Stationary Motor

This is not related to tractors but I am hoping someone here can answer my question, please pardon my being slightly off topic and indulge my querry if you have an answer for me, thank you.

I am wanting a reliable stationary motor I can use to power a variety of things from a water pump to a generator, just depending upon what I want to couple it to. I would like something that produces 40hp at a minimum and 75hp to 100hp would be nice. I want it to be gasoline powered, electronic ignition (don't want to have to deal with points and breaker) with a distributor cap, rotor and plug wires with mechanical advance, so I can tinker with the timing as necessary for the various applications. It needs to be a normally aspirated engine (carberator) and I would prefer to adapt an automobile engine so parts can be gotten at any local auto parts store. I would like to get an engine from a salvage yard, rebuild it and stand mount it to suit my needs. I am a welder/fitter by trade and building up an appropiate stand I can trailer mount or sit on the ground that will accept various things being attached to it is not a problem. Currently I am wanting it to power a water pump, generator, welder and a hydraulic pump. I can build up a quick change coupling and make the mounts on each attachment easy on/easy off so I can quickly and easily change attachments. I just don't know what engine I would want to use and I don't really know what engines produce what horsepower. I think a 4 cylinder would be adequate for my needs, however I may want to go with a small 6 cylinder... I just don't know what would be reliable and most portable for me. Does anybody have any suggestions on what engine would be easiest for me to adapt to my needs? I just want a single control box, key start/stop with a throttle and maybe an ignition knock off switch, also maybe a main power switch. Nothing except an alternator, water pump and radiator on the front of the engine. I am leaning towards a 4 cylinder because I think it would be quieter than a 6 cylinder and would have plenty of power for my needs. I do alot of contract work in residental areas and noise would be a factor, however I am pretty sure I can build up a quiet enough exhaust system for it with a good quality muffler. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to share them with me.

Thank you, Brian in Texas ([email protected])

I"m awfully partial to them (note my handle), but have you thought of an aircooled vw engine? They are just over 50 HP stock with lots of easy horsepower upgrades readily available. The engine is a fairly light self contained unit with no need for radiator. The only thing you need is a gas tank and a battery. You mentioned electronic ignition - I have that on several of my units. They have been used to power everything from airplanes to fire truck pumps. Lots of parts available for them. I could go on...

AC and IH used to make power units with clutches and pto. AC had the B/C engine, as well as 201 (WC/WD), and the 226 WD45. Many used to power carnival rides, some farm equipment, and gravel conveyors, etc.

go where there is irigation and find a pump engine. They used a lot of tractor and auto engines of various sizes. I've seen both 6 cyl and v8's in auto type and all types of tractor motors. They frequently already have a clutch system on them.

6 cylender chevy - run a 4 speed trany to get the rite RPMs then think about running your equip with a PTO shaft.
4 6 or 8 cylender all quiet with a good mufler.

Air cooled engines are a lot noisier!

You may be on the right site after all. Most of what you are looking for is simply on an old tractor. You can replace points with an electronc ignition, and the PTO makes it adaptable for many jobs. It has wheels under it for maneuvering it on the jobsite, although you would still have to trailer it to the job site. Parts are still readily available for them and can be used for other things also. A little 861 Ford for for example would make a nice one( I'm a farmall guy myself) The air cooled part is tough to get around in this department.

i know exactly what your looking for. this would be a ford 6 cyl.170 cid from the 400 versatile swathers. it also has the governor on it which you will need. just unbolt from swather and your ready to go, as it is in its own frame and complete with radiator. also pretty easy on fuel and not that loud. also has a coupler on back of engine. thats your best and cheapest way to go.

to bad you werent looking for a little less horse power. There are military surplus engines out there that were designed for just that purpose, i.e. acting as the power unit for multiple devises. Bill m.

If your in an area where AG is a major business, the salvage yards should be full of automotive gas engines adapted for ag machines , usually with a distributor mounted or belt driven governaor, and mounted on a skid with radiator mount.
GM 4-6 8 cyl (Chevy), Ford 200-391 (6 cyl or V8), AMC 232-258 (6 cyl). All at 100+ hp at moderate rpm.

