2039 Laurel Rd., Cave junction, Oregon 97523
I belong to branch 15 of the EDGE&.T Association. About 6
months ago, we had a membership meeting at Fritz Jargon’s
place. I overheard Fritz say that he sure would like to get his 6
HP Thermoil engine started. So later, another member and I walked
out to the shed where it was sitting. I checked it over and it
seemed to be adjusted O.K., so I pumped up the fuel. I primed the
engine (which is an important step in starting a thermoil). I spun
the crank then and kicked the compression lever down and it started
right off.
Well, when the guys heard it start, there was a rush over to see
it run. Fritz and others said, ‘How in ‘H’ did you get
it running with the crank?’ They could only get it running by
belting it to a tractor. Well, I thought they were pulling my leg,
but they weren’t. I showed them how to start it. When I first
started it, I just had to step back I was all shook up. It brought
back memories of when I lived on the farm in South Dakoka. We had
an 8 HP Thermoil we used to cut wood, grind feed, and run the corn
sheller. Yes, and we used it to pump water it would run slow
enough.
My dad made a trade for it but it didn’t run. He didn’t
know anything about it, but he mastered it. He showed me how to
start it I was about 12 or 14 years old at the time. Well, I
thought I was pretty smart! That’s been 50 years, but I never
for got it.
Well, that put a fire under me. I wanted a thermoil engine bad
but where was one? About 9 years ago I saw a 9 HP Hercules
thermoil, but it disappeared. When I was in Fresno, California, I
made a deal with a man who had a 6 HP Davenport Thermoil Hvid
engine. Now I have it home and running. I start it up almost every
day, just to hear it run. Then I found the 9 HP Hercules that had
disappeared. So I have two Hvid engines. The 9 HP is stuck but is
in good shape. I have found some books on the Hvid engine.
Recently I helped a guy up north start his engine he didn’t
know anything about it. well, it pays to listen to what your dad
teaches you. I just thank God he let me live long enough to pass on
a little advice.