The Wisconsin V4 Has Been Redneck's Best Friend

[@trustyoldiron5416]

I have a Wisconsin AHH from an Ariens rototiller from the late 1930s or early 1940's they are fantastically well built engines and are extremely reliable. I once pulled a AEH Wisconsin with a Jaeger water pump from a flooded field. The engine had been sitting on it's side partially submerged for years when I found it. luckily there was little to no water in the oil. However the cylinder had been filled with water and was rust seized. I removed the head, filled the cylinder with a 50/50 mix of ATF and gasoline and light it on fire and let it burn till the cylinder was empty. I wacked the piston with a sledgehammer though a shaved down piece of firewood and it freed up. I then cleaned up the carb, gas tank and magneto and it's still pumping water today.

[@matttravers5764]

It’s about time someone finally made a historical video of these old workhorse’s! Great job!

[@belyear]

I’m from the Canadian Prairies, these engines used to be everywhere. Not many left anymore

[@iversonjcameron]

Agreed.....best air cooled any where....better than the vw

[@87mini]

My dad was a plasterer, and all of our mixers had Wisconsin singles. They would pop along the whole day without missing a beat, and we'd throw rings in and lap the valves every couple of years. I spent my high school years tending them as a hod carrier, and each was my buddy with their own idosyncracies. The old mixers were still running when he sold the business to retire 35 years later. Wisconsins will always have a place in my heart!

[@bendeleted9155]

It's quite sad having grown up around all this great old stuff we used to make in the states. Now I am ecstatic when I find stuff made in Japan or Taiwan.

[@BigWheel.]

Our parents wanted cheaper and cheaper products and their bosses wanted cheaper labor, neither thought about the long term ramifications.

[@billwalck1324]

I'm working on a VF4D right now. Its about 80 years old and i rebuilt it 45 years ago and had it on a log splitter. Cracked the exhaust manifolds and didn't have a good spare, although I do have quite a few parts. I'm putting W-1770 barrels, pistons, heads and manifold system on the VF4 lower end. I ran TFD units on vacuum pumps for 25 years, and they are just bullet proof. They just love to run, and with poured rod bearings and roller mains, lower end problems just don't happen. The old magnetos with the tar potted coils get fussy if they sit idle for any length of time from moisture seepage, but new epoxy potted coils you get nowadays make that evaporate. Just remember to use shellac (indian head) on the mag cover gaskets, as it "breathes" with the changing moisture and stays sealed. I don't think that they would respond too well to traditional hot rodding techniques as the older models use a 180 degree flat crank, which has an odd firing cycle leading to unbalanced stresses. With the two-bearing main system things are just too flexible for a long life if overspeeded, which is really the only way to increase power in this sort of design. Being air cooled, the increased heat of a modified, or re-timed engine becomes a serious issue quite quickly versus a water cooled engine, which is much more forgiving. Every degree of spark advance causes a 100 deg F rise in internal , and head cracking shortly follows. Been there.

[@justinhetrick5864]

I remember my father having some of these around, loved the sound. Not in a "hot rodding" sense but to keep a mostly good engine going. Ever thought of making an exhaust header out of tubing, and then a separate, but also out of tubing ,intake manifold? I have a small machine shop and a tubing bender, I'd be willing to give it a shot, but I'd need to get my hand on one to make the prototype. Could be a small niche market that I didn't realize needed to be.

[@grovecitysirens_GCS]

The Wisconsin VF4 was even used in air raid sirens, b&n (biersach and Niedermayer company) on there mobile directo sirens, the variety that used the Wisconsin vf4 was called the BN52G, non are known to be used but most and some remain on their poles rusting away. Only one works and is owned by Jerry Wick who has it on his channel. B&n died out and was bought by ACA (Alerting communicators of America) who was owned by Jim biersach. Who used the mobile directo design for there allertor siren. ACA then died and is now called ASC (American Signal Corporation) who does not make the alertor. And both sirens have been discontinued. (Allertor discontinued in 1980s and mobile directo discontinued in 1967)

[@normansilver905]

For 24 years we used Wisconsin V-4's to power a hi-pressure fire pumps (8 GPM @ 1000 PSI) on 17 of our rural fire engines. All served well and were a tough engine. They were built by Howe and Van Pelt.

