Small industrial diesels seem to be something that the US mainly didn't have. Very common in Australia.
I guess fuel price had a lot to do with it. In 1922 here petrol was 35c/Imp gallon, kerosene 22c and crude oil 5c.
So we saw a lot of these engines out of particularly England (Listers, Petters particularly)and even a few Armstrong Siddley air cooled (they came out in 1931 from the firm that made air cooled radial aircraft engines).
And there was a local industry as well, with the major brands being Ronaldson Tippet, Southern Cross and Kelly & Lewis. Ronaldson Tippets were license built German Guldners and used a cleistory head for the mechanical minded to marvel at. These used diesel for starting assistance.
Southern Cross was home grown and has an oil measure in the head. The oil bumped compression and did a temporary seal if worn. We still have a 1940 version in regular use on a bore pump. They got up to 40hp four cylinder ones. A tribute to their lasting abilities from a sawmiller - "They ran for years surrounded by sawdust and neglect" - even without an air cleaner on the early ones.
Kelly & Lewis might have had European connections (some metric threads) but I haven't been able to find any info. We have a mid-1950's 5hp one on another bore. Its starting aid is a removable felt pad that you soak in half petrol/half diesel and insert in the air intake for starting. Rattles a bit.
Starting on all isn't too bad down to about frost level if in reasonable condition.
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Today's Featured Article - The 8N and the Fox - by Zane Sherman. Dec. 13 1998, Renfroe, Alabama. Last niht I dreamed about the day that I plowed the field of about 10 acres over on what Jimmy and Dandy called the Ledbetter field. I was driving the 1948 8N Ford tractor that Jimmy bought in 48 new This was prebably in about 1951 and maybe even befor the house was built. This would have made me to be about16 years old and I drove the tractor for nothing and would have paid to drive it if I had had any money which I didn't, but neit
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