[Vwdiesel] Making a 1.6 VW diesel into a 0.8 L twin for small genset

[Conway, Alan (IT)]

How about a John Deere 650 compact tractor diesel motor, they are pretty
easy to come by and there are spares from John Deere. As its is a 2 cyl.
Yanmar motor (18hp I think) I am sure Yanmar has distributers for diesel
motor spares here in the US also. The John Deere 750 compact tractor has
a 3 cyl Yanmar Diesel with more HP - I have on of those and it not too
noisy and is water cooler. The tractor frame would mak a great base
also, just cut it off in front of the radiator / battery and behind the
motor.  (Small 2 and 3 cylinder Yanmar Diesels are also common in sail
boats I am sure the boaters have used yanmar motors also and a spares
network).

Alan Conway 
-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
On Behalf Of Area31 Research Facility
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 9:38 PM
To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Making a 1.6 VW diesel into a 0.8 L twin for small
genset

In the search for small water cooled and relatively quiet running diesel
engines for genset use, and having successfully built a full sized 10 kW
plant based on a 1.5 L, NA 1980 VW Rabbit diesel I am looking for
alternatives when somewhat less power is needed.  It makes sense to
start up a smaller plant and run it at about 75% load to get maximum
fuel efficiency rather than lightly load the 10 kW plant where
efficiency drops and fuel use does not drop proportionately to load,
remaining near high electrical output levels.

There are single cylinder diesel engines available which fill the bill
but are often expensive if purchased new, or are very hard to find as in
the case of the discontinued classic and sought after Lister CS (cold
start) singles, those engines with enormous 24" flywheels on each side
of a single cylinder that putt-putt-putt along at 650 RPM and will do it
for years without major maintenance.  When I can find a pair of those
that I can afford my search will be over. In the meantime I am looking
at affordable alternatives to a DIY'er with a machine shop at his avail,
but next to no cash.

Earlier this summer I stumbled across an ancient 810 cc, Petter PJ-1, 10
HP @ 1800 RPM British made lighting plant with a single cylinder air
cooled diesel engine and an enormously massive flywheel on an alternator
in direct drive mode that looks large enough to make 10 kW.  At 2 HP per
kW rule of thumb this plant therefore should make 5 kW.  The plant was
almost rusted to dust and the engine solidly siezed but I got a very
good price on it and grabbed it happily recognizing it's potential.
After working on it's restoration all summer I now have it running and
it can actually make almost
6 kW when pushed into the black smoke realm.  At 5 kW the exhaust is
clear (except for some oil smoke issues that I am now sorting out which
I believe to be mainly from a leaking exhaust valve guide).

To my horror I have discovered that this direct injection diesel is so
loud that It will be difficult for me to use it as proposed (within 100
miles of civilization).  The fact that it is an air cooled engine was
not a choice when I got this and I will shy away from purchgasing any
more air cooled diesels for the elevated noise factor as well as the
difficulty in engine temperature control at low load situations (runs
too cool to lubricate
properly) and cannot pipe waste heat elsewhere where it could be used
like for making domestic hot water.

So, while I dink with my Pitter Petter, even seeing how it works at 900
RPM instead of 1800, where the noise output drops from 140 dBA to
perhaps 130 dBA, my search continues for a practical slow speed water
cooled diesel engine that 'can run on the fumes of an oil soaked rag'.
The idea of removing pistons from a VW diesel engine has come to mind.
I haven't studied the firing order or crank throws yet, but assuming
that they accommodate this from a physical balance and even firing
perspective I was thinking of disabling #1 and #3. This is easily enough
done.  Yank the pistons and con rods out and remove the lifters so that
the effected cylinder valves cannot open or touch the camshaft.  What
does one do however with the two unused FI pump outputs?  Can they be
capped tight for zero flow and not suffer pump damage?

Your thoughts welcomed.

Rob


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