[@ReidHenderson]

On older low compression engine designs like this they combine the exhaust near the intake to actually increase efficiency. Since it's lower compression it needs that extra heat in the intake port to help produce more heat in the cylinder to increase thermal efficiency of the fuel burn off. That's why lots of older flathead and ohv engines had this design. It also helps atomize the fuel in the intake.

[@hughpaton9062]

We had on our farm here in Australia for more than 10 years a New Holland 78 wire tie hay bailer with a 30HP V4 Wisconson fitted. Very upmarket setup then. Ever reliable, it outlasted the haypress. It set itself alight once or twice what with hay dust everywhere. Picture farmer 'hurtling' across half done paddock to dam with flaming haypress behind Fordson Major tractor and dousing with hatfulls of water. No serious harm done.

[@col470]

I can imagine that!

[@kevinyancey958]

Wisconsin and Waukesha engines were known for their reliability and were both used by early automotive companies over their own in house designs. Even early Crosby's were powered by air cooled Wisconsin (state) built engines, before Crosby introduced the Tin engine. The first military 4WD/4WS truck was made in Kenosha, also. It was made by Jeffrey motors, later owned by Charles Nash, which later became AMC with the merger with Hudson motors in 1954. I'm sure you'll touch on those points, at a later date!

[@marklynch4588]

Minor correction it was Crosley not Crosby that used the Waukesha 2 cylinder motor in the Prewar cars.

[@williamzander4732]

Kiser had military engines and aluminum engines. Wisconsin was a beast but loud as hell you needed ear plugs . Welders were run by Wisconsin and woodchipers at first you could buy them at government surplus in the 60s for a dime a dozen. Military used them a lot .Didn’t know the Cosby had used that engine.

[@raypeters4525]

DID YOU MEAN CROSLEY INSTEAD OF CROSBY ?

[@TalenGryphon]

You already have Crosby and Nash. Now all you need is Young and Stills

[@juanasanelli6831]

Love V4 Wisconsin fueron usados para bombar agua,Bombas Rosco,para mover dinamos de soldar Lincoln para las enfardadoras New Holland,auto elevadores ,Generadores eléctricos, y yo me pase meses diseñando una motocicleta con cuadro Harley y un V4 .todavía tengo los dibujos... Nunca la construi

[@claiborneeastjr4129]

The Wisconsin four-cylinder, two-cylinder, and one-cylinder engines were some of the most reliable, most durable, and toughest engines available. We had a one-cylinder WI on a Yazoo lawnmower, seems like about 7 HP, and it literally ran forever. Light years ahead of the Clinton and Briggs engines of the day ('50s and '60s). I have no experience with later models. Ours had a magneto, and always started the first crank (rope pull!)

[@aidanrocks13able]

Fun fact: there is one of these, rusty and disassembled, in my basement. I rent the place and it was there when I moved in. Took me a while to figure out what large, air cooled, side valve V4 it was

[@fastinradfordable]

Thank you for your fun fact

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Ask if you can have it!

[@hokehinson5987]

The municipality I worked for used the V-4 air cooled flat head and a later model OHV as back up power for WWT pump stations. Previously they had been totally neglected many of the oil filers on the engines so old when removed the paint was like powder and fell off to bare metal. Oil on most of these engines was severely diluted with fuel yet they rarely ran except for occasional exercise. Was tasked with servicing then after their care taker moved on. These were just well built engines...after fresh oil & filters & tune up they were good to go. Apparently the city went to submersible pumps...hopefully someone got a deal on all those V-4 Wisconsins.

[@upsidedowndog1256]

It would be fun to see how much HP you could actually get out of one of these using typical hotrodding techniques!

