On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:57:14 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Somehow I found this site:

http://members.aol.com/westernstar66/indianlisters.html

that lists a 20 hp diesel for $3250, a real bargain for a new engine
compared to most diesels for boats. These are low rpm diesels that
can run on vegetable oil and are very efficient.

So, what would you do for a transmission? Maybe you could use a belt
with an idler pulley that was lever controlled. Tension on the idler
pulley would sorta regulate the speed. Maybe the engine has a speed
control, I dunno. Reverse would be a real problem. These look heavy
but just cool as hell. I love simple stuff, great engineering.

I have worked on the original Listers, that the Indians either
licensed or copied ,and they are pretty much a single speed engine, at
least the ones I worked on. As I remember there was a long screw that
tensioned a spring that the flyweights worked against to control the
rack. In addition they vibrate a lot. Bolted down to a 500 lb.
concrete pad they were pretty stable but I'd think you would need some
really heavy engine bearers if you were to install it in a boat.

Given that full throttle will probably be in the range of 1000 - 1500
RPM there is no need for a gear box (except to go backwards) so you
could direct couple it to the propeller shaft.

Bruce-in-Bangkok
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