[SEL] Lister 5-1 progress/ it's first show

[Jerry Evans]

Hi all you great Guys and Girls in engine land,

         Tonight I'm having a few quiet "Brandy & Cokes" by myself in 
celebration.

         The Lister 5-1 is finished (O.K. it still needs the radiator leaks 
fixed and a trolley).

         About 2 hours ago I got back home after offloading it at my friend 
Neville Botha's house in preparation for tomorrows show - "Neville's Open 
Day" an important date on our calendar.

         Neville is a great friend and one of South Africa's foremost 
collectors and restorers (and probably my mentor in this crazy hobby that 
we all share).

         When I found and bought this engine, it was Neville who went with 
me to collect and help load it on the 17th August:
<http://www.oldengine.org/members/evans/lister51/index.htm>

         I decided at that time that it would have it's first showing at 
his annual open day (tomorrow 28th November)and although this may seem like 
more than enough time to some list members I am not on the "seven day 
weekend" yet so it was quite tight.

         This is my first diesel engine (although I have the 12 HP Witte CD 
just waiting to be completed) and I have to say that "I'm thrilled. I've 
learnt so much about diesel engines on this project and I absolutely love 
this Lister (although maybe not as illustrious as many engines restored and 
owned by other list members) this Lister diesel embodies everything that I 
love about this hobby:
         a) It runs beautifully - "just thumps away" with a beat that is 
breathtaking.

         b) It is historically significant - development began in about 
1929 and production only ended in the late 1970's (not counting 
"Listeroids"). One of the most successful engines ever produced.

         c) It's "build and design" is typical of how the "Old Guys" built 
stuff - big and strong and meant to last a lifetime or more.

         d) It's rugged and tough. These engines were capable of doing 
their duty even when badly maintained (unlike todays high performance 
engines which need "expert" maintenance and cost "megabucks" to service).

         e) The whole design and operation is simple and basic. Even 
someone like me can quite easily learn to maintain and operate one of them 
!! (:-)

         Today I sorted out a few problems with the governor linkages 
(mostly to do with my own inexperience - like paint on the wrong parts - 
and  fitted a new (in this case "weaker") governor spring to allow for 
slower running.

         I then ran the engine for about 3 hours with "Barrs Leaks" in a 
vain attempt to sort out the radiator leaks. In this time the engine never 
missed a beat! Wow - diesel is beautiful. I kept "topping up" the radiator 
with hot water while running and also allowed the water level to drop to 
below the leaks a few times hoping to get some of those "cork bits" to 
reach those lower parts.

         The "Barrs Leaks" closed some of the radiator leaks but there are 
still 3 or 4 bad ones. I do realise that these "easy fix" things are not 
the answer especially for a system that is "thermo syphon" (no water pump) 
but was prepared to try anything at that time.

         "Barrs Leaks" contains chunks of compressed cork in a solution of 
soluble oil and it appears that the idea is that once introduced into the 
radiator these chunks of cork get stuck in the holes and, as the soluble 
oil is dispersed, the cork "bits" absorb water and swell to close the holes 
(leaks).

         To my inexperienced brain it would appear as though this would 
work quite well (as a temporary fix) in a motor car where there is a water 
pump forcing the water (and the "chunks" of cork) to circulate . A thermo 
syphon system is quite different - no force applied. To my thinking, this 
would result in the chunks of cork (the sealing medium) to just float on 
top of the water in the top radiator reservoir and never reach the leaks 
lower down - (hot water rises - cold water falls et.al.)

         I did allow the radiator to "leak" to the stage where the water 
level was below the holes quite a few times (these Lister engines run very 
cold on low revs - so I never allowed the engine to overheat while doing 
this,).

         Comments and suggestions from the "Gurus" will be appreciated.

         Another question:
         "Indian Head radiator Cement" (Now made by "Loctite").
Does anyone have any comments as to it's use.
         What I've been able to find out is that this (powder) when added 
to a radiator starts to harden when exposed to air. My questions are:
         1) How good is it ?
         2) Can it be used after "Barrs Leaks" ("Barrs Leaks" contains 
soluble oil).
         3) Will it work on a "thermo syphon system) ?

         Anyway, Guys and Gals, I'm digressing (as often).

         Tonight I loaded the Lister onto a flat bed pickup and planted it 
in Neville's garden for tomorrows "show".

         I'm ecstatic - I made the deadline - the engine is lovely.
Pic here:
<http://www.oldengine.org/members/evans/lister51/done1.jpg
 >




Keep the revs up (or down)
Jerry Evans
Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order:
<www.oldengine.org/members/evans/plates/index.htm>