After many false starts due to unavailable parts, I'm going again on my WVO fueled generator project. In fact, I have located enough parts and there is an alternative energy group looking hard at it and may decide to aid with funding. I have to get up specifications and cost estimates.

Question: What is a good estimate of the fuel consumption rate for a D311 engine running at 80% output sustained steady load? Anybody out there with experience on marine, stationary or generator use? The D2 crawler isn't a very good indicator because the load is on and off again. Maybe somebody has run a D2 5U flat out on a steady pull? I never have, always short rows and lots of turns.

As always, I greatly appreciate the advice that is offered on this board. Thanks,

Jack

Here is some information from a 1956 Caterpillar engine reference data book, hope it helps.

I ran my D2 for 10 hrs straight and used about 12 gallons of fuel. The throttle was probably about 3/4 to 7/8. The worst thing that happened was how sore I was the following day. Never had to pull on so many handles.

But wasn't it fun???

Thanks, Josh. I'm going to see if I can get a good print of the tables. Just the sort of evidence I need to support the case for my project.

brialin got about the same sort of performance that I got from a
D2 5J pulling a disk in orchard, but it varied a lot due to hills, row length, first pass or crosswise, etc. I didn't quite trust my experience. Thanks, brialin.

And yes, ol'_Grump, I always did like pulling tillage with the D2. After you pull those clutches for a few days you get used to it and don't get sore anymore.

Jack

Jack,
If you need it I can email you the full size scan.
Josh

Good luck Jack, The project sounds more and more like it's about to happen. Hope to be out your way later this year.

Thanks for the offer, Josh, but it reproduced just fine from your post.

Good to hear from you, Al. After more than a year of hunting for engine parts, it does look like it's going to happen. It better; I've got over a thousand gallons of veg oil piled up around here right now and it's still coming!

The engine I wound up with has like-new cylinders and pistons, except for one piston. The valve guide split off and stuck in the top of a piston, pretty well wrecked it. The shop i bought it from is good for the spare parts, replaced the piston and a bent rod. The head had been rebuilt, shows no wear on the valves. Conclusion: engine ran a very few hours after rebuild before it crashed again and they junked it.

My advice to rebuilders: Mark things when you take them apart. I found the rods all installed backward. I found an intake valve in an exhaust port, shot but hadn't broken yet. It took some pretty severe heat treatment. In another engine I found tappet guides in cockeyed--dowel bolts in the wrong holes or none at all in some places. I found lock plates missing or improperly set. I found silicone rubber hanging in everything. I found cotter pins missing or way too small for the holes they were to serve in. The devil is in the details.

Would anybody be interested in step-by-step assembly of this power plant with pictures? Would it help avoid some of the B.S. I've seen in these machines? Anybody got a comment?

Jack

Pictures and comments? Bring 'em on!

You might have to use one of the picuture server sites if you put a lot of them up here or you'll have to delete the oldest when you run out of room on here.

Cat sells double headed cotter pins for the conn. rod & main use so they are easier to get out esp. the rods when your doing them through the side.Also rod numbers face toward the inspection covers but most important is the cap & rod numbers match each other and mains must match too.