Yes we try to keep a good supply of parts, including a spare crankshaft. Many parts such as heads are still available new. The spare crank we have on hand now is from a cannibalized engine. If we were to have a crankshaft made it would cost at least $500, 000
That crank can be repaired with likely no problem. Likely you know this, but, the heat checked journal would get a pre-grind, then plated. Then the all the journals get plated. Then a nice setup on a crank grinder, wolla! You have a ready to use crank again. Good time to install additional sensors while apart, but of course would need additional interfaces and maybe software mod. Do those engines have mist detectors in the crankcase? Installing them that may prevent a crankcase explosion. Cool vid, thanks for sharing :)
+SmallEngineMechanic Be careful what you ask for. It's hot, hard work and everything on these big engines is heavy. The "Powers That Be" Can put a lot of pressure on you when one goes down. With that said it's a good feeling to see them come together.
I don't have a video of the saddle repair. We send them to Reynolds French to be repaired. They typical clip the caps and bore the engine.It would be a good topic for a future video.
This unit went down on high main bearing temperature. We monitor the bearing temperature and have alarms and shut downs when the temperature gets too high. We check the clearance on the bearings at least once a year. We also have metal particle detectors in the oil that will shut us down. This particular failure happened on the opposite side of the bearing from the sensor. The oil groove in the bearing insulated the heat from the sensor which delayed the shut down and caused the damage. Normally we can catch it before we damage the crankshaft. This type of failure happens fast. If not shut down quickly it can result in a crankcase explosion. Not good.
Sadly they closed down the foundry in PA where they were made so you can't by a new one. Cooper has available some rebuilt W-330,s with all the latest bells and whistles. My guess they would run several million dollars. This sounds like a lot but would be a good investment. We have an LS that will turn over 400,000 hours sometime this winter and we have several more engines not far behind it. I am working on a video of this engine showing how it was built , transported and installed I will post it once it hits 400,000 hours.
Yes, Cooper Bessemer made about 330 of the LS eights and most were for power generation or boat engines. We run twenty four of them. They also made a abut 300 of them in a V configuration. A lot of them are in pipeline service.
Can't these overweight Dinosaurs be replaced with something newer and smaller(lighter) to do the same job ? Gas Turbine ? A newer, contemporary, much more readily available engine ?
Excellent question! The answer is complex. We run several varieties of horsepower from high speed recips to turbines and electrics. However there are problems with environmental permitting when adding or replacing horsepower. Even when you put that aside the "Powers That Be" like to run the old slow speed recips. They are very fuel efficient! There are advantages to alternative horsepower, such as the electrics are almost trouble free but the cost for electricity often makes them the last resort. High speeds like caterpillars are comparative easy to install but don't hold up like the slow speeds. We have one slow speed engine fixing to turn over 400,000 hours and is still going strong. There are some excellent turbines out there such as Solar. Here again expensive to run and maintain. We see a lot of old engines being shut down in small power generation plants up north where it is no longer feasible to run them. We also see some of the old engines that have been shut down on pipelines being brought back to life. So, to answer your question, the future is uncertain for these old engines, but they have had a long run.
Yes, of course. There are all kinds of options, electric drives, turbines, high speeds to name a few. And we do use them. But the old slow speeds hold up longer and are very fuel efficient. Getting the environmental permits to replace them is difficult. This particular engine is 6o years old and is a better engine today than when it was first set. We are constantly improving them with better automation, power valve and seat material , grout and alignment just to name a few improvements. With proper maintenance they still have a long life in front of them.
Amazing no foresight at all. Why in the world would they not have built the shed with a crane inside for just such an operation. Then having to remove a wall!
Daggum....that is a WHOLE LOTTA engine!!!!
Yes and a WHOLE LOTTA work to rebuild one! We have another one we are changing the crank in this fall.
Good work hopefully we never have to do the samething to our LSV 16's
you had parts stored for this!!! wow!!!
Yes we try to keep a good supply of parts, including a spare crankshaft. Many parts such as heads are still available new. The spare crank we have on hand now is from a cannibalized engine. If we were to have a crankshaft made it would cost at least $500, 000
That crank can be repaired with likely no problem. Likely you know this, but, the heat checked journal would get a pre-grind, then plated. Then the all the journals get plated. Then a nice setup on a crank grinder, wolla! You have a ready to use crank again.
