Starlight generator

Only a few years ago, traditional logic for generator sets (gensets) held that diesel meant reliable and inexpensive but also noisy, loud and messy. Natural gas meant expensive and temperamental but also quieter and cleaner. Today, thanks to the development of new technologies in engines, enclosures and other components, the differences between diesel and natural gas generators is no longer so clearly defined. Additionally, many firms follow conventional logic in their comparisons of these two fuel types and fail to give sufficient weight to the operating realities of their particular applications. In this article, we'll take a look at both new developments and long-standing considerations that impact generator selection by fuel type in the power generation industry. The Engine Equation Traditionally, the viewpoint has been that diesel engines  provide response, power and longevity, while natural gas engines are more environmentally friendly. Although the environmenta...

Big Bore In this article, we ’ ll demonstrate two ways to sleeve an engine: one to repair a broken cylinder, and the other for more displacement. Using these processes, we were able to resurrect an otherwise good ’ 71 LT-1 350 Chevy and build a 426 Hemi out of a new Hemi block with a bore-and-stroke combination unavailable in the marketplace. Block Repair Any type of precision machining begins with a thorough cleaning of the parts being worked on. Here, IMM ’ s Fred Hafliger runs our crusty 350 through the hot tank. Why bother sleeving a small-block Chevy when you can still readily find them for sale? We got this one for free from its previous owner who had used it to power a 9-second, second-gen Camaro for nearly a decade before a ring land broke and gouged the bore. He unloaded it to us after buying a new block. Sleeving this engine is cost effective because these ’ 70s-era LT-1s had four bolt mains and forged internals that we can still reuse. 1.   Block Repair...