I have a nice, quite common, McCormick-Deering IHC 1-1/2 HP farm
engine (#AW29626) that is missing the drip oiler, and I have a nice
replacement one that can be threaded onto the vertical pipe that
goes through the water hopper to the cylinder. It has the needle
valve and glass tube window below for setting the drip rate. My
question is: Does this engine require any kind of check valve
between the oiler and the pipe leading down to the cylinder to
prevent pressure from blowing back through the oiler? This engine
has an enclosed crankcase, and I can imagine pressure in there
would interfere with the oil drip flow. What oiler should this
engine have?
This engine runs nicely and the governor-controlled throttle
makes it chug delightfully when under load. The engine is in great
original shape and is on the original iron-wheeled cart, which has
a nice laminated maple mounting deck.
I also have a 30-year-old, good-sized Massey Ferguson lawn
tractor powered by a 12 HP Kohler that I no longer need. The mower
deck has been off for years and the tractor would not bring much if
sold. I am thinking of mounting the McCormick-Deering engine in
place of the Kohler to make a drivable vehicle. The power path to
the transmission looks quite feasible by pulling a flywheel and
adding a pulley or sprocket. If possible, rotation would be
reversed with gears somewhere so that the engine can be mounted
with the cylinder facing forward.
Ignoring the cost and work involved, is it wise to cannibalize
this original, pristine, cart-mounted engine for this project? The
engine is ideal, the governor throttle better than hit-and-miss,
and the enclosed crankcase will not throw oil back on the driver.
Opinions are requested. Bob Duncan, P.E., 4 Wimple Way,
Bridgewater, NJ 08807; (908) 526-3895; rduncan48@optonline.net