Fairbanks Morse T type  3 HP

Specs are:
Fairbanks Morse & Company. 3 HP @ 350 RPM. Bore X Stroke= 4 3/4" X 7"
This engine is made late 1907, flywheels are 28" diameter.

Because of the large number of pictures on this page I've used thumbnails on this page.
Click on a thumbnail to see a full-size picture. 

I've always wanted to have  a Fairbanks "T" type, but they are hard to find.
When I was on the first Hell On Wheels Tour in 2000. I found me one.
I met the previous owner at a show and we talked about engines for awhile. When I told him I was actually looking for a FM T, he told me he had a 3 HP for sale. We talked about the engine and the price and I agreed to buy it. However I hadn't seen any pictures of it, but he told me he'd send pictures to me. A couple of weeks after I got home I got a letter and allot of pictures on my Fairbanks! This is the first picture I saw of it! 

Just uncrated and the cylinder put on the base for the first picture in Holland.

It looks as if there are allot parts missing on this pic. Most parts are there but....most are also rough castings, so it's obvious that it needs allot of work. We seems to like these projects though;-)

I started with the fuel pump. It was badly stuck and I had to use to torch to get the piston out. The pump cylinder was also broken, so I had to make another cylinder.

It's obvious that it needs a new piston.

I made one from a solid piece of bronze, I bead blasted the pump, and that made the new machined cylinder look just like the other parts.

The Rebuilt pump on the engine.

Next was machine the cylinder head surface that had some bad spots.
I made a couple of clamps to pull the head to the lathe head.

Machining the surface.

Although this engine never had the hot-tube assembly (they made up to 1906) it still has the hole on the inside of the cylinder.

Next step was to make the igniter trip. This is quite complicated on a FM T. Fortunately all the (un-machined) parts were there. The other trip is of a 2 HP FM J.O.A.T.

The (repro) ignitor came with the engine.

Ignitor trip finished, it took quite some time.

The rocker arm bracket was also a rough casting, and I also had to make the intake valve keeper. Fortunately I found a rough casting on HOWT 2 at a collector in Iowa.

Looking quite different with all the "new" parts.

More to come.....

 Question's or comments?     h.terpstra@wxs.nl