Long Forgotten 1947 ONAN Gen Set Recovery

[@twentyrothmans7308]

I live in a two-bedroomed apartment in London. No garage, no workshop. I have no idea of what you're talking about most of the time. Your videos are fascinating and I watch every one. Thank you.

[@lawnmowerdude]

No mater how long between videos it’s enjoyable to see them.

[@benturner4774]

Well I think I speak for everyone when we say we appreciate the videos you put out for us. I'll watch anything no matter how long it takes for you to make

[@Tjousk]

Indeed.

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

Depending how you create videos, a 15 minute video may have in excess of 50 clips stitched together. That might take 8-10 hours of editing.

[@dibyanshusharma8936]

indeed

[@jonathanolsen7254]

That is so neat that you rebuild and not trash it for money, I am working on a 1963 gen with a chevy 283 V8 20.000 watt gen, This was used at sawmill in Minnesota and sat in Barn all of its life. It has no Rust or any dents just the paint is fade , but all came off with air blower, Now it has primer on everything, Rebuilt the chevy motor and it runs like a dream. By late Summer I will have it all done, This is lots of fun to play with and will be put back in to operation in my shop..... Love your video....

[@kevinamstutz6118]

The original paint color for Onan was black, followed by forest green (Pre WWII), then medium gray during WWII til the early 50's, then metallic Silver-green was used til the 80's. 1947 should have been grey. Thanks for all the hard work, greatly appreciated.

[@SunriseCrawlers]

We the restores know how hard a Job can be. and how long it can take. so we appreciate the videos more than you think. It keeps us busy when we can't work on ours at the time. And it gives us ideas. Thank you for the videos to bad you aren't closer to me

[@thomasburke7850]

I agree your videos are great way to learn. Also James Condon has great generator videos like yourself. Thank you boh

[@jimmybritt9537]

It's a great day in every collector's life when it goes from collecting to hoarder of collectibles and i'm pretty sure you're there . Congratulations Mike 😉👍👍🇺🇸

[@t.w.3]

Love the videos you make. Can't get enough of the nice and calm explanations and the enthusiasm you show while working on these nice old machines. Greetings from Norway.

[@rjman123au1]

15000 views and 1500 likes in 1 day. As you can see your subscribers haven't forgotten you. Welcome back !

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@billsmith8238]

Great find that old farm stead looks like a good place to find lots more cool stuff thanks for the video

[@Newmachinist]

Just a quick one to say THANK YOU for doing the video's I really appreciate them and your time to do them. I envy you folks in the area in which you live as, because of the industrial history, there is so much available in old Iron (tools etc). I live on Vancouver Island BC Canada and here we have a very limited access to old or new. Thanks again. Rod

[@Kevin-jb9eu]

Lester is my uncle. I help him farm and fix old junk. Lol. Glad to see that thing go to a good home.

[@planejet42]

Save the farmhouse!

[@scdevon]

Thanks, Mike. I enjoy seeing old South Jersey farms like this. I grew up in So. Jersey, but I live 1800 miles away now. Nice old Onan!

[@Dieseljonnyboy]

Hi from the U.K. Love your movies. Thanks for taking the trouble to produce them. I liked watching the drive too and seeing rural America.

[@peteacher52]

Most interesting! 1947 - the year I was born, so two ancient artifacts, the gen set and me! I too am reasonably sound but with some rust around the lower edges!

[@Rems61]

Yeah me too, 1947 model. In fact that old Onan is a month older than I am.

[@mikewinkelman7015]

Your videos are solid gold.

[@andrewmcfarland57]

Waking up to a SmallEngineMechanic video is better than the first cup of coffee :-) Good to have you back.

[@joew2432]

Another cool project. I met you at the tuckahoe show yesterday. Nice generator you had there. Also liked the Witte engine. My name is Whitt I was there with 2 of my cousins. Thanks for all the interesting videos you post!

[@3cl1]

Great to see another video, that Onan genset is a beauty. It would be cool to explore that property with a metal detector.

