Price Check S&S 2-71 Detroit 20 KW Genset

[DJ54]

Anyone have an idea what this would be worth..?? It was built by Stewart & Stevenson in Huston, Texas, according to the brass tag, for the USMC. I'm assuming the vintage is late 60's early 70's. I got this for emergency power more than several years ago. At the time I got an extra blower. because my uncle said some of the units had broken lobes in the blowers due to ice. Dad also got one, through my uncle's connections. His was fine, where as mine had a broken lobe. As my luck runs, so did the spare.

So, here it is 10+ years later, and I'm in the process of moving back to the homeplace. I have since found a PTO driven unit for emergecy power, due to limited space. Dad has since passed, along with my uncle who was a top notch Detroit mechanic, who was going to help me find a good blower, and get this thing running. Such is life...

So any idea what to ask for it. Thinking of putting it on Craigslist, and also sent a note and pics to a company in the northern parts of the state that refurbishes these units, and resells. I do have both blowers, and the cases do not seem to have any damage, as suspected over the phone by the local Detroit dealer.

I'm pretty sure the company up north will offer scrap price or less. According to info gleaned, it should weigh in at around 2200 lbs.

If a guy was good at working on Detroit's, do a tear down, check specs, and re-gasket, rebuild the blower(s), it ought to make a bullet proof unit.

I also know that these engines were used in a couple tractor's and dozers, and a few guy's are looking for them. It has 2970 hours on it, so should run a good while yet. I'm also knowledgeable enough to know you can flip internals end for end, to get a CW or CCW engine rotation.

I checked the radiator yesterday, and it is still at the full level, oil is still clear, and not contaminated, and most important, the engine is not seized. Gave it a nudge with a breaker bar, and socket, and it did move, so that was good news.

So, has anyone bought one of these units, and mind sharing what they gave..?? Decisions, decisions...

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Hope you get some info. I think they are cool but agree they are an overkill for most homes and associated cost/knowledge is high.

From my personal experience with old electrical equipment about the only market is to find one with the same genset in use that is looking for a spare part source especially on the generator end. That engine may be new like but demand is passing.

 

[DJ54]

I also sent a note to S&S to get the approx. mfg. date, and any idea what it would be worth in present condition. I guess it depends on what part of the country someone is looking for such an item. One company tha had some, had a semi load, and sold out almost immediately. I have read where some have run for 40,000 hrs. before a major was needed. A select few I'm sure... Just seems like too good of a unit to just scrap, or part out. Just need to find the right person looking for such a thing.

As they say, "One man's junk..."

 

[jenkinsph]

We used to run the 2 71 and 3 71 20kw light plants on our tugboats many years ago and would swap between two on board every 24 hrs. In nine years you would have about 40,000 hrs which is reasonable expectation. They ran well but were noisy by todays standards. Biggest problem I can see with them is they are inefficient and would burn too much fuel today, that was alright when diesel was .10 / gallon.

 

[DJ54]

Got a reply from the place that buys used generators, and they tell me my unit is too old for them to buy... So, reckon' I'll put an ad on Craigslist, and see what happens.

Seems I read an article where these under load burn about 1.5 gallon per hour. I have no idea, but that seems possibly in the ballpark. I know last year when the Deratio came through, and we were without power for 3 days, I'd have gladly paid that in fuel usage to run it intermittently, so as to keep water to the horses.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Under full load our 7000 Powermate Colemen with 18 HP BS engine will burn a gallon of gas per hour.

I think your unit's weight and lack of parts due to age is its main drawback. Now if you were fighting in a jungle and could get fuel 40-50 years ago for it then it would seem quite handy I expect.

Some of the new China diesel power plants in the 10-15KW range do seem interesting.

We accidentally lucked out and our house is next to the last house on a three phase grid before it splits into three single phase parts of the local grid. In the ice storm of 2009 we were without power 62 hours I think when some one mile from us was out of power well over a week.

Because they get up the three phase part of the grid first our need for long term generator usage is lower and we live in the middle of no where.

I will look for four lines running past if we ever go shopping for another home.

 

[DJ54]

2-71 parts seem plentyful, and if need be relatively inexpensive to overhaul. Stewart & Stevenson are still in business so posible to still get parts through them.

There is a business out west that sells a unit like this. There is a youtube video on them and they call it, "The Deuce". May drop them a line, just for kicks...

 

[ctgoldwing]

I had one of these beasts that I had picked up on ebay from Long Island (NY). It was (hardly) used as a standby genset in a school. If I recall, it had about 300 hours on it. . . I never did get it going as a generator for my house and ended up selling it on Craigslist. It was pretty easy finding manuals for it on line. I think I paid about $1k for it - the same that I sold it for.

My son & I ended up buying MEP-003A's (10 kw diesels) from the auction at Ft Meade and installing them in our homes.

 

[RColl45]

Have you any more pictures of the red 2-71? Also, did you have any operating instuctions or a manual. These animals were from the mid 60's. I have one that works. Thanks!

 

[buickanddeere]

ebay is full of DD manuals.
iirc those 2-71's ran at 1200rpm to power 277/480V three phase reefers on train cars? At those rpms a 2-71 with C70 injectors could make approx 45HP and operate up to a 30Kw generator just fine.
A set of N series sleeves and pistons along 42MT, 50MT or 44MT starter with a group 31 battery would cold weather start just fine.
I would take one in a minute if I could find a 1200rpm 30kw 120/240V alternator.