There are several variations of automotive engines used for power units. If you can find a power unit it'll have a governor on it. Example when I worked at the rendering company in Florida we had a pump IIRC 6x4x12 that had a Ford 2.3 (Pinto) engine on it, we used it to pump fats and oils into ships. Driving across the Oklahoma Panhandle years ago I saw numerous engines on irrigation pumps, they looked like car V-8s set up with governors to run pumps. I've seen Chrysler slant sixes and Ford 300 straight sixes set up as power units. If you can find a power unit it'll more than likely have a governor and clutch/PTO set up in place and a hood and control panel. Many combines, swathers and self propelled balers had car derived engines on them, again you'll get the governor and maybe a pto clutch in the deal. There are belt driven governors out there, again found on industrial power units, agricultural applications using automotive engines and some turf grass equipment, an example that comes to mind early Toro Groundsmasters used a Continental R-839 that was really a Renault car engine, they had a belt drive governor. Some turf grass stuff used VW diesel engines that would be a sweet power unit to score if you could find one, you didn't mention diesel but you don't have ignition or carburetors to mess with and diesel fuel stores better than unleaded gasoline.

The problem with using a tractor for his applications is the 540 PTO speed. I've got a Miller welder/generator with a bad engine, and looked at powering it with a tractor PTO- but the cost of stepping up the RPMs was prohibitive.

I have the ticket for you it is already on a frame.
It is an old Allis combine engine. with radiator just needs the electronic ignition. if so desired. has a belt pulley on the end of the shaft.
The other option is to get an adapter for the 1000PTO to run 540 implements this would let you idle back to about 1200 rpm .

Do as others have suggested and hit up AG salvage yards. Lot of 4 and 6 cylinder engines from swathers and combines out there that can be converted to IE that already have a governor on them. All you would have to do is put some type of clutch in. I had a swather with a nice little 4 banger GM, BIL has one with a Ford industrial in line 6 and a combine (parked in the pasture now) with a GM in line 6 that has factory IE.

Rick

It will be a little big for your needs but a JD 4400 combine gasoline engine (292 Chevy) would do the trick. They have a governor and different carb. than car/truck applications.
They made millions of these engines, parts will be assy to find and you can convert to electronic ignition.
The downside (aside from size) a combine is a high load factor application and salvage yard engines will probabily require a rebuild.

as stated before you need to go to irrigation country and look at irrigation engines.these are already set up with clutch and pto.most do not have governors.one can add a belt driven governor to it.
your horsepower desires are somewhat unattainable. a292 chevy produces 53 horsepower @ 1800 rpm a 350 v/8 chevy will deliver 63 h p in order to get to 75 hp you would need a 454 chevy or 460 ford
a tractor engine wont fill the bill unless you use a large tractor engine.for 40 h.p. you could use a ford 800 tractor motor,but ,40 horse is all you could get.in order to get 70 h.p. you would need something like the engine from a 4020 john deere.

I'd just buy an old tractor. Easy to get to where you need it, and they are designed to run indefinately powering pto machines. Lots of generators and pumps out there designed to use a pto.

Did exactly what your talking about using an old FMC Rotomist sprayer. Came with carb. governor and belt drive output that I alternately belt to pressure washer pump, welder generator and hydraulic pump plus a pto shaft to drive whatever. Uses a Jeep "Hurricane" F-134 engine that will probably have parts availability until fuel is no longer available.

Brian Cost you a trip to Tennessee but I have two 6 cy chysler power units, radiator, clutch, the complet works. They might bring $ $200.00 bucks or so if someone wanter the pto.. You are welcome to contact via e-mail. They were used on commercial leaf vacum units. Pto shaft now has 4 groove 6 in v belt pulley.

I know a guy here who has an old welder setup,its been setting a long time,but i believe its a 216/235 chevy on it.governor and all is there the last i looked,and i believe it has a clutch(not sure about that) its already trailer mounted so that would make it easier.but as i say I know nothing of how it runs.if your interested I'll talk to him,about price and all.would be located south of oklahoma city.really old though,probably ww2 vintage if i were guessing.