[@gregleithoff5943]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to share the experience with you and all your hard work! Looking forward to the next video!

[@gregorythomas333]

I really enjoy your videos...thank you so much for taking all the time needed to make them...very much appreciated!

[@28YorkshireRose12]

That was certainly different - Longer to lift than it was to shift! I guess the manufacturers had more of a sense of style back then, and pride in the products they turned out - I wonder if anyone who built this machine ever considered the possibility that it might still exist some 74 years later. Now, about the videos - Good to see you again after what seems like a lifetime, but you have keep them compatible with everything else you do, so if it takes a while, that's fine, it just makes them all the better when they are published. You keep well, and we'll keep watch!

[@pingjockey]

I love this stuff. I have a MEP-803A I picked up, powers the whole house and not even straining.

[@deathproofpony]

I didn't realize before you were in South Jersey. I'm probably a half hour from you, closer to Philly. Keep up the great work!

[@ScoutCrafter]

Mike- I can't believe the size of your truck starter! Wow! Great video!

[@camachinist]

More gensets in the wild, nice finds. If any time was a great time to be in the generator business, now is it. Love the old iron, keep it coming.

[@MRCNC1967]

Don't feel bad about not making a ton of videos, whatever you produce is enjoyed, thank you.

[@LaLaLand.Germany]

And Sqatch253 for the old Cat stuff, he seriously knows old Cats.

[@typrus6377]

Second that for Squatch

[@kriswright1022]

He sources a lot of his old Cat stuff from Florin Tractor parts in Sacramento , Calif. Friend of mine had an old D-2 that we got a lot of parts for therel!

[@jondelap3667]

3rd for squatch

[@GrandsonofKong]

Agree on Squatch. He might have contacts for some sources for the missing connections form Air Cleaner to Intake Manifold

[@stephenhunter70]

4th for squatch253

[@rickey5353]

What a treat. Just look at that art deco styling. Cool find, Mike.

[@wimgid]

No pressure with uploading. Enjoying following your projects at the pace best for you. Have a great summer /William, Sweden

[@barrb6134]

Glad your back, Really missed viewing your videos!!

[@rupe53]

I just retired from the gen business and when the original owner was still behind the desk he usually had me save the good units that came in. Over the years I only had one that was near this vintage. Most were early Kohler and Onan air cooled sets. (50s and 60s vintage) The Onans were usually 4CCK or 5CCK types and the Kohlers (forgetting the Mod#) were usually gold or dark blue with air cooled Wisconsin engines. Every once in awhile I would stumble on a WWII surplus gasoline job that was still in service. Typically these were installed in a barn or garage and were not up to today's code. We actually stopped doing service on these a few years ago due to insurance liability. BTW, all of the units we had in storage were sold shortly after Sandy / Irene when you couldn't buy anything else due to shortages.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

The first Onan genset has Art Deco design, and its strange how many American designers took to this design in the 40's and 50's. There were the buildings, trains, cars, refrigerators etc. It looks beautiful.

[@georgelewis8904]

I appreciate your videos, understanding how much time it takes, why I don't make videos myself, so much more going on.

[@poppydogz]

We love your video's here in the UK.. Thanks for all the effort you put in making them..

[@joostderidder]

Gzzzz ... would be fun to see this running again!

[@richeastmain4031]

Thanks for taking us along. That’s my idea of a fun day. Hope to see you at Jacktown on July.

[@alm3333]

Looking at your Detroit and Cat generator projects, "Small Engine Mechanic" seems to be a misnomer. Love the content!

[@Thomasploeg1968]

Nice find. Keep up the awesome work preserving these old gen sets. No apologies need for the lack of videos.

[@mold1999]

Thanks for making the videos you make.......you have a life to live also...its KZbin .. we will be here.... Thanks again

[@mcallahan9060]

We appreciate the effort that you put into making your videos Mike. I'd much rather see you take a bit of time between making a video than for you to get burned out from KZbin and stop all together. Take breaks when you need to, we'll be here when you come back. Nice rescue from the weeds there by the way. Thumbs up!

