# Got myself a full size stationary IC(Diesel) engine- a Lister LT1



## Kaleb (Jan 10, 2011)

I've been looking for what I would consider to be a "true" stationary engine for a while now, so I put up an ad in a classifieds show on my local radio station for an old engine yesterday. I mentioned Lister because that's typically what most people out here think of when you mention a stationary engine.

Anyway an old man answered the notice, and said he had a few diesel engines around at his property, and invited me and my Dad around that afternoon to have a look. And my gosh has he got a lot of stuff! Motorbikes, a total of 4 or 5 lathes, and it was also quite literally engines galore for both petrol and diesel!

He said I could have one of his single cylinder Listers for $50. He had lots of these LT's, which he said came out of truck reefer plants. So I decided to get the most complete one I could find, which was this one.

Anyway, here are the pictures:

















The fuel tank is not original, but it is a genuine Lister item. Same goes for the plastic priming plug. I replaced these on site, since the original tank was missing, and the original priming plug was there, but was completely stuffed.






A closeup of the plate. Serial number reads: 4101788LT1C009. A fella over at Smokstak told me that according to the serial number, it was built in 1991. He also gave me this link to a guide for dating later(post-1970) Listers if anyone is interested:

http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk/EngineDating/Dating6.htm 

Overall it appears to be in fairly good condition. It turns over freely, the injection pump seems to work okay, and it seems to have good compression with the compression release off, but not as much as I thought there would be. I thought that being a diesel, it would have heaps of compression and would be hard to turn over by hand compared to a petrol engine. It hasn't got a crank handle with it, so I'm going to try and make one. 

Other than that, it might just need some diesel in the tank and some new oil in the sump. I might need to make some new piston rings, which I think I could do quite easily since I have acess to a lathe. Watch this space as I have a go at getting it to run again.


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## swinz (Jan 10, 2011)

Nice project that you have bought there, try this forum if you need any help or advice, we are a friendly lot.
http://www.stationary-engine.net/forum/


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## Chaffe (May 12, 2011)

did you ever get this running? i have one of these at home on a two wheeled garden tractor


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