800KW 12 CYLINDER WAUKESHA DIESEL GENERATOR START UP

Our Buddy Mike ( SmallEngineMechanic) gets a chance to start and run an 1100 HP 12 Cylinder 800 Kilowatt Waukesha Generator

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[grp]

In 1974 I was working as a mechanic in Indonesia in the oilfield for an oil company. They had a Waukesha exactly like that one that ran a gas compressor, but instead of diesel, it ran on natural gas straight from the gas wells. The engine had a gas regulator and carburetor on it. It also had a huge radiator like that. It ran continuously 24 hours a day although occasionally because of a fluctuation in gas pressure from the wells, the engine would die, so I would have to go out to the pad and get it restarted(sometimes in the middle of the night with just a flashlight.) I had to do an overhaul on that engine one time. That's the largest engine I've ever overhauled. The access covers at the bottom are how you get to the connecting rods and each cylinder has it's own cylinder head. I set up a chain hoist up above the engine to lift the heads with it, The top of each piston has a threaded hole on each side so you can fasten a short chain, then you use the chain hoist to lift each piston and connecting rod assembly out. They're too heavy to lift out by hand. I remember the pistons were as big as a bucket.
They also had 3 or 4 398G Cat engines with gas compressors behind them too.

[frankdeegan]

I worked for Waukesha Motors right out of high school, in the bar stock room moving the raw bar stock to the various machines that made the engine parts. Next to the stock room was the boiler room and then the engine test room. Eight of these engines being tested maybe not all running at the same time but usually four or six under full load the rest were getting hooked up or unhooked. The pounding, cement vibrating, air pulsating of the working engines was indescribable the only other place in this world that even comes close was being between the two boilers of a Navy destroyer at 30 knots.
These engines saved countless lives keeping the power working in the hospitals by operating the generator on one end of the engine and the ac compressor on the other end with that function in mind that is why I think they were manufactured to be this big, supply the power and keep the air comfortable so most people never knew the rest of the area was in the dark.

[kenkcwok]

80 litre, first built by Wakesha in 1962, if you look close you'll see dual starters, one per side, and dual injector pumps connected through a bell crank shaft running through the block. Injectors weigh about 35 pounds, burns close to 100 gallons an hour! I serviced one monthly at LA DWP that pumped water as a backup to an the old main pump station at the Van Noman complex. Story was, it originally pumped out dry docks at Long Beach Naval station. It had a 14 inch inlet, 12 inch outlet on the pump, moved about 14 cubic feet per second of water. Beautiful sounding engine, my favorite of the 60+ engine fleet for its sound.

[patamos]

Mike isn't so much of a "small" engine mechanic anymore, not with the Caterpillars and other huge gen sets he's collecting anymore. Can't wait to see him tear into the big stuff and get it running too!

[billmoran]

Waukesha’s are great engines. I did a power plant with 3 v-12’s and one V-16 spark ignited engines burning natural gas. 5, 000 KW total.

[allgonquin]

Hi RK hi Mike, I was there on Saturday of the Tuckahoe show. (had my eye out for you guys, but didn't see you!) I was the guy who gave the owner a HP rating, except he told me the generator was 1000 kW, and I guesstimated the engine at 1500 HP. Generators like this have perhaps a 94-95% efficiency for the generator itself. So I figured 1000 kW*1.34 /.95 and came up with 1400 HP and rounded to 1500, not 2000. Engine was probably somewhat oversized when new. Thanks to the owner and thanks to you guys for the video! The best was that I asked the owner why he bought it - the answer was "because he could" - PERFECT!

[_sears]

What I think is so neat is that I live in Waukesha WI and about 15 minutes from me on the west side of downtown is where engines like these were made all those years ago.

[ScoutCrafter]

That was crazy! It's so nice that guys like Joe brings these beauties to the shows so we can drool and dream a little... Not cheap transporting it or running it! Great video!

[JesusTorres-qrgz]

That toy is working like if it just came out of the assembly line, no oil leaks, fast starting, that engine maybe around 1600 HP, outstanding and impressive, most kind of you for sharing it with us, from the endless summer paradise Puerto Rico Jesus Torres

[bushelfoot]

That tree is loving all that direct inject carbon in its leaves..

[deecocheran]

I worked on several 5782D on drilling rigs. Now caterpillar has become the standard

[kirkray]

Tell mike there is a Waukesha gen at the manchchester, nh. Waste water plant that has 100 hours of use and 4160volt. I think it is a 6 or 8 cyl. They would give it away if u r insured.

[robertschemonia]

I have a tiny one lung diesel like the one they use to charge the batteries. Its a 7.5HP liquid cooled Kubota diesel. It was a Tri-pack off the side of an OTR semi. It had an alternator, A/C compressor, and a good sized self regulating generator on it. It was of course made to be run while the truck was parked to have heat and A/C, and 120 and 220VAC from that tiny engine instead of a big 15 litre diesel drinking a gallon an hour minimum of diesel for the same thing. I use it as my camping genset now. It is heavy as sin for its size, but very reliable, quiet, and puts out all the power I need it to. I can even run my little 120/240VAC 180amp inverter stick welder from it no problem.

[chrishartley]

Saw Mike talking to the guy, I thought this was going to be Mike's next project.

[davecarlson]

Love this. The size and the sound of it starting and running is cool. Thanks for the video. From when days when stuff was quality made in the USA with us workers.

[ThriftStoreHacker]

Deep in the basement of the now permanently closed Harrah's casino in Reno is a giant backup generator made from a WW2 destroyer engine. It's a relic of their cold war era fallout shelter and tunnels.

[chriholt]

What a beautiful monster! I don't think I've ever seen Mike so happy!

[wth]

Love to watch you guys. Ya’ll are so lucky to be able to see and share history. Thanks

[duanemaletski]

You guys, some people might not get it, but that is way cool! Thanks for the vid that shows such a beast running. On a flat bed. Portable. They could do concert power with that( many shows don't use "house" power, but bring in horsepower and generate their own). I'm babbling, but just wow! Thank you!

[JimsEquipmentShed]

That’s absolutely amazing.
I’ve seen a larger generator engine, but not on a trailer! What a cool thing to get to fire up.