[@alancordwell9759]

M Callahan Well said!

[@rogerandlyndabeall3840]

I am obsessed with old gensets too I have 5. I am told no more. But at least we do not drive on the wrong side of the road.

[@jimmatheson8555]

As I watched this video, it occurred to me that I know where there is a 30 KW GE generator head only that you might be interested in. As I understand the story that was told to me , it was driven by a Pelton Wheel and about three to four miles of 12 inch spiral welded pipe which had finally rusted out and collapsed ending the service of the generator. With no running source of water the housing of the peloton wheel froze one winter and the cast-iron housing broke. The gentleman who owns it has removed the Pelton Wheel and put it at the end of his driveway as a decoration. The GE head is rated at 30 KW at 110 Volts single phase, 60 hertz or in the vernacular of the day, 60 cycles. There are three beautiful old mirrored meters on the end of the generator, one for frequency, one for voltage and one for current (with a range of up to 300 Amperes). The cast iron housing has a beautiful black paint job on it. While I was there I walked down to the generator shack at the edge of the creek and lamented that the shack is filling with rocks and sand from the spring runoff of water. The generator looks to be above the water and debris level, and I reached down and was able to spin the 1 and 1/2 or 2 inch shaft by hand. It was difficult to get that much mass moving with one hand, but once the shaft was moving, it took a long time to stop and there was no bearing noise that I could detect. This peloton wheel driven generator was used to power a mining operation for several decades according to my best information and the mine has been shut down for several decades now. This generator is located on a dirt road access at about 9000 feet of elevation and approximately 10 miles from a paved road near Clayton Idaho. I was so impressed with this beautiful piece of equipment when I saw it that I feel it is a shame to let it be taken by time and the elements. If this would be of interest to you, I will try to get the owners information to you. He is a member of a very famous family and really cherishes his solitude and anonymity and jealously guards his privacy, so he may be difficult to contact even if you are interested, but it might be worth a try. Thanks, Jim

[@willwaconsya3433]

I worked on many of those old Detroit 2 cycle diesel powered generators. V8’s, in-line 6, 4 cylinder and 3 cylinder units. They run great even when they are tired. But they are big air polluters. Lots of blue smoke when they load. Very loud and hard starting without a block heater or starting fluid spray.

[@willwaconsya3433]

When you get it running there is an old style safety cutout called a hot wire relay. What it does is as the engine runs if you lose oil pressure or over heat the hot wire relay is swichted on to heat up a thermo resister. Then in turn closes a switch to activate the air box flapper stalling the diesel. That old hot wire relay can fail and keep the air box flapper closed. I would replace it with a on delay relay.

[@Greg_Gatsby]

That style of shroud would look good in a period-correct Onan green with a crinkle finish. 👍

[@derekmarshall2169]

Hi Mike, hope you're ok, waiting eagerly for the farm genny video!

[@thefixerofbrokenstuff]

Wow. You all are really behind us in the seasons. My corn is making tassles now, and yall is just over knee high.

[@wirestiresandfires214]

What a neat old piece of kit.

[@tomhorner9918]

Really enjoy your videos. I learn every time I watch one. Thanks for making them.

[@gutsngorrrr]

That old generator will look fantastic once you've restored it, I just hope you manage to get it running again.

[@carolchandler1753]

I saw on the Facebook Kohler Generator users group a guy posted he has an old generator in a barn he inherited and doesn’t want the generator It’s a 4kw runs at 1800 rpms. Thought of you. Love your videos.

[@ianburit3705]

1947 Onan, wow thats 1 year older than me.. Maybe i got bits going rusty so handle with care eh..lol.. Would love to see that big old flathead running again, from the era flatheads won the war.. Thanks for your videos.. Ian..UK.

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

Haha thanks for checking in!

[@chrisowen9378]

This should keep your KZbin channel in existence for a long time, I love it !!!