[@wildcat6669]

The main thing you would need to be is the change the crankshaft bearings to needle or ball, the standard ones don't last long and prohibits power

[@dennis-nz5im]

@@wildcat6669 yeah taper bearing has issues with preload and the block temp vs crank , at certain times one expands more than the other, causing loss of/ increase of pressure. The lack of a center main bearing would stop this from much more torque, so it will have to rev

[@MrTheHillfolk]

​@@wildcat6669 I've got three or four customers that have them for standby generators, in the 1200-1400hr range and have never been opened up. Probably late 70s early 80s units. Katolights. I kind of shudder to think of what the valve seats look like, as they are powered by propane but they still run. Something that old , once something goes kapow it might as well be replaced as the generator end of them ,parts have been obsolete for 20+yrs and the cost to fix it even if you could find the parts would probably cost the same as a whole new unit. So let em ride until that day,they've served well.

[@Flies2FLL]

Just make it rev higher. Or add a turbo. [I never said anything about longevity.....]

[@oldreliable303]

Its a flathead, so my gess is 75 hp with out boost, and say 125hp with boost for the old v4.

[@_..-.._..-.._]

You guys that like v-4’s should look imo the Ford Cologne v-6 history on Wikipedia, the original design started in the 60’s as a v-4 engine in Saabs or something, it became a 2.8 v6, then 2.9, then 4.0 liter, then they made it OHC in the late 90’s and it was used in the ford ranger and mustang until 2011 or so. Amazing history for an engine.

[@johnmcclain3887]

Back in the seventies, I worked on ground support equipment in the Marines, we had "Sats loaders" very low slung fork lift loaders for loading ordnance on aircraft on the ground and on shipboard use. They used these engines and they were easy to work on and very reliable. Their low horsepower meant they would run on any grade fuel even well contaminated.

[@williamlindner3984]

Both Schramm and Smith compressor reworked these engines into some very good compressors ... They changed the head on two cylinders and made a compressor, and ran the other two cylinders as the engine .. I have worked on quite a few Wisconsins ... The valves will stick if they have been sitting for any length of time. They are also not noted for fuel economy, but they are extremely durable if given good maintenance.. They also made two cylinder engines such as the TF and THD ,which are basically half of one of their four cylinder engines... A lot of the parts will interchange.

[@VicsYard]

Awesome. I own both 4 and 2 cylinder Versions. Actually currently wanting to rebuild the four-cylinder looking for parts

[@DUKE_of_RAMBLE]

HAH Crazy, as that's the exact thing I was thinking of whey I saw the first diagram of the video! _"Wonder if you could run it on 2 apposed cyl, and turn the other two into air pumps..."_ Good to know I'm not as nuts as I often feel like! 🤪

[@bobrekstad8602]

My dad and I in 1980 made a wood splitter with a 50s model to handle the CA black oak rounds and I'm still using it today. Calfire used these to power their auxiliary pumps for pump and run operation, I believe they used them from 1940s thru the 70s.

[@jimwest3748]

Dad had 2 of these on the farm in the 70s and 80s - one on the swather, the other on the baler. The one on the baler was prone to vapor lock with the mechanical fuel pump being between the cylinder banks. We put a tank mounted electric fuel pump on it and had no more problems.

[@ffjsb]

I had a Hesston self propelled mower that had the same problem.

[@cavemanmaine1314]

Back in the 90's a customer had a vf4d on a commercial vacuum truck.Brand new engine would only last 2200 hours.I ran a engine shop and rebuilt it with with race engine machine work and had it balanced from a race shop.The engine lasted over 6000 hrs and was running strong

[@richsackett3423]

I sold Ditch Witch trenchers, some of the earlier ones had Wisconsins. You can tell them a half a mile away, due to the distinctive tin work.

[@aaronbrixey7356]

Love seeing a video about a very important industrial giant! They may not be glamorous or fancy, but their impression on the American workforce is lasting! Thanks!

[@Damien80279]

Excellent video! I own seven V4 Wisconsins. They are simple and reliable. Cheers from Vermont USA

[@alm7707]

I've overhauled a few of the v4s. I had a guy pull the heads for me once and he twisted off 10 of the 18 headbolts. Sometimes you did some serious work with the heating torch to get those bolts to come out of the block. I think the real early ones had poured babbit bearings too. They were the only engine I've seen that can run with one head off.

