Lister ABL - First stationary engine project.

Basic story is I've always liked wandering along the lines of engines at shows, trying to work out how they function. I've built a few hot air engines from scratch and am a big fan of the works of the Gingerys - so expect a few Atkinson engines to be made at some point. Walking along at the local car boot my good lady spotted this engine and as it was a tenner, bought it for me - interestingly it's still listed on Fleabay for £145! This will be a slow burner project as I have one or two motorbikes to complete as well, so will be done in fits and starts. Sadly it has had bits taken off it, which are proving hard to find as I'm not sure where to look for stuff with this one. So what I think is missing is :- the exhaust, the carb and air filter, magneto cap, governor linkage, and maybe a cover near the pull start pulley(?), there's what looks like half a small hinge on the shroud. I have a petrol tank that isn't right but will do to get things rolling. Its had some use as where the belt drive pulley is there are grooves in the casing and bolts, and every single bolt has its head mashed or screw slots cut in. It still needs a good clean but I've found no signs of paint, apart from the horrible black on the shroud. The barrel and head are rusted and there's a good few bust fins, the crank has a little bit of up and down movement and a bit of end float, the valves open and close so there's no reason it can't run (other than the missing bits - help). The odd things are the lack of paint and what I saw when I took the head off. Numbers are really hard to read apart from the crank case casting number and what I think is stamped onto the plate on the shroud. I've found a manual online for the Wisconsin AB motor but finding stuff for the Lister version is proving a lot harder.

Cheers Colin

The other views.

This is not what I expected. There is a slight ridge at the top of the bore, but no where near needing a rebore yet. Everything is relatively clean though the handmade head gasket is toast, so I think I'll find some copper sheet for that as Lister ABL gasket sets seem scarce So at the moment the search is on for the missing stuff, start it, then decide how to finish it as theres no original paint to remove, and it'll be a collection of bits from all different places.

Cheers Colin

I can let you have a Wisconsin manual.
Having looked a bit harder at the manual I can confirm Zenith Model 87. Actually still manufactured but maybe a tad pricey!

http://www.zenithfuelsystems.com/sidedraft_87.htm

Is that a Wico magneto?

I have a print out of a Wisconsin AB manual which I found on the interweb, and seems to be looking fairly useful thanks. Looks like the carb is going to be the nightmare , well that and the governor linkage which I'll need to see one to measure and copy. I'll have a potter at my local autojumble on Saturday, pick up some BSF bolts and see if theres any carbs that look like a likely candidate as that Zenith 87 is very pricey and something else 5/8" bore might be about. Yes its a Wico, I think a Series A. I have a Series AP cap lying around and its the same hole spacing one way but the AP is to wide the other.

Cheers Colin

Woodsman wrote:I can let you have a Wisconsin manual.
Having looked a bit harder at the manual I can confirm Zenith Model 87. Actually still manufactured but maybe a tad pricey!

http://www.zenithfuelsystems.com/sidedraft_87.htm

Is that a Wico magneto?

The Zenith Model 87 has the wrong flange orientation for this Wisconsin engine.

blue cat wrote:
The Zenith Model 87 has the wrong flange orientation for this Wisconsin engine.

Oooops. Should have looked a bit closer.
Cheers.

Weird. The Wisconsin manual I have shows the Zenith 87 L-51 with the flange having the correct 'horizontal' hole pattern for this Lister engine - perhaps theres a couple of different patterns out there.
Well I now have a fuel tank - wrong tank, wrong brackets but it'll do for the time being. Brackets will be cut and welded to make it sit centrally at the back of the head, , centre seam on the tank will be ignored as I think the correct tank didn't have one. The rivet counters will probably have coronaries after this build.  

Cheers Colin

I no longer have a Wisconsin manual as It went with the engine when I sold it to a now sadly deceased engineman in Harrogate and was missing when I later bought the engine back again, however mine (Wisconsin AK) has the stromberg carb and Fairbanks Morse magneto.  Wisconsin also used UNC threads, I believe that Lister engines had BSF?  Pics of mine may be of use?







Pete.

Thanks Pete. Yes the photos help a lot. And you are correct in that (so far) everything is BSF. First question of many - is the governor spring just fitted to a threaded rod that goes through a fixed post? The whole linkage is missing so no clue what moves where and how it attaches.

Cheers Colin

Colk2004 wrote:Thanks Pete. Yes the photos help a lot. And you are correct in that (so far) everything is BSF. First question of many - is the governor spring just fitted to a threaded rod that goes through a fixed post? The whole linkage is missing so no clue what moves where and how it attaches.

Cheers Colin

Yes just a threaded rod and spring attatched to the bell crank on the peg from the governor and then a cranked rod to the carb lever.

Pete.

This appeared on Facebook marketplace so may assist in the linkage although the engine is located a long way from you. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1328192637809451/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aa5c5ce73-f235-4777-b3df-708cb6d464cb

Pete.

Well that would just about get me all the bits I'm short of, apart from a few carb parts. As you say, not quite a 'just down the road' deal to collect - which is a big pity. Hey ho.

Cheers Colin