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Air Cooled China Diesel Engines

motrack

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2003
Messages
332
Location
Ingalls Indiana
Occupation
field service tech
I have a project in the works that requires a number of (4 HP) diesel engines and need some input.

There are several companys from China building such a engine and I'm wondering if anyone has first hand experience with them? Anyone know what brand has decent quality and what brand to stay from?

I'm doing research here so your input is welcome but please dont go turning this into a China bashing thread.

Thanks.... Rob
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
I'm about to order a 6.5 hp engine called a greyhound, so ask me next year and I'll let you know.:beatsme
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
I was looking at an air compressor with an air cooled china made diesel on it for my service truck but nobody knew anything about them around me, I'm curious as to what you found out about them, any good? any ideas on any of the air cooled diesels at all? If anybody knows of anything post it to inform the rest of us, I was concerned with parts, starting in cold weather and life expectancy vs. the gas engines which I don't really have a high opinion of from past experience.
 

backwoodsman

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
8
Location
mt rainier
i was going to buy one to power a generator but got lazy and bought a onan generator.there is a book called- more power to you by h.skip thomsen who used a china diesel to power a generator-he thought it was a great motor. the old phone number i have for china diesel imports is 619-669 1995
 

Greg

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,175
Location
Wi
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
Having been to china and done work there and have experience with things here that have come from china I would be highly suspecious of anything coming from china. The forgings, castings of all types, steel and other metal items produced there are do not measure up. Another thing is after sale support. Many off shore companies outside of chinese companies do not give good product support either.
 

BDFT

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
265
Location
Northwest BC
My neighbour ran Chinese air cooled diesel gensets for his camp trailer the last two winters. It appears that with extended use they break. A lot. He can replace pushrods on those things in minutes. Finally one broke something serious on the cam and he bought a big Lister gen set. Problem solved. Maybe they have improved in the last two years but if you need something that runs a lot, you might want to think about a different manufacturer.
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
Thanks for the information guys, now anybody know where lister diesels are made at and if those have a good parts support system behind them, I've looked at some of those as well but again nobody I know has any knowledge about them other than they are an import, someone thought maybe germany but didn't know for sure.
 

stinkycat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
224
Location
Ohio
Occupation
retired, disabled vet
Randy Google Lister-Petti I think some Lister's are made in India and some in Europe they seem to be very good engines. Saw lots in Southeast Asia many years ago and I believe some old light plants used them (construction light plants), the Air force may have used them also.
 

mitch504

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
5,776
Location
Andrews SC
The older Listers are made in the UK, not sure about the current ones. They are very common in marine applications, both air-cooled and water-cooled. They are great engines, and parts are available here. However, they are NOT cheap, engines, or parts.


P.S. I just picked up a great old 12hp off a marine genset. I am thinking about putting it on my service truck air compressor, but it is the size and weight of a 30 hp gas.
 
Last edited:

Bryan1

Active Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
37
Location
Australia
The lister clones that come out of India are called listeriod and fuking, quite a few guys use them as power generators for off grid use as they will run directly off WVO and once warm straight used engine oil in some cases. It does pay if one buys one new to fully strip it and check for any casting sand as many are known to still have the casting sand in the pots.

Regards Bryan
 
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