of interesting running videos.
JB4310
Super Member
I was looking into them recently, some refer to them as third world engines for there use in far off villages, reports of some running everyday for 30 years without a rebuild?
Seen one in craigslist right in the next town over, guy bought it for a project and lost interest, can't remember what he wanted but it was reasonable, kicked myself for not calling him. Even for a hobby I think it would be cool.
Seen one in craigslist right in the next town over, guy bought it for a project and lost interest, can't remember what he wanted but it was reasonable, kicked myself for not calling him. Even for a hobby I think it would be cool.
schmism
Super Member
google listeroid
there are a tone of sites setup detailing the aftermarket listeroid hooked to a ST gen head (belt drive)
they run on waste veggie oil (WVO) also will little to no modifications for the ultra in cheep bio fuel
there are a tone of sites setup detailing the aftermarket listeroid hooked to a ST gen head (belt drive)
they run on waste veggie oil (WVO) also will little to no modifications for the ultra in cheep bio fuel
Lasgambler
Gold Member
I did not know they still made engines like that. Reminds me of those old style "poppers" I've seen at the county fair.
Now for the question that shows I know nothing about these engines. Is it possible to put some kind of Propane conversion kit on this engine?
Now for the question that shows I know nothing about these engines. Is it possible to put some kind of Propane conversion kit on this engine?
SnowRidge
Elite Member
I am curious. Why would you want to convert one to propane? The beauty of a diesel genset is that it runs on the same fuel that your tractor uses. In most places, it is no big deal to set up your own tank and get fuel delivered to you.
In a real nasty turn of events lasting months or longer, you can run most diesels on scrounged fuel of almost any type. It's even easier with a bone simple engine like a Lister. You can't do that with a propane powered genset, and in a real emergency, you will probably not be able to get any propane. Propane is highly dependent on a sophisticated production and distribution infrastructure. The only thing more so is natural gas.
If you are going to use a diesel engine, do so to its advantage. Don't waste it on propane, even if the conversion is feasible.
Lasgambler
Gold Member
I love that low RPM engine. Living in the middle of nowhere, I have a hard enough time hauling gas for construction generators, and diesel for the tractor.
Some of the homes I build off grid we install a 1000 gal. U.G. propane tank. That's the way I would like to go. My home is all electric and 800 gal. of propane would last for years. (800 gal) Based on 80% fill. which is what they do here. If the weather is bad enough for backup power, I probably do not want to be driving over an hour to get fuel. Terry
Some of the homes I build off grid we install a 1000 gal. U.G. propane tank. That's the way I would like to go. My home is all electric and 800 gal. of propane would last for years. (800 gal) Based on 80% fill. which is what they do here. If the weather is bad enough for backup power, I probably do not want to be driving over an hour to get fuel. Terry
RonMar
Elite Member
Yes they will run on propane, as will any engine. I have read of some experimenting with it as a means of self cleaning. These engines need to be occasionally taken down(500-1000 hours) and the carbon removed from piston top, head and IDI chamber/injector tip. this is dependent on the fuel used operating temp and loads applied. these engines like it hot with a high load. that is where they run their cleanest and most efficient. If the cleaning is not done, the compression ratio increases and some nasty knocking and added wear and tear on the engine will result. This is only about a half hour job to do this on the simple Lister design. By shifting to propane occasionally, or at least a portion of the fuel to propane(injector still firing small quantity of diesel), this breakes down and burns the carbon out, forstalling the required cleaning. To run on pure propane, you would have to work out some type of fuel cntrol that could be driven off the governor like the original design controlls the injector pump fuel rack(throttle).
Lasgambler
Gold Member
Thanks Ron, I was hoping you would respond. 'Just saw the weather, looks like you have another storm coming in. Terry