Hi all, Having got my newly sorted out workshop stocked with projects to the point where, yet again, I can't move, I've finally made a start on the Lister 10/2 'basket-case' acquired from Peter F. Thanks aplenty are due to Roland, Paul and Philip for help, encouragement and supplies of spare parts.
I've always admired the Lister Cold Start series and one has been on my mental shopping list for a few years. There is a feeling of reliable friendliness about Lister engines, and, while some folk turn noses up at these 'common' engines, it should be remembered Lister non-rarity is a result of being the most successful producer in the British small to medium SE market. Diesel engines also appeal economically to me, because running a tractor as I do, red diesel is easily available and pretty cheap. When Peter offered a twin version on the group, we soon agreed on the sale.
Chunks of the engine were delivered over a number of months, as Peter's travels and van space allowed. Finally, a few weeks ago, the last instalment was exchanged at a mutual meeting point. Being in many pieces, it looked like a lot of iron. The effort of lifting the component pieces around the workshop confirmed it was a lot of iron! The reprint manual, states that the engine weighs about half a ton.
As many of you will know, the 10/2 is made up of two 5/1 top ends planted on one crankcase. Later on the engines were re-rated 6/1 and 12/2 respectively, without any major change that I'm aware of, apart from engine speed. There is a lot of information concerning these engines on Peter's website.
Then I sent a letter off to David Edgington to find what history he had. It turns out that it is a 1941 model, originally sold to a farming family not five miles from where David lives.
The aim is to mechanically strip the engine completely. There is almost no original paint left, and there is plenty of surface rust so I will then electrolytically clean the castings prior to painting. Four or five pleasant evenings have been spent with soft hammer, spray can, gas torch and various other implements of destruction, stripping rust-attached bits from heads and crankcase, and cleaning up grotty threads. Injectors and fuel pumps are living in a bucket of diesel for the moment, until they receive further attention, and the same applies to the pistons. In the past, when I've been distracted from a job and left a piston with gummed-up rings in diesel for several months, when I've come back to it all the "gum" has disappeared. Hopefully, it will happen in the same way this time. On Monday night the valve gear was persuaded off, and the governor linkages were eventually removed, though I had to drill out all of the pins they pivot on. Then the camshaft end cover was pulled off to reveal the governor-end of the very impressive two foot long camshaft.
I have now hit a major problem. The domestic authority has threatened to paint the kitchen herself. She is no artist, so.....when I get the kitchen painted, I'll carry on with the engine! ;-)
Regards, Arthur G