Good time to install additional sensors while apart, but of course would need additional interfaces and maybe software mod. Do those engines have mist detectors in the crankcase? Installing them that may prevent a crankcase explosion.
Cool vid, thanks for sharing :)
No mist detectors. Something to look into though. We did install a second thermocouple on the mains. You can't have too much protection.
This type of work would be my dream career!
+SmallEngineMechanic Be careful what you ask for. It's hot, hard work and everything on these big engines is heavy. The "Powers That Be" Can put a lot of pressure on you when one goes down. With that said it's a good feeling to see them come together.
no sir this field doesnt pay enough its got more bad than good im looking for somewhere else
? Great work , but is there video for repairing the damaged main bearing saddle
I don't have a video of the saddle repair. We send them to Reynolds French to be repaired. They typical clip the caps and bore the engine.It would be a good topic for a future video.
I was wondering, what was the tip off to the bad bearing? Noise? High temp reading? Caught during an inspection?
This unit went down on high main bearing temperature.
We monitor the bearing temperature and have alarms and shut downs when the temperature gets too high. We check the clearance on the bearings at least once a year. We also have metal particle detectors in the oil that will shut us down.
This particular failure happened on the opposite side of the bearing from the sensor. The oil groove in the bearing insulated the heat from the sensor which delayed the shut down and caused the damage. Normally we can catch it before we damage the crankshaft.
This type of failure happens fast. If not shut down quickly it can result in a crankcase explosion. Not good.
excellent work, I wonder what's the cost of a new engine?
Sadly they closed down the foundry in PA where they were made so you can't by a new one. Cooper has available some rebuilt W-330,s with all the latest bells and whistles. My guess they would run several million dollars. This sounds like a lot but would be a good investment. We have an LS that will turn over 400,000 hours sometime this winter and we have several more engines not far behind it. I am working on a video of this engine showing how it was built , transported and installed I will post it once it hits 400,000 hours.
Thanks.
Some folks think newer is better. The slower engines run for decades
Is this at Wiggins, Miss. I was an operator there in the 60's.
It is. How long did you work there and who was there then?
where/Any of these running generators any
Yes, Cooper Bessemer made about 330 of the LS eights and most were for power generation or boat engines. We run twenty four of them. They also made a abut 300 of them in a V configuration. A lot of them are in pipeline service.
grease worms??
What type of service does this engine provide?
We use them to compress natural gas on a pipeline.
Can't these overweight Dinosaurs be replaced with something newer and smaller(lighter) to do the same job ? Gas Turbine ? A newer, contemporary, much more readily available engine ?
Excellent question! The answer is complex. We run several varieties of horsepower from high speed recips to turbines and electrics. However there are problems with environmental permitting when adding or replacing horsepower. Even when you put that aside the "Powers That Be" like to run the old slow speed recips. They are very fuel efficient! There are advantages to alternative horsepower, such as the electrics are almost trouble free but the cost for electricity often makes them the last resort. High speeds like caterpillars are comparative easy to install but don't hold up like the slow speeds. We have one slow speed engine fixing to turn over 400,000 hours and is still going strong. There are some excellent turbines out there such as Solar. Here again expensive to run and maintain. We see a lot of old engines being shut down in small power generation plants up north where it is no longer feasible to run them. We also see some of the old engines that have been shut down on pipelines being brought back to life. So, to answer your question, the future is uncertain for these old engines, but they have had a long run.
Yes, of course. There are all kinds of options, electric drives, turbines, high speeds to name a few. And we do use them. But the old slow speeds hold up longer and are very fuel efficient. Getting the environmental permits to replace them is difficult. This particular engine is 6o years old and is a better engine today than when it was first set. We are constantly improving them with better automation, power valve and seat material , grout and alignment just to name a few improvements. With proper maintenance they still have a long life in front of them.
Amazing no foresight at all. Why in the world would they not have built the shed with a crane inside for just such an operation. Then having to remove a wall!