Box E Hazen, Arkansas 72064
‘pictured here is a Fairbanks-Morse Type Y Style U oil
engine, serial #404177. It was manufactured in 1919. Mr. Adolph
Thomas purchased and set up this engine in 1920. It was used to
power an irrigation well on his rice farm south of Hazen. Mr.
Thomas says he ran the engine for 22 years ‘and it never missed
a lick.’ It has two cylinders and generates 100 horsepower at
257 r.p.m. According to the operators manual, it was designed to
use kerosene, distillate, gas oil, fuel oil, and crude oil. It is a
two cycle engine.
Mr. Thomas and my granddad were friends many years ago, and he
gave me the engine for restoration.
Originally it was in a shed. When in use a person stayed with
the engine 24 hours a day. The shed had been removed in the early
1950’s, and the main bearings and fuel pump mechanisms were
full of dirt and rusted solid. Getting them apart was the hardest
part of the job. Luckily, the cylinders and insides of the engine
were in great shape. Parts for the engine were found from as far
away as 40 miles. After minor adjustments, the engine started on
the third try.
Stats: two cylinders and engine base, 15,100 pounds; flywheel 6?
diameter, 3800 pounds; muffler and exhaust pipe, 1300 pounds; belt
pulley, clutch and outboard bearing, 2800 pounds; total weight
23,000 pounds.
Here are a couple of before and after pictures. I could not have
done this job without the help of Mr. Edward Mc-Laughlin. Mr.
McLaughlin, 87 years of age, worked on these engines in his younger
days. He has repaired Fairbanks-Morse, Buckeyes, Giants, Prims,
Bessemers and others on rice farms in this area. His knowledge and
memory made my job much easier.
