> I have often considered using a V-8 automotive engine with much
> altered cam and ignition timing running at 540 RPM (PTO speed)
> to run a generator.  By careful selection of components, it
> would probably be made to be quite efficient at that speed.
> Maybe even run it off piped-in natural gas for co-generation.
I recently saw a 4 cylinder car engine / generator combo.  It looked
like someone took perhaps a 5 to 10Kw generator and married it to the
auto engine.  Don't think any pulley was used.  It was in the back of
a trailer made out of the back part of a pickup truck.  It was fairly
quiet.  Valve or lifter clatter was the predominate noise.  By the
sound of the engine, I would guess it was running at about 1500 RPM.
  At the time it was not very efficient because the only
load was a couple of 2 meter ham radio transcievers.  Somebody was
pretty handy with machinery to coble that all together.
--- PCBoard (R) v15.3/M 2
---------------