[@w.w.2restorations.vehicles698]

The instruments and green paint scream U.S. Army Signal Corps to me. Can't wait until you find the data plates that tell exactly what this generator was. Nice video Mike, and a good save too.

[@tallisman57]

I had a 25 KW 3 Phase 208volt with switch able Delta and Eye windings ... All reed sitch gauges .. with I think a little Bedford Diesel (purred little a lion) out in Big Cypress Swamp to power the resaw band-saw... At the Sawmill

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

I sure ENJOY your vids Mike , Please keep them going ! That one is rough . I sure love the old Onan gensets .. Thanks Mike ..

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

Thanks Shawn!

[@brucerazor5202]

Miss my shop

[@nashguy207]

Thanks for sharing Mike. Can't wait for you to build your museum its going to have a great collection. LOL

[@GrandsonofKong]

Good to see a video from you Mike!! Love the styling on that Onan! Massive Rust down low is not to surprising when I saw it was sitting in a bunches of Pine Needles. They make a pretty decent slow acid "soup" as they decompose that takes out metal if given enough time..30 years seems like enough. Not as road salt but right up there. Get RoadKing going on the body work and paint and you get the engine and electrics going and you've got a super winner!!!

[@PoLoMoTo2]

Two stroke Detroits are awesome. Like another commenter said Bus Grease Monkey has a ton of knowledge of them if you run into any issues. If it turns it'll run though!

[@brycematthews9865]

I can’t wait to see that Onan come to life. I picked up one exactly like it at a state auction last year and am working on reviving it too! I want to see what kind of mods you’ll have to do to the control system to make it all work.

[@mudkingz6432]

you got some of the best projects! Wish I could afford a few of those!

[@wvrockcrusher]

I watch anything you put out Mike. I appreciate the time you spend doing the videos because what I want to watch is interesting content, which you have, thus is why I have watched you for a few years now. I know you're not one of those people that can post every day or week because you work a day job and have other work to do. Used to be stuff like that all around where I live and I managed to save some of it, but the scrap man beat me to most things. At least you didn't have far to go this time! Keep doing what you do Mike and have fun!

[@rlferv]

Thanks Mike. Those Continental flat head engines are pretty tough and forgiving. I bet she will run.

[@tomcrater7470]

cool recovery ! cant wait to see ya work on it

[@gabewhisen3446]

I love this channel. Such a beautiful genset I love 40s styling my lathe is a 40s American pacemaker 14x54

[@blueridgeburnouts8265]

You are the coolest guy I wish I knew! Look at those machines!

[@ramosel]

If you follow Squatch253, you know his "go to" shop for CAT parts is Florin Tractor (in Sacramento, CA). I used to live just a mile or so from them and spent many an afternoon looking through their shop. My Dad's favorite lumber store for years was right across the street.

[@TestECull]

2:16 Detroit 2-stroke? Rotates? Itt'l run fine. Mind the racks so it don't run away on ya, but I'd say building a badass big boy's gokart around it would be boss. Maybe a 4wd kart using 3-phase traction motors and a generator head on the engine like locomotives are done?

[@GlennsSpeedShop]

Inside the control box looked Military Green. Maybe surplus unused bought by the plant that ran it 3 years. Appears it may have been well cared for. Hope it will run some day.

[@pingjockey]

This guy is living the dream. Good for you bud, neat jobs.

[@danielgraf8294]

Mike, since you mentioned engine show season, I wanted to plug the upcoming Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association show in Easton Maryland. It starts Thursday July 8 and runs through Sunday July 11th. I believe you and RoadKing will be there so look forward to seeing you again. Make sure you stop by the machine shop Museum.

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

We are looking forward to it! Will be there Thursday morning!

[@derekmarshall2169]

Hi Mike, when are we getting the update of this beauty coming back to life? Can wait! Great videos! Thanks

[@afberglund2764]

Thanks for the video! Interesting. A nice friendly neighbour you have there.