[@gresvig2507]

Such cool little engines. My best friend has a bobcat that he got at auction that looked like it had been rolled down a mountain and then parked outside for thirty years. He changed the oil, replaced the fuel pump, and it started right up. I'd love one for my CJ5.

[@Flies2FLL]

These always sounded a whole lot like a light aircraft engine. Great video!

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

basiclly the "modern" piston aircraft engine (air cooled) is 1930's technology...about from whence these Wisconsins came....

[@Flies2FLL]

@@JohnSmith-yv6eq Yes.

[@glenmclendon9209]

I remember those when I was a kid doing farm work in the early 70's . Those things would run all day everyday .

[@michaelmurphy6869]

Thank you Visio for another great video! Everyone who has been around small and industrial engines definitely knows about Wisconsin engines. There were put on about everything, portable welders, air compressors, generators, stationary/portable waterpumps, sawmills, even some of the early commercial riding lawn mowers and shredders among many other applications. Definite workhorses. Also they make there own sound, meaning when it was fired up you knew it was a Wisconsin! There was old saying once, "it runs like an old Wisconsin". Basically meaning a little rough when cold but smoothed out when warmed up. Keep up the great work!! Cheers my friend!

[@chyanna6470]

had a vr40 in my old new holland skidsteer, good little workhorse, had it for many years but finally sold it due to down sizing a bunch of equipment. but the farmer i sold it to still uses it and is impressed at how much it can do for being as small as it is.

[@billbridge7458]

We had a Bobcat skid-steer on the farm, v4 Wisconsin powered. Indestructible beast

[@sheppardpat47]

These engines also were used for an air raid siren! The B&N Mobil Directo! And someone did a complete rebuild of one !

[@jameshatton4211]

That's pretty amazing! Thanks for sharing

[@ruthlessreid9172]

Check out the hemi air raid siren!

[@JerryWick]

Thanks for the mention sir, I'm the owner of the said VF4-powered Mobil Directo Siren. Take a look at my page for videos of it running

[@sheppardpat47]

@@JerryWick I am a subscriber of you and I’m so happy to see that you take care of that beautiful beast of a siren, thanks so much for restoring such a piece of history !

[@jamesgeorge4874]

My boss has a Gehl skid steer with a 36 hp Wisconsin, burns all the gas contaminated with diesel, and old gas from vehicles we scrap, and never misses a beat. If it has (sketchy) gasoline-ish fuel, it's go time. All about tough, not power output. That's why it's going strong at 50 years old.

[@iaman9249]

Got a 2 speed bobcat with one. Works great, always starts in the winter. Leaks a lot, but still a little workhorse

[@VolvoBM666]

So cool someone actually dedicated a video to the V4 Wisconsins🙏

[@iguanapete3809]

In the 70s I worked on a city trash truck. We went door to door picking up trash . The truck had a V8 engine under the tilt cab and a Wisconsin engine on the side to run the hydraulics. One day at a stop light a guy pulled up in the lane next to me and ask "Does that little engine drive that big truck"?

[@DadsGarageDiagnosticSpecialist]

Suddenly I need to find a project to use one of these engines for.

[@michaelguerin56]

Great video. Thank you. Nice to see all the responses that you have had. Quite a surprise when I became a Patron, to see how few of us there are. Well worth supporting.

[@VisioRacer]

Thank you, Michael!

[@JohnPittaway]

I started working on Wisconsins in 1977 as an apprentice. I'm retired now but I still get asked to fix them!

[@JohnDoe-jn4ex]

Had one on a old trencher and it was a beautiful lil beast. Yes they are loud as hell.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

I've had 3 of them over the years. One from a New Holland baler, one from a New Holland Windrower and one on an old Gleaner pull type combine. The one on the combine was a hand cranked VE4 and it was anything BUT the farmer's best friend. Probably a had a weak mag, but was a real bear to get to start.

[@northdakotaham1752]

We had one of those New Holland balers with the twin cylinder air cooled Wisconsin. No electric start. You had a smooth wheel on the end of the crankshaft and to start it you got a good hold on that wheel and tried to spin it. Took some muscle and the right technique but usually it started..IF you knew the technique, amount of choke, throttle position etc. I can still hear that motor running on the old baler even though it's been over 25 years since we baled any hay with it.

