3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

joelchappell wrote:
Part no. for engine of the Champion 40051 - ST168F-2-1000000G

Part No. for engine of the Lifan 3500E LF168F-2

Similarities in the part numbers? who knows.

The similarity between 3,000 watt class Chinese open frame synchronous generators - especially engines, is no coincidence.

Casting engine blocks, cranks, pistons, heads, alternator shells, etc. is not an inexpensive or easy to create start-up business. Neither is the investment required to do the stamping of steel into the desired shape for a fuel tank, engine fan shroud or muffler. Even the little parts like ball bearings in the recoil starter, ignition coils, rubber motor mounts, etc. are items that a small company could not afford to manufacturer in-house.

Builders of these generators prefer to purchase "raw" parts from the larger manufacturers and do the needed machining, sheet metal fabrication, tube bending for the frame, wiring and controls within their own facility. This is what makes the "differences" between these gensets. BTW, the majority of these Chinese gensets DO NOT come to the USA. Over 85% of all the units manufactured go to other countries! New rules by our EPA slated to go into effect by 2012 may reduce that number even further.

At one time I made an attempt to create a family tree of sorts to show where the parts trail started and how all of the many companies building almost identical appearing generators operated. It was s futile effort that was out-of-date before I ever got a fraction of the way into detail.

There are (or were) two large foundries that did the castings and forgings for all of the major engine/alternator parts. Jinan Liaoyuan Machine Co. LTD is believed to be the largest supplier of these parts to the Chinese sub-industries. That particular foundry may be the link to your "LF" number (Liaoyuan Foundry???).

If you ever have a Chinese genny engine disassembled, you can usually find the foundry name inside.



The difference in, for example, the GX200 type engine from company to company is in the machining. They all use essentially the same castings. There can be differences in rockers, push rods, piston and ring sizes - but cranks, rods, flywheels, ignition, carburetors and the like are essentially identical. Provided the raw parts are properly machined, assembled and tested, all of the GX200 clone engines should give identical performance and lifespan.