[@scottcol23]

WOW! How have I missed this channel? I love this type of stuff. Keep up the great work. Subscribed!

[@robertschemonia5617]

Dude. That old crane, with the Detroit 4-71 would be AWESOME.

[@Kevin-jb9eu]

It's got a murphy in it. Honestly just needs a jump start. We used it 3 years ago to put a dump body on one of my trucks.

[@sallybrokaw6124]

Hobart engine drive welders also had styled sheetmetal. Hobart used jeep engines and Chrysler engines.One model used a Farmall Cub power unit.

[@KrisDouglas]

Solid state reg on that big cat genset will work a treat

[@AaronEngineering]

Great to see you back on the Tube 📺. I agree, making KZbin videos are a lot of work. Nice score with the Gen set you’re getting a very nice collection. Cheers from Downunder. Aaron 👍🍻

[@fire32njetta]

Saw this unit on the marketplace can’t wait to hear it run

[@tomscott4723]

Nice project, I love the styling they put in back in the old days!

[@mikeshobbiesandrandomstuff]

Looking forward to seeing future videos of this one 😊

[@danw1955]

Nice old Onan Mike! I may be wrong, but with the extra heat shields, etc., it may have been set up for arctic or some far north application, to keep warm air going to the carb. Surprised it had fairly clean oil and antifreeze in it. That may be an easy starter there if the valves aren't stuck. You can roll it over carefully by hand and find out for sure. Much easier to pull the head than replace a broken camshaft!😁

[@chriholt]

First of all, I totally understand that it takes a whole lot more time to do your work and create a video, but I will watch whatever you put out. Second, you have a very cool neighbor. Third, I have never thought of a generator to be "sexy", until I saw this one. I would love to see a complete resto on her!

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

I love the Detroits 2 strokes. Just make sure the injectors aren't stuck. If it turns it will run. I have 5 of them!! Squatch253 could probably help you on the Cat parts or at least give you direction. The art deco era stuff is so cool. I have a 1947 GM Greyhound bus. Thanks!

[@typrus6377]

Squatch has quite the knowledge base for the old yellow iron

[@kerrygleeson4409]

Fantastic find Mike beautiful machine 🦘🇦🇺👍

[@catfish4346]

I have a 30 KW Onan generator with a John Deere engine on it it was made sometime in the 80s and it has a electronic regulator on it that was added works good

[@arthurbiringer5676]

I can’t wait to see it run and make power!

[@marshallsayre58]

Wow, you have lots of projects. Those cat gen are pretty cool. I agree 👍no matter wht videos u put out ill also watch. Your unique engineering skills are interesting

[@TheDaf95xf]

Going to make a great project 👍🏻😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@revolution3797]

Nice, very cool. Iv been working on a WWII M5 ZXB Hercules generator. Great content

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

The M5 is a nice slow speed gen set!

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

Twin Disc in Racine Wisconsin can probably identify the date of manufacture on the clutch on the Detroit 4-71. I suspect the engine was built in the 1950s because it has the tag instead of being stamped in the block. In the 70s Detroit started putting tags in a slot on the valve cover. In the 60s the serial numbers were longer and stamped into the engine block.

[@tubeDude48]

All I can say is "WOW!!"

[@scottholtzman3161]

Nice find, I like the Art Deco style.

[@PicaDelphon]

I So use to Love Finding these classics Generator..

[@nadieselgirl]

That green on the door looks a lot like what I had on my 1967 Bel Aire. I believe they called it "emerald platinum green". It was a nice bright green.

[@robertdonaldson6584]

My late father was on the board of directors of Cummins Inc. engine manufacturer.

[@SmallEngineMechanic]

Very cool,

[@mjm7187]

Mike, maybe you can come across a non fuctioning truck reefer unit for some year round working comfort in your work area and then some.. looking fwd to all of your projects!

[@billsartelle353]

Funny, I have a case forklift like ours. The forks and mast are gone now. But there are still some forklift specific parts left on it. It really is just a tractor with some backwards parts on it.