Forum for air cooled diesel engines and clones

[Skyco]

Yep Chinese clones....
To be fair they have been great until now, one of them has hundreds of hours, the one that quit. The fire in the other one certainly wasn't the generator's shortcoming...mice!:smiley_aafz:

 

[DieselMonk]

I find that there is a huge problem with these Chinese aircooled 3600rpm diesels. Kipor, Hurricane , Aurora to name a few. I find the parts availability is bad. I had trouble with the voltage regulator. Every 50hr is wanted a new one. There is a capacitor that blows, (a 10 cent part) but the regulator is like $130 and you can't change individual components on the circuit board as it is all e-poxied in. Years ago everyone sold these little China diesel gen sets for pretty hefty price, but now I find them to be worth nothing. I replaced mine with a real 12kw watercooled diesel, never look back and always works, and it is not as loud either as it runs only on 1800rpm.

 

[California]

There is a capacitor that blows, (a 10 cent part) but the regulator is like $130 and you can't change individual components on the circuit board as it is all e-poxied in.

Hmmm. I wonder if there is a market for a replacement regulator that is breadboarded with individual (better quality) components. This couldn't be very complicated to design.

 

[David Mc]

To be fair, I don't think there is anything wrong with the basic design, it's just let down by zero quality control and cheap electronics. Whilst at the moment my Chinese 186f only has 15 hours on it since my full rebuild, it is running better than it ever did when new - smooth and powerful.

 

[dex3361]

I have an Aurora and have pretty good set of manuals in PDF if you need any info I can link you to a site that has most of them or send them in an e-mail. PM me if you need them.

 

[90cummins]

To be fair, I don't think there is anything wrong with the basic design, it's just let down by zero quality control and cheap electronics. Whilst at the moment my Chinese 186f only has 15 hours on it since my full rebuild, it is running better than it ever did when new - smooth and powerful.

It's a poorly executed copy of an excellent Japanese design.
The Chinese reduce the cost by substituting inferior quality materials and omitting heat treatment of critical parts.
If you have had good luck then you are fortunate. I would not recommend a Chinese genset for anyone as emergency backup.

 

[ALABAMAOFFGRID]

I find that there is a huge problem with these Chinese aircooled 3600rpm diesels. Kipor, Hurricane , Aurora to name a few. I find the parts availability is bad. I had trouble with the voltage regulator. Every 50hr is wanted a new one. There is a capacitor that blows, (a 10 cent part) but the regulator is like $130 and you can't change individual components on the circuit board as it is all e-poxied in. Years ago everyone sold these little China diesel gen sets for pretty hefty price, but now I find them to be worth nothing. I replaced mine with a real 12kw watercooled diesel, never look back and always works, and it is not as loud either as it runs only on 1800rpm.

I just watched a youtube video of a prototype Aurora generator being tested. It is a new two cylinder liquid cooled 6 kw diesel that runs at 1800 rpm's! I called Aurora and asked them when It would be available. They said possibly this winter early 2013. I'm happy to see someone working on a 6kw generator that runs at a lower rpm besides the 4.5 kw Yanmar that Central Maine Diesel sales. I have not found anyone who owns one of these 4.5 kw Yanmars from Central Maine Diesel which are expensive compared to Aurora.

 

[I M Sam]

Sorry to bring a two month old thread back as a newbie, but I am wondering for anyone's experience if you can replace the Chinese clones with the real Yanmar parts.

I have a 186f generator that has been used for a number of years and now has a bit of metal showing up in the oil screen and the motor doesn't seem as happy as it used to be. I'd like to fix it, but fix it with higher quality parts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[David Mc]

Sorry to bring a two month old thread back as a newbie, but I am wondering for anyone's experience if you can replace the Chinese clones with the real Yanmar parts.

I have a 186f generator that has been used for a number of years and now has a bit of metal showing up in the oil screen and the motor doesn't seem as happy as it used to be. I'd like to fix it, but fix it with higher quality parts. Thanks in advance.

The clone parts fit Yanmars, so I don't see any reason that the Yanmar parts wouldn't fit the clones as I bet Yanmar outsource their parts like virtually every other manufacturer anyway. I would think about how long you got out of the original build before spending the money on Yanmar parts though. When I looked at their valve stem seals, they were not even Viton, so I am not 100% convinced by the quality argument. You can assemble an engine using the best parts in the world, but if you do a lousy job of putting them together, the engine will never be as good as it should. When I pulled my 186f down there was not a mark to be seen on the bore, camshaft, crankshaft, valves or seats, so at least those components are up to the task. I replaced the rings, piston, rod, gudgeon, plain bearings and seals with aftermarket parts and the engine has been as good as gold so far. Then again, I use a decent fully synthetic oil and don't intend to take my generator racing.

 

[Boeing]

What's a 186F? I bought one of the Aurora's and am happy so far but I only have 6 hours on it. It IS LOUD.....we're talking ear splitting loud. How many hours did your 186f have? WHY, did you re-build it? thanks