Detroit engine info request

By Staff
Published on April 1, 2009
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From C.H. Wendel's book American Gasoline Engines Since 1872. 
From C.H. Wendel's book American Gasoline Engines Since 1872. 
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A buddy of mine, Pete Downer, is restoring a circa-1908 4 HP Detroit 2-cycle engine. He’s getting close to rebuilding it but needs to get a hold of some parts or get some information and measurements about the fuel injector tube (presumably stainless steel) that fits between the end of the needle valve and projects into the cylinder. The body of the fuel feeder is attached to the cylinder with a 1/4-inch thread so we are thinking that the injection tube should be about 1/32 inch internal diameter, and 1/16 inch outside diameter and be somewhere around 3 inches long. Pete is also rebuilding his friend’s Detroit engine so he actually needs two tubes.

These engines were also supplied with some kind of friction- drive dynamo-magneto to keep the battery topped up and power the trembler coil, so does anyone know what make of unit this was? We were thinking maybe a Wizard friction-drive magneto or even some other model and manufacturer, so does it state on some literature somewhere what type of unit it should be?
Pete and I have scoured various instruction books and even C.H. Wendel’s American Gasoline Engines Since 1872 but cannot find the answers we’re looking for.

Unfortunately there are only about seven of these engines that are known in the U.K., and Pete’s rebuilding two of them so we think it’s really quite important to get everything as close to original as possible. We both appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Contact Clive Heritage at 48 Grimsbury Square, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 3HP, England;amanco@btinternet.com

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