[@65bug519]

I have personally spent many hours with one of these engines on a hay cutter at my uncle's farm,I cut many acres of hay and and greens for the cattle. It interesting to note that these engines came in outputs identical to Volkswagen air cooled engines but were never used on road going vehicles. Another good engine to do history on since we are talking air cooled is the Tatra v8

[@ffjsb]

Was that a Hesston 220 mower?

[@65bug519]

@@ffjsb was a New Holland three wheeled swather from the 60s

[@ffjsb]

@@65bug519 Hesston's were three wheeled too. It was like a belt driven Zero turn mower.

[@Johnman3341]

Ive worked on a few of these. Some of our old old concrete saws had them

[@williamgibb5557]

Our saws were hand cranked. Always had to be careful not to break your thumb if it backfired. Good power for its size

[@maxpayne2574]

Spent many days on a self propelled swather with a Wisconsin V4 in the 1970s. It was a good reliable simple engine.

[@philsaunders8508]

In new Zealand I had one on a lincoln electric arc welder

[@chrisretired5379]

A great video, thank you! I had an old Ditch Witch V30, had the Wisconsin V4 HD. Unit had backhoe, push blade, and ditcher chain on the back. That V4 could torque that assembly into a wheelie in its 3rd gear !!😂

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

Great work, would love to see more industrial engines thanks.

[@TBPony]

Yes please

[@bobmeyer7009]

Very interesting. When I was a kid back in the '50's, we had an irrigation system powered by one of these.

[@markcarey8426]

I used a v 4 mounted on wheels and used to cut concrete. Back in 1970s in NZ. Brilliant motor. Smooth as, never gave any trouble.

[@Pullen.rallysport909]

This reminds me of my childhood tractor that was powered by a Wisconsin TH twin cylinder. Awesome to see a video about these!

[@simpleserf]

Me too! Mine was in a Gibson Super D2.

[@davehimebauch8474]

Concrete Cutting Company in Gardena built concrete saws in Gardena, CA in the 1980's. They used the Wisconsin V4 engine, fitted with a turbo charger. The installation was very compact, with the exhaust and intake located on top, in the "V". The engine had a manual automobile transmission on the output.

[@_..-.._..-.._]

I have a 1,000cc 24hp Onan boxer twin industrial engine (p224g/performer 24) that I want to throw an eBay supercharger on. It’s a 2001 model with electronic ignition and full pressure lube. It’s similar to these Wisconsin engines as far as old tech goes (flat-head design) but parts are plentiful. Still no center crank bearing, but being a boxer, it’s a short length crank that’s forged and has low torsional stress. I found literally zero info on KZbin and google about hot-ridding them. Yes, I know it’s pointless to some people, but hot-rodding is about trying weird things. Surely at 24 hp/liter we can double or triple it. It has low compression (7-1) which is perfect for boosting.

[@rccrazer]

Thanks for making this! This is the kind of stuff I love to see more of Unsung heros for sure!

[@crash4me719]

Great video on the Wisconsin engine. I had a bolens tractor with a Wisconsin single cylinder and it was a true WORK HORSE. Thank you, I enjoy stationary engine videos. Maybe sometime a video on the Perkins line of 2, 3 & 4 cylinder stationary diesel engines??

[@VicsYard]

Great video. I have one. Been thinking about rebuilding. Also a 2 cylinder on log slitter It still runs perfectly.

[@kkmidland]

Got one on my hydroseeder. She runs like a dream

[@thomasopdahl1873]

I grew up in the sixties and these things were everywhere. Most in use were on old pull type combines. I remember farmers always talking about twisting off rusted in bolts. this made them hard to repair. TTheir being air cooled made them a simple application for a variety of uses but that also limited their power. They'd plug up with chaff and would get hot if you didn't watch them. The specs shown here show amazing low end torque. In short, it seems they didn't have to run very fast and should have lasted a long time but if they had a problem with the tapered roller bearings, etc, They were very hard to repair. Thats the feeling I got from growing up around farmer's kids bringing their dad's opinions to school.

