Follow Up on Fairbanks Moris Engine

Posted last week that I had bought a Fairbanks Moris hit miss engine, and was picking it up Saturday.

I dove down and got it. Not looking as good as I had dreamed...

First, it's BIG! It's a 3 horsepower, must weigh around 400 lbs!

Second, the carb is designed to start on gas and run on propane. It has no fuel pump, only a primer bowl. The only way to run it on gas would be to find a gas carburetor.

Third, the main bearings are beat out. I haven't gone into it so haven't seen what the crank looks like. It doesn't have to be perfect for what I have in mind, just a show engine.

The serial number doesn't make sense from the list I found on oldengine.org.

My serial number is K519356. By their list, it is a 1922 model. No way is it that old, it is completely enclosed, no exposed gears, late model magneto. And there is no mention of a K prefix. There were KC prefixes, for Kansas City, and C for Canadian, but nothing about just a K. I'm thinking it is a late 40's, one of the last built.

Right now I'm pretty discouraged with it, may just try to cut my losses if I can. Unless I can come up with a unique use for it. Everybody uses them for ice cream freezers, I need help thinking of something different!

Any Ideas?

Put it on an old cider press?

Think your engine is a Fairbanks Morse, not Moris. That was a cat. : )

I got a nephew that has collected those hit/miss engines for years so does his son. They set them up at shows around the area and have them running things like a well pump, wash machine, corn sheller, think they make flour in one mill/grinder contraption, some kind of log saw on one and several other machines I can't think of now. He's got one engine he thinks is one of three known to still exist. He's a excellent wood worker too and makes the trucks the engines sit on.
I had more picts. but can only find these now.



That line shaft came out of our barn, if the power was out a tractor was run in behind the milking parlor and belted to that shaft running a vacuum pump for the milkers.

Wink.

Run a washing machine

Does it have babbit bearings? You could re-pour and scrape them.

Your engine is a throttle governed model. It starts on gas and then when at operating temp you switch to kerosene. There are several sites for gas engines. I suggest 'Engin Ads.' And that's how it is spelled. You will find all the help and parts you need there. Good luck.

Go on Smokstak. Someone there will be able to help you

Here is my 1912 Fairbanks-Morse true Hit and Miss engine.
It is a 1 HP Eclipse with one flywheel.
It was junk when I got it and I made parts and bought a couple of things to get it running.
I set it up to pull an ice cream freezer.
Richard in NW SC

Try smokstak, but they'll say the same thing there: "Ya got a picture?"

Sounds like you have a later engine- magneto or distributor ignition? Does it have a water hopper or a oil-field type radiator?

The "K" suffix may mean it was originally meant to burn Kerosene as its main fuel. The current mixer may be a later addition.

One thing about an old engine like this; practically everyone that owned or repaired it in the past thought they could modify it to preform better than the way it left the factory!

As stated, easy process to get the bearings re-poured.

="Steve@Advance"
Posted last week that I had bought a Fairbanks Moris hit miss engine, and was picking it up Saturday..... the carb is designed to start on gas and run on propane. It has no fuel pump, only a primer bowl. The only way to run it on gas would be to find a gas carburetor.

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Not sure about your engine, but all the ones I've had have had extremely simple carburetors. Nothing much more than a street elbow with a needle valve. None have had fuel pumps. Suction draws fuel up from the tank. Put my thumb over the mouth of carb and I pull wheel until my thumb is wet. Then they usually start right up

the main bearings are beat out.

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As said new Babbitt bearings can be put in. If you've never done it, find an old time machine shop with experience doing it.

Right now I'm pretty discouraged with it, may just try to cut my losses if I can

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To me, the fun with these engines is in getting them to run! To buy one in good running condition has always been way too much money for me

Get a demand regular and run on propane.

(quoted from post at 20:39:51 02/09/21) Get a demand regular and run on propane.

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Regulator?

If the crankshaft is flat, I have reground them by hand with a flat stone. Say the crankshaft is 4 thousands flat. Use a Mic. and take 2 thousands off of each side. Now remove a shim from the rod. If there are no shims put a piece of energy paper on a granite countertop or a piece of glass and rub the cap and the rod till you get it close to fit. Now put some valve grinding compound on the crankshaft and loosely bolt the rod and cap together. Rotate the rod around the crankshaft and keep tightening up the cap. Use a piece of plastiguage and check your work for the proper clearance. I've had great success with this method!