How Much Fuel Does This Vintage Engine Use? Bamford stationary single-cylinder diesel efficiency

How efficient are old engines? I didn't know - but it was easy to find out. I just ran my old 6HP engine for an hour and measured how much diesel fuel she used.

[domingomolinero]

Seeing an old machine like this still running after all this time and being used is awesome. Those engineers from that time designed all machinery to last at least forever, maybe a bit longer if you took care of them.

[HebrewHammerArmsCo]

I have a 4000 acre property with two old listers a 1/5 and a 1/6, The 1/5 runs a 12 volt Alternator that charges up my battery system and heats up the shower water and heats up the cooking oil fuel tank.... Has a 10 lt diesel tank and a 60 lt cleaned cooking oil tank... Runs for 5 minutes on diesel then switches over to cooking oil.. then for shutdown it switches over to diesel for 5 minutes. The 1/6 has the same set up for fuel and I use it to pump water from a spring fed dam to the two non spring fed dams..

[MrSaerrock]

450ml for 45¢ per hour of work seems good value.
I love how you appreciate the history behind your machine & your obvious affection for it

[russellking]

We have a Lister Engine built in 1924 looks very similar to this one in our shearing shed in New Zealand…it has served 6 generations of our family flawlessly and we would never ever get rid of it…enough said!

[Leosarebetter]

I knew an 84 year old Lady that would go into the machine shed in her night ware (at around 4.30pm) and spin the fly wheel of a Southern Cross single cylinder diesel to start the "night lights" which was a 32 volt light bulb... the old Southern Cross was very similar in design this engine being shown. Ol Sally passed away many years ago now, but I can still see her flicking the decompression lever and pushing the fly wheel to start the engine. Bless her soul.

[JoesWebPresence]

Marvelous! Your product is VERY environmentally friendly. I can understand why people think modern is better, but it always annoys me when they don't value what's already there, and think nothing of scrapping perfectly good solutions that don't break, while spending money on something that probably will, and they always think the benefits'll pay for it over time. The true benefit is had when stuff is kept going, revived or re-purposed, not replaced with expensive new toys.

[JOOLZNED]

Im a great fan of engines that use a heavy flywheel, this stores a tremendous amount of energy which helps with efficiancy

[turboconqueringmegaeagle]

I use old stationary engines for various jobs, later 60-80's engines though as they're cheap to buy, still have parts made and can be moved without a hernia.
That bamford is glorious

[TheDoItYourselfWorld]

This has been my dream for many years - to have one of these. They used to run entire shops. I think that the HP of an old engine is actually more than the newer ones because of how much work they did. They run happily for generations while newer engines fail in a few years quite often.

[peteacher]

Well said, Tim. These old engines like your Bamford (which I have not seen), Lister, Deutz and the like, typify a more relaxed way of life which would be lost for you if there were a little 3-cylinder Kubota or Yanmar buzzing happily away in your workshop instead. And where would pre-1965 rural economy have been without these beauties powering milking plants, sawmills, water pumps and generators? 😊 Col, NZ.

[robertordewald]

At that rate if you ran it all day long it would cost you 2 or 3 dollars US Currency. It's amazing how efficient those old engines were. I'm glad to see that you use it and not make it's just something for taking pictures and showing off. I'm a firm believer of using the old stuff if it's good and it doesn't ruin it or hurt it. As always, thank you for the video. Bob from Virginia USA

[lennytheleopard]

There was an engine which ran the milking machines on the farm I used to visit as a kid. I remember the day I became big enough and strong enough to start it myself (no electric motors.) I loved that old engine. And the old Massey Ferguson 1943 pre-select tractor which I was allowed to drive. So lucky to have spent time on a farm.

[Jack-nyvu]

I love these old engines. I love the sounds they make

[MrPeterwaldi]

Surprised by how little it uses, thanks for sharing.
I don't think a 4, 5 kW electrical motor actually consumes 4, 5 kW when it's just idling like the diesel engine. So that would change the calculation.

[wiresmith]

I do believe 45 cents per hour isnt terribly shabby at all, and its quite frankly a lovely engine.

[wesleycardinal]

Lovely old thing. Great to see it still giving useful service 👍🇦🇺

[chiimchim]

So great to see the old girl still going and working, very reliable these old machines, made to work. Very cheap running costs and good output too. Thanks for sharing

[victoryfirst]

I have a Buda-Lanova engine made in 1905 six cylinder 500 plus minus cubic inches. This engine can run a sawmill for 6 to 8 hours on five gallons of diesel fuel. Not sure as to the number of board feet of wood that will cut. But a huge amount. THE old engines just sip fuel, Today they guzzle fuel no matter what they say Tim.

[BlueEyedColonizer]

You could run that thing for years on the same amount of fuel used in a 10 minute flight. Keep her running. She is a beauty

[stevesavage]

I am using a similar Lister engine to run my generator to charge batteries. I haven't measured accurately like this, but it uses about 1 litre per hour and charges at a constant 2kW measured on the battery charger.