Need help with welder generator

JOCCO · Nov 7, 2014

Lost engine, its a weldanpower lincoln. Engine is a Briggs 11hp. My question is can I put a newer engine on it with electric start? This engine is older so a rebuild might be possible. I do have a generator place that can pull it off the generator head. Can any one shed some light here. A new unit is out of the question.

Tramway Guy · Nov 7, 2014

As long as the crankshaft is the same, shouldn't be a reason not to. The only other consideration is the governor; welders often had a governor that opened up the engine when you struck an arc. Although a lot of the time, these didn't work after a few years.

merlynr · Nov 7, 2014

A welder/gen someone had around here had a bad Onan engine and needed a crankshaft. He found out that the Onan used in lawn mowers wouldn't work in gen/welder because of crank.

Billy Shafer · Nov 7, 2014

You may have to drill new mounting holes. But I agree as long as the crank is the same and the adapter is the same. Shouldn't be a problem.

glennster · Nov 7, 2014

if you cant find the correct engine crankshaft combination, you may be able to use a lovejoy power coupling to get the correct connection to drive the generator. grainger sells lovejoy couplings.

NCWayne · Nov 7, 2014

I've done a couple of swaps on welder engines. That said, the other replies are right, there are some differences in the welder engines and those off the shelf. Usually the crank is different, and often the rear housing is different. Both of these things need to be right because the generator is direct coupled to the rear of the engine. This being the case the rear main bearing on the engine is carrying the load of the generator shaft. As a result you can't simply use another engine and coupling arrangement without doing a lot of extra work to create a support plate for a front bearing on the generator, and also provide support for the front of the generator itself given that the outer casing typically bolts to the rear engine housing for it's support.

In the end, what I found, is it's much easier to go back with the correct, running, engine out of another machine, or simply rebuild the one you've got.

Mike M · Nov 7, 2014

I would suggest checking out thesmallenginewarehouse.com this might not be exactly right address ?
But they do offer changeover engine conversion kits for several lawn mowers so possibly they do welders ? They did offer to do conversions if they did not offer a kit for the price of the parts. This was for something they wanted to get a kit set up for the first time.

Steve@Advance · Nov 7, 2014

Like NCWayne said, the engine supports the end of the armature. This is a precision component of the welder. If the armature isn't supported and centered perfectly in the field windings, it will drag, destroying both! Not a place to be short cutting!

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Nov 7, 2014

Since the engine is an older type there is probably a good chance it can be refurbished and if necessary even bored with an oversize piston. Then it will be a correct fit for the armature of the welder. It will probably be less than buying an new engine.

Electric start can be added by just finding a comparable junk engine and getting the starter and the alternator and installing it on your welder and then adding a battery box and necessary wiring. Most of the time a horizontal and vertical shaft engines use the same starter and alternator setup. I did this on a generator for a friend.

Need help with welder generator

JOCCO

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Tramway Guy

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merlynr

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Billy Shafer

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glennster

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NCWayne

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Mike M

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Steve@Advance

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Gene Davis (Ga.)

Well-known Member

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