Washing machine motor?

[Dockspa1]

I was talking to my Pops who is 73 and he said they used to build the motorbikes from gasoline motors that they used on washing machines out in their yards. After the electric indoor models were available, there was an abundance of these little motors. Has anyone here ever heard of or seen one?
Doc
I will do some searches.

 

[Guest]

I have seen a few for sale at local auctions....the ones I saw were made for (by) Maytag. They were nearly horizontal cylinders with a fan on the crank and didn't make a lot of horses. Some guys were calling them "hit or miss" engines, and those are not too good for a bike application. I can't say fo' sho' if they were indeed "hit or miss" types.

Might be good as a novelty item. Let me know what else you dig up.

 

[Guest]

Check out smokstak .com ots of goodies there.

 

[Dockspa1]

Wow, check this out,

 

[Dockspa1]

Looks like ole Pops was right. these have the clutch right there.
Too cool
Doc

 

[Dockspa1]

Ya joe the hit and miss motors were sold under maytag but made by Johnson in the 40's.
All had the cool kick starters.

 

[lotsa_mpg]

I've got one of those kicking around

I have one of those washing machine engines laying around my shed. I believe it is a Johnson Iron Horse. I honestly did not know that B & S built washing machine engines. The Johnsons were mostly the kickstart variety, but they made some recoil start versions as well...and I think the one I have is a recoil start model. I'm not sure of it's condition. I was thinking of putting it on ebay awhile ago, but it's a heavy little critter and the shipping would be so costly that I doubt anybody would want it. Those engines didn't have much power and the sheer weight of them would scare me away from mounting one on a bicycle. If you ended up breaking down, you'd get pretty tired pedalling after the first 8 feet.

Pete

 

[lotsa_mpg]

pic of my johnson recoil start washing machine engine

I dug the Johnson Iron Horse out of my shed today and took this pic of it. It is indeed, a recoil start version and just as heavy as I remembered it.

Pete

 

[Dockspa1]

That old ironside is awsome Pete! What is the H.P.?
You should redo her, there are a lot of collectors paying good bucks for them.
How much do you think it weighs in at?
Doc

 

[lotsa_mpg]

I don't know what the horsepower rating would be, Doc.......but I'd be surprised if it was any more than a horse and a half. I'd guesstimate the weight to be over 40 pounds with the frame it's mounted on. I'm not sure if the frame is an original part from the washing machine application...or if someone made the frame mount to use it for some other application. You know, I don't think it would take much to get her running. It turns over nicely and seems to have good compression. I didn't look at the spark yet, but I can sorta hear a snap snap sound when I trun it over...so I think it's got spark, but is arcing in the spark plug cap area. It might only need some fresh gas and a new plug to fire up. I might have to take a closer look at it someday. I just have way too many projects on the go right now. I had a similar one with a kickstarter that I sold on ebay last year. It was seized up, but I think it still went for around seventy bucks, so I guess the collectors are a bit nutz for these things...specially since the shipping was as much or more than the engine.

Pete