Rumely Oil Pull

By Staff
article image
Leroy Quandt
Courtesy of Leroy Quandt, Ryder, North Dakota 58779

Ryder, North Dakota 58779

The Model ‘E’ was made from 1911 until 1923 according to
Clifford Caron in his article in the July-August 1968 Gas Engine
Magazine. It was the second model built by the M. Rumely Company of
LaPorte, Indiana. The first was the 25-45 Model ‘B’, a two
cylinder 9-1/2′ x 12′ built first in 1909. The Model
‘F’ was built about the same time as the model ‘E’
but was a single cylinder engine with same size piston as the model
‘E’ which had 10′ bore and 12′ stroke. The Model
‘E’ 30-60 and Model ‘F’ 15-30 are advertised in the
1916 Gas Review Magazine as the only two models being built. They
were the only two models built by Rumely from 1914 to 1917
according to Clifford Caron in his article referred to above.

There were many more models made thru the years especially when
the light-weight Rumelys were begun in about 1924. ‘Rumely’
Bill Krumweide, Voltaire, North Dakota says there were about
thirty-two different models sold by the Rumely people. He has
nearly all of these models in his collection.

R. B. Gray in his Development of the Agricultural Tractor in the
United States gives the following description for the 1911 Rimely
Oil Pull 30-60 H.P., 375 r.p.m., 2 cylinder twin horizontal engine
with cylinders sloping and offset from center line of crank to
reduce angularity of connecting rod on forward stroke.
Secor-Higgins kerosene carburetor with water injection;
make-and-break ignition with Bosch magneto; automatic throttle
governor; mechanical oiler; oil-cooling circulated by centrifugal
pump and draft induced through radiator by exhaust; expanding
shoe-type clutch; and spur gear final drive. Forward speed, 1.9
m.p.h. compressed air starter.

The early Model ‘E’ had round spokes in the front
wheels, with the center ridge on the rim pressed out of the face of
the wheel instead of a bolted on skid rim. The first 80 inch
diameter rear wheels had 16 spokes, later had 20 spokes. The front
wheels then had 10 spokes made of flat iron. A 1915 Rumely catalog
shows tractor number 1297 says Ted Worrall, Loma, Montana.

The following is from the Nebraska test number 8 conducted April
23 to May 11, 1920; Rimely Oil Pull Model ‘E’ 30-60 Serial
number 11521. Maximum load test; 75.60 horsepower developed on belt
and 49.91 horsepower on drawbar test. Drawbar pounds pull 10,025.
Bore 10′ stroke 12′, Rated speed 375 r.p.m., 1.9 mi. per
hr. weight 26,000 lbs.

The early insulation of the ‘fixed’ electrode in the
ignitor was a weak spot in the low-tension ignition systems. Sheet
mica was wrapped around the electrode and soon resulted in a
‘short,’ which would prevent producing the necessary hot
spark at the contact points. Later this condition was improved by
using tightly held mica washers, the outside of which was ground to
a smooth finish and prevented the entrance of moisture and dirt.
This from R. B. Gray’s book mentioned above.

Dorance Heise helped to get the Schenfisch 1915 Model
‘E’ running for our show in 1966, in 1967 he got the 15-30
Model ‘F’ of Krumweide’s going; now he has the Ness
Rumely a 1912 Model ‘E’ to work on. He has converted the
ignition system to a high tension magneto and spark plugs. It is
difficult to find a magneto that turns the right direction for the
oil pull. Also a plate has to be made to bolt on in place of the
ignitor with a counter sunk hole for the spark plug so the spark
reaches far enough into the cylinder.

Some other tractors for which I have serial numbers are; one in
North Dakota No. 772 a 1912 model, in Missouri No. 1562 a 1913
model, at Saskatoon No. 8281 a 1917 model, in Oklahoma No. 2372 a
1923 model. This last serial number must have one digit missing. I
would say it should begin with a one (1). The number of the tractor
pictured in the 1915 catalog would be a picture of a tractor
possibly taken in early 1914 or before to be used for the catalog
that would be printed, no doubt in 1914 to be ready late in that
year before the 1915 season began. The serial numbers for these
tractors are found on the end of the crankshaft flywheel side. The
two tractors were at Makoti both have had the engines replaced so
no number is stamped in the crankshaft end.

The January 1962 Engineers and Engines shows the Model E and F
from a Rumely catalog listed as a 1912. This must be the incorrect
year. Ted Worrall says the 1912 catalog doesn’t show the engine
with big rear wheels but the catalog for 1915 has the one with
serial number 1297 on the fender same as shown in the Engineers and
Engines magazine. This issue also gives all the specifications for
both Models E and F. The two views for the Model F in this issue
show tractors numbered 6694 and 6584 which may be 1914 models. The
one Krumweide has at Makoti is 6413, he says is a 1913. The one at
Saskatoon is 6472 which they call a 1912 model. C. Ruff at
Jamestown, N. Dak. has one 6064 he called it a 1911 model.

The Christ Moe, Parshall, N. Dak. 1915 Rumely Model E now owned
by the Schenfisch Bros. Makoti, N. Dak. is pictured.

The Christ Moe, Parshall, North Dakota, 1915 Rumely Model E now
owned by the Schenfisch Bros., Makoti, North Dakota.

  • Published on May 1, 1973
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388