Interesting find on antique engine

[mech chaos]

Hi, I have been cruising this site off and on for some time, this is my first post.  I see many knowledgable folks here and find some of the reading totally facsinating!   

I just wanted to let yall know of an experiment I run on an old Fuller and Johnson hit a miss engine I have.  Its about a 1914 model, 1.5 HP and in pristine shape.  It was never really used i believe, still has the original paint and it shines up nice! 

I was experimenting with some ideas for power generation on an old worn out McCormick 1.5 HP that didnt do well.  So I went to this engine.  I installed a 70's era dodge alternator.  Used a v belt on the flywheel coupled to the alternator.  Used the external regulator and installed a full field switch on it.  Wired this to an old battery with 2/0 wire for both positive and negative. 

I fired this engine up and let it warm up for a while...it takes a while being a hit and miss!  Then I brought the alternator on line.  Voltage good, belt tracking true, no problems..  Then I flipped the full field switch.  She loaded down and started firing every other revolution, at about 250-300 RPM.  The governor keeps it about 500.  It run this way for about 5 minutes then run out of fuel.  i knew there wasnt much in the tank. 

So i decided to do this again cause it did so well.  I put a quart of fuel in the tank and fired her back up.  This time I took measurements.  At full field at about 275 RPM the alternator was doing an honest 70 amps at 16 volts.  as time went on and heat built in the alternator it tapered back to about 55 amps. The Engine just kept chugging away without skipping a beat.  I sat around watching it and listening to the sound of the thing! Kind of neat really.  after about 30 minutes I thought the darned thing would be out of fuel....NOPE  still had better than a pint in it i guessed.  I let this engine run, under a severe load for about an hour and 20 minutes...  on a QUART of gas....it finally run out and I was dumbfounded!  I repeated this again....same results.....

THought i would share this with you folks....

I have a pretty good idea that the efficiency is due to low speeds and complete burning of the fuel during the power strike.  The carb is essentially nothing more than a needle valve set within a venturi in a peice of pipe! 

Thoughts and ideas on this?

[rl71459]

That sounds very interesting.. Do you have a way to post a Video @ load? or maybe some pictures.

Welcome Aboard!

Rob

[mech chaos]

will see about getting a few pictures put up...

[Tom Reed]

Compared to the numbers on our listeroids that sounds about right for a gas engine. Yes the sound is awesome and welcome to the board!

[mbryner]

Welcome!

70 amps x 16 volts = 1120 watts

Did they rate engines differently back then than now?   At 746 watts/hp, your should be uber-maxed-out at those numbers.   Yes, post pics and videos!   

[mobile_bob]

sounds like that engine was built at a time when hp meant something, and the manufactures
if wrong would err on the side of caution and underrate the darned thing,, that way the customer
would be exceptionally pleased, everytime.

obviously before such interesting things like "peak hp" and other marketing crap took over

and way before the 50-60's dyno hp testing was done, wherein you stab the load and watch the needle
swing, and whatever the instantaneous hp reading on the needle was, was what was claimed for hp.

i can hear the ad copy now...

"testimonial" i bought an acme hit/miss engine for a very competitive price, it was advertised at 1.5 hp,  i used it to replace
my old 2.5hp sear and robuck  motor and was very surprised and pleased that it outperforms the old motor,,, i am a very satisfied
customer and tell all my farmer friends about the new acme hit/miss motor."

guess that was back in the day when you gave the customer a bit more than he paid for knowing he would be happy and be not only
a customer for life but also an unpaid salesman for you too.

bob g

[cschuerm]

Those old engines were real workhorses.  I have a trailer with a 6hp and a 3hp McCormick Deering driving a lineshaft type system driving a Delco alternator and two white mountain ice cream freezers.  I used electric clutches from air conditioners to select which engine drives the line shaft.  They just chug along all day long and make beautiful music.
Actually, I have a large barn filled with antique flywheel engines.... Fortunately, my wife finds them amusing.

Chris

[mike90045]

...
Actually, I have a large barn filled with antique flywheel engines.... Fortunately, my wife finds them amusing.

Lucky devil !

[deeiche]

rm /

[mech chaos]

Just wanted to stop in again....


I havent forgot about posting pics or a video!   Been too danged cold and have a truck down for major repairs...priorities! LOL!

One thing i am curious about is if using a higher alcohol blended fuel such as E-85 would still yield decent results?  I know their is less BTU's in such fuel, but the modest cost savings and output from the engine may offset the power loss....just thinking outloud here.....will give that a test run also.   Probably turn the drip oiler up a lil bit to provide a little more lube and top cylinder lubrication for the piston/cylinder.