Yanmar diesel genset build - Surplus engine

[tinkerer]

Hello, I am a newbie to the site and have enjoyed reading and soaking in the wealth of knowledge here. I am thinking awfully hard about buying one of these yanmars from Surplus Center and building my own genset. I have a ? for those of you that have this engine in hand. I was wondering what the outside diameter of the air inlet is. I have an airfilter box for a 87 1/2 ton Ford pickup that I was thinking maybe could be used for the little yanmar. Maybe its overkill, but I have it and its free.  Let me know the dimensions and what your opinions are on using the Ford filter box.

Thanks!
Ben

[mr.fixit]

Air inlet looks to be about 1-13/16" O.D.

[tomn]

Hello from a newbie!
I am starting a DC genset project using one of these engines, and am interested to see your (and others') choice of radiator, air cleaner and other operating components not supplied with the engine. I am considering using a new replacement radiator for a small car like a Suzuki Swift or similar vehicle, as these are available through eBay and other sources for a reasonable price. Other components are still to be determined, although I will probably use a Hayes stub shaft and Lovejoy type resilient coupling to drive a separate shaft supported by pillow block bearings (similar to flywheel's Perkins genset configuration). A pulley on the shaft will drive automotive alternators (great work, mobile_bob!) through a serpentine belt. The larger plan is to make the genset one component of a generalized system to charge and maintain battery banks using multiple power sources.  If there is interest in the group, I can start a separate topic for the project.
Cheers!
TomN

[br549]

Hey Tom:
Yes, I'm interested in seeing your project evolve.  Thanks for the link.  I wasn't aware of flywheel's Perkins project.  Wow.  Really nice.  I also wasn't aware of Hayes stub shafts either.  I was thinking of contacting Mike Monteith to see if he could supply serpentine pulleys.  I plan on running a pmg.  The stub shaft Lovejoy set up seems more expensive and complicated.   I'm wondering how important it is to have a stub shaft supported by pillow bearings with a Lovejoy type coupling, as opposed to just a stub shaft drive plate and shaft unsupported.  How important is this?  Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Terry

[tomn]

Hello Terry,

Mike Montieth made the eight groove serpentine pulley I plan to use for my genset. It is bored to fit an SK size tapered bushing so it can be used on different diameter shafts just by installing a bushing with ID to match the shaft. Mike did an excellent job - highly recommended!

Regarding the alternator drive setup, the stub shaft I want to use is an SAE 7 1/2 that bolts to the engine flywheel.
http://www.hayescouplings.com/index.php/products/sae_stub_shafts
It will drive a separate auxiliary shaft supported between pillow blocks, using a Lovejoy type resilient coupling that transmits only torque, no side load, between the shafts. The auxiliary shaft will carry the serpentine pulley that drives the alternators. This is similar to flywheel's setup, except he devised his own coupling method instead of using off-the-shelf components. I favor using the auxiliary shaft to carry the side load, as opposed to attaching the pulley directly to the flywheel, although the directly attached pulley would probably be OK as long as it is positioned close to the flywheel. Perhaps others who use this type of setup would like to comment.

Tom

[br549]

Hi Tom,
Thanks a lot for sharing the information.  I got a chance to read some of the previous threads regarding cat/perkins generator builds that I had not seen before.  It's great to have access to this forum.  There is a wealth of knowledge here that's been shared and is available.  All you have to do is dig around and you'll likely find the information you're looking for. 
I think you are correct.  The stub shaft set up that isolates side load is probably the best way to go. I think the fact that these are a higher rpm and twin cylinder makes it a little more forgiving on the belt arrangement.  The APUs available that run these motors do not use a stub shaft setup but I'm sure they have an excellent service life. Since I'm not concerned about weight or space, I think I'll follow suit and go the stub shaft route.
I was wondering if one of the senior members that's been there, done that and got the tshirt would let us know how these little yanmars might run on straight veg oil.
Terry

[tomn]

Hello All,
To correct  a statement in my last post, the flywheel on the engine I received from Surplus Center appears *not* to be SAE standard as I thought. The tapped bolt holes are metric, and the other dimensions also appear to be metric as well. I will ask Hayes whether or not they can provide a stub shaft to fit the flywheel, but the price will undoubtedly be higher than for a standard off-the-shelf product. Have any other members fit a stub shaft to this engine? I would prefer not to bolt a pulley directly to the flywheel, if possible.
Cheers!
TomN

[Henry W]

when surpluscenter had these engines listed before they sold out earlier this week they had the flywheel dimensions.

I might still have them.
If i remember I will check it out.

Henry

[evanjohnson]

Hi all-
1st post.  I think I purchased 2 of the last engines from Surplus Center that I will hopefully use for a concession trailer project.  With luck, I will receive them on 4/7.

I enjoy reading other putterer's posts.

[rcavictim]

Hi all-
1st post.  I think I purchased 2 of the last engines from Surplus Center that I will hopefully use for a concession trailer project.  With luck, I will receive them on 4/7.

I enjoy reading other putterer's posts.

Welcome to a fellow putterer.  BTW, if you make the main feature long enough you generally don't have to come up with a concession trailer.  Just sayin'.