I have an old belly-mount 15KW 3-phase set that powered a reefer unit on a semi. I used it to power a shop because I couldn't justify the $25,000 the power company wanted to extend the three phase service. It has a little Perkins 4.108 engine and a Lima generator. I ran it for five years 60-80 hours a week.
Although I tried to keep a load on it at all times with metal halide lights, etc., eventually it wet-stacked and started pumping oil out the exhaust. I tried to find a replacement engine, but had no luck and bought a new Perkins-powered 20KW set. Three days later one of the vendors I had contacted called back and said that he had checked out a 4.108 he had and it started and ran perfectly. I could buy it for $350. Despite having spent 20X that on the new set, I jumped on the deal.
Interestingly, the setup is from a Carrier Transcold reefer. My genset has an odd bolt pattern for the bell housing and flywheel. I determined that the engine I bought was directly mounted to the refrigeration compressor, and has the same bolt patterns. The only difference between the two engines is that the generator powerplant has no "kick down" provision when the load is off, and the RPM is set on the governor by two set screws that lock the control arm in a fixed position. I think Carrier only wanted to stock one engine and the generators were designed to fit the compressor power plant.
My needs have changed an now I wish I could get 120/240 single phase out of this set, but the generator windings are 3-phase only.
