Maytag engine!

Wow, that brings back memories. Found one of them in a junk pile and managed to get it running (with my father's hired hand's help) I built a kart out of 2 X 4's with a coaster wagon steering axle. Borrowed the wheels from my Radio Flyer and went motoring. Must have gone 5 mph. What fun. Well, at 8 years old I didn't have too much for expectations. :whistle:
 
Maytag engine available in central Tennessee.

Love it. Any idea when it was made, what the displacement is and the original purpose? Denny? Simon? Anyone?

I used to have an 'Atco' roller lawn mower that had a similar kick start, although the fins were deeper. About 40's to 50's.

Is the Maytag intended for really cold climates? (Almost no fins.)

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... Steve
 

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Just a guesstimate, but the engine was probably made in the 1920's to 1930's. It was, given the label applied by the seller, originally a washing machine engine. My paternal g'mother had a Maytag washer with a very similar engine in it - she was still using it in 1974, just before her death. She had gotten it new in 1926, if I remember correctly.
 
Maytag Model 92 2-Stroke Washing Machine

It was, given the label applied by the seller, originally a washing machine engine. My paternal g'mother had a Maytag washer with a very similar engine in it - she was still using it in 1974, just before her death. She had gotten it new in 1926, if I remember correctly.

Thanks, SimpleSimon. Never heard of an internal combustion washing machine before. I don't think we had them in this country. Have to ask one or two of my older friends.

Just did a quick search. This looks like it, made between 1927 and 1937. The previous model, 82, didn't have the same kick-start and the following model 72 was (usually) a horizontally opposed twin. A quick calculation tells me that model 92 was 161cc:-

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Maytag model 92
Maytag Multi-Motor Engines
Fuel Ratio: 1/2 pint or 8 ounces of oil to 1 gallon of gas- For All Maytag-Multi Motors
Point Gap: 1/32 inch, or thickness of a dime
Plug Gap: .024
RPM: Approx. 1,000

The model 92 was 3/4 h.p., 2 cycle motor with a 2 1/2" bore and a 2" stroke. The Bosch magneto was introduced on the model 92 Multi-Motor was used on models 92, G, B, 16, 11, 111, and 31 washers. There were several differences. The gas tank came in 3 versions; #S-231 for the model 92 and model B; #S-279 for the models, 16, 11, and 111; and #S-284 for model 31. There were two mufflers; the model 92 had an #S-254 flanged muffler, while the remaining models had an #S-253 half muffler. Three different caution plates existed as well; # 12903 for models 92, B, 11, and 111; # 13474 for model 16. The model 31 used assembly # 3645 carburetor while, models 92, G, B, 16, 26, 11, and 111 used assembly # 3205 carburetor.

219717 - 248522........................1927
248523 - 326800........................1928
326801 - 411464........................1929
411465 - 460999........................1930
461000 - 480624........................1931
480625 - 489952.............1932 - NOV 1932
489953 - 491052.........NOV 1932 - FEB 1933
491053 - 523885........................1933
523886 - 593050........................1934
593051 - 680050........................1935
680051 - 760247........................1936
760247 - 803840........................1937

Maytag numbered the model 92 and 72 consecutively with no recognition of the variety of styles each model had.

This is a Model 72 Washer with the rare 'Fruit Jar' engine, very similar to a Model 92. Note the fruit jar fuel tank. (Looks fun to refuel without spillage. How?):-

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More info:- Maytag Club

1000RPM - our little HT 2-strokes would be lucky to idle that low.

Love this stuff,
... Steve
 

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Great info on these remarkable little engines. I used an old one fould in someone's trash to power a scooter I built when I was 10 (1955). The scoot was crude, made of junk I scrounged from the area and broke every few minutes but the motor started easily and ran like a top. As I recall the brake was a bar that pivoted on the side. When you pulled up on the front, the back of the bar dragged on the road. The clutch/drive was a v-belt that was loose at idle, then tightened with a hand lever operated idler to go, taken from a self propelled reel mower. My brother timed me in the car at the breakneck speed of 13mph, topped out. I lost skin on the road almost every time I rode it. The maytag was not built to have a lot of power or turn a lot of revs, but those low stressed mills seemed to run forever.
 
Thanks for the info Simon. Most of my memories of that engine revolve around the "tongue lashing" I got from my father for cutting up the lumber he had purchased for some project. That and having to use a hatchet to cut the lumber because he wouldn't let me use a power saw. Oh, and the hired hands spark tester.....told me to hang on the plug wire as he kicked it over...... Hmmm, I just realized why my parents considered me a "problem child." :devilish: It did have a few engineering problems too....such as the scrubber roller dropping on the wheel before I was onboard after starting it....
 
Those Maytags are great little engines. Not powerful, but last forever if you keep enough oil in the gas...and sometimes even if you don't.
 
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