Vankleek Hill, R.RJ2, Ontario, Canada, KOB 1RO
Here are a few tips and a few questions for your gas engine
neighbors.
A year or two ago a gentleman from Saschatewan, Canada, I
believe, asked where people got the trucks and lubricators for the
gas engines that he saw in G.E.M.
Go to an implement dealer who takes in old farm machinery in
trade and look for old grain binders, hay loaders or horsedrawn
disk harrows. The truck wheels make very good engine trucks. For
lubricators, go to auction sales and before the sale starts look in
the boxes in junk then bid on the boxes they are in. For some
reason people sold their old engines for scrap but kept the bright
feed oilers.
I got three at one sale and one at another last summer and I
missed four more at sales I did not attend.
My experience of getting a stuck piston out of my latest
addition, a 1-1/2 H.P. Essex engine. Sold by Percival Plow Company,
Merrichville, Ontario. Where made I do not know.
I had set under the eves of a garage for ages with the water
dripping in the exhaust with the valve open.
I took the head off, ‘flat head’, ground the valves, put
it back on with an old gasket, made a plate to cover ignitor bale
and put a grease nipple in it.
Then I pumped two grease guns of thick oil in and blew the
gasket out, so replaced that with a new one and started over again,
and blew the ignitor gasket out, so I replaced that and pumped
grease into it again until I could not get anymore in. I took the
head off again and cleaned the grease out. Then I made a good
fitting block of wood and drove it a few blows with a heavy hammer
and it moved. When I got the piston I found that the grease had
moved halfway down the piston. So I believe that if I had left the
grease pressure on another day or two, it would have pushed the
piston out. It was really rusted in, the worst I have had.
I have had several sets of piston rings from Joe Sykes, who has
his ad in the G.E.M. now and again. He is very reasonable in price.
Does not take long to get them and they are very well made.
A few years ago I had an accident with an engine and I still
cannot figure out why it happened.
I had a 7 H.P. Milwaukee Engine. I cleaned it up, ground the
valves, etc. in my shop. I started it up, it fired several times,
not very good; then with one big explosion it blew cylinder and
hopper off landing six feet away. There is no bottom in the
crankcase of these engines so the cylinder pounded up and down on
the cement floor smashing it to pieces. I did not get hit with any
of it.
The cylinder with hopper on top was held on with 8, 5/8 bolts,
four each side. They were broken clean off. There was not a sign of
rust or being loose.
This engine sawed hundreds of cords of wood and also ran a small
threshing mill and grain grinder years ago. It was always easy
started. It had a make and break Webster magneto ignitor.
I only knew of four of these Milwaukee engines, all 7 H.P. They
were sold by the P.T. LeGary Co. Ltd., St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. It
did not say where they were made. I wonder if they are U.S.A.
made?
I have noticed the old I.H.G. Famous and Titan engines have a
pin on either side of the cylinder along with the bolts. I wonder
if this is an added safety device?
