Suitable governors for converted automotive engines?

[BioHazard]

As some of you know one of the biggest issues with trying to create a generator out of a former car engine is the governor, or lack thereof. I know there are aftermarket governers available, but I know nothing about them. Who makes them, how much do they cost, and where can I buy one? What would be the most cost effective, DIY method? I've seen people suggest aftermarket cruise control systems for this, but I've never really been able to tell if that would be stable enough for a generator.

[billswan]

As some of you know one of the biggest issues with trying to create a generator out of a former car engine is the governor, or lack thereof. I know there are aftermarket governers available, but I know nothing about them. Who makes them, how much do they cost, and where can I buy one? What would be the most cost effective, DIY method? I've seen people suggest aftermarket cruise control systems for this, but I've never really been able to tell if that would be stable enough for a generator.

Bio

Once I installed a governor on a chev 292 6 cylinder engine and converted it to run on propane. The engine was used on the farm to run a corn dryer. Power for the fans and heat from the engine and exhaust into dryer.

The governor came from a tractor salvage and looked like thew one in this ebay listing.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mechanical-Governor-engine-4cyl-6cyl-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4aa707d6e1QQitemZ320629888737

The listing only lasts 4 days so the link will go dead soon.

I seem to remember if the belt would jump off the engine would run full throttle so I also used the same belt that ran the alternator and some how after start up drove the ignition off the alternator so if the belt failed the alternator stopped and so did the power for the ignition.

Worked great until the farm out grew the dryer and could afford a new one which was electric fans.

Billswan

[rcavictim]

As some of you know one of the biggest issues with trying to create a generator out of a former car engine is the governor, or lack thereof. I know there are aftermarket governers available, but I know nothing about them. Who makes them, how much do they cost, and where can I buy one? What would be the most cost effective, DIY method? I've seen people suggest aftermarket cruise control systems for this, but I've never really been able to tell if that would be stable enough for a generator.

Bio

Once I installed a governor on a chev 292 6 cylinder engine and converted it to run on propane. The engine was used on the farm to run a corn dryer. Power for the fans and heat from the engine and exhaust into dryer.

The governor came from a tractor salvage and looked like thew one in this ebay listing.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mechanical-Governor-engine-4cyl-6cyl-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4aa707d6e1QQitemZ320629888737

The listing only lasts 4 days so the link will go dead soon.

I seem to remember if the belt would jump off the engine would run full throttle so I also used the same belt that ran the alternator and some how after start up drove the ignition off the alternator so if the belt failed the alternator stopped and so did the power for the ignition.

Worked great until the farm out grew the dryer and could afford a new one which was electric fans.

Billswan

I used a mechanical, belt driven governor that looks almost exactly like the ebay unit shown on my 1.5L, 1980 VW Rabbit diesel based 3-phase plant.  It has performed like a champ for a number of years of regular use.  I scored it off a flathead four cylinder gasoline powered Hobart welder.  My direct drive VW plant runs at 1800 RPM.

There was an American supplier on the internet that had a universal mechanical engine governor similar to this brand new for similar money ($200-250) and also a very high accuracy electronic governor for about 2X this.  I lost the link in a HD crash.  Sorry.  Google is your friend.

[wiebe]

Try the helicopter part of model plane,s .
There are some there ,ore a crouse ??control .