[@bretatvs]

The Wisconsin in-line 2 cylinders are sweet too!

[@karllangner1579]

The Wisconsen and the Hobart welder is the best you can get.

[@Terraceview]

Thanks Visio for another great video! I love that you're now also tackling non-automotive engines.

[@georgepruitt637]

the video= good; the "closed captioning" stank !!!

[@philiptownsend4026]

​@@georgepruitt637 It's still early days for voice recognition. It is improving all the time.

[@NoelBarlau]

If I'm remembering correctly, the ancient ground power unit we had at the airport FBO I worked at in the mid-90s had a Wisconsin V4 engine. It always cranked right up.

[@timc8551]

Some of our older bomb jack still use the VH4D, if it's in good repair they are amazing.

[@patrickshaw8595]

I undertook to make an old bobcat powered by one of these reliable, ten years ago. First hurdle was worn out cylinders that were at maximum overbore. Found some Tecumseh 10 horse pistons and bored it to take them. They were short pistons with smaller wristpins. Made bronze bushings. Then I shoved pieces of iron inside the pins to make them weigh the same as old ones. They were a 1/4" short of reaching the top of the block. To fill up the combustion chamber I took some 1" round aluminum pieces and bored and threaded them for regular 14mm 3/4" reach spark plugs. I drilled the original spark plug holes 1" and shoved the pieces in. I filled the combustion chamber with 1/2" of aluminum MIG welding. To top that off I made two 1/4" deep aluminum discs, split them in half - then each head got a pair of half-discs bolted up in their inside (they fit down in the bore to take up space). The next hurdle was the left-hand-turning shifter-gear Delco Remy starter. First I had to saw off half the pinion gear and fit and 11-pitch gear so it would match the flywheel teeth. Come to find out the motor was shot. Using a piece of 3" aluminum round stock I took a regular GM starter motor motor and "reversed" it turning it around backwards. I put a ball bearing on it's original power (spiral) end. Then I made a steel coupler fit tight where the bearing had been back on the brush end of the case - and used that to drive the old starter's left-hand-spiral. The new 11-pitch gear was bigger than the original. The starters bolt to the back side of the fan housing on these. So I slotted out the housing's mounting holes and slid it over until the gears meshed right. Then I welded the washers under the mounting bolts to the housing and done. I wanted a hotter spark and no points so I fitted a Pertronics module to replace the poins and made it run a Ford Thick Film Ignition Module and it's matching "E" coil. Worked like a dream. Still going as far as I know,

[@trustyoldiron5416]

Something to keep in mind is almost all Wisconsin engines are governed at 2,200 RPM or less. That means the hp figures are rated in continuous HP. The BHP of these engines is much higher if you remove the governor.

[@joshmanis9860]

What does the b stand for? I assume it’s bonus

[@trustyoldiron5416]

@@joshmanis9860 it stands for brake horsepower

[@brucelytle1144]

In the Navy, I worked on a submarine tender, one time we got a job from our divers to rebuild their diving compressor. It was a 4 cylinder Wisconsin gasoline engine driving a Wisconsin 4 cylinder air compressor. Same block, different piston rings and different heads.

[@seanparker96]

love me some v4 engines. they sounds so good

[@scottlutherjr830]

I love my skid loader. It has the VH4d engine in it.

[@uxboat]

I have a 1946 Gibson tractor with a one cylinder Wisconsin always starts very well built only 6 hp but perfect for tractor . Cheers Mike

[@chipps1066]

Hardstarting sobs down here in Georgia,distributor caps were notorious for getting condensation in them overnight in the summer.They powered our Silent Flame tobacco harvesters,and every morning we would have to pop the cap off and light a piece of newspaper to dry the damn things out.

[@victoryfirst2878]

Thank you for the history lesson on the best longest life most dependable engines ever made. PERIOD !!!

[@stevenbailey1293]

I worked for a crude oil pipeline for decades in Oklahoma panhandle and West Texas and we used these all over. When we would except oil from the producers at the tank battery we opened the tank and fired up the Wisconsin which ran a pump like a roper or gaso or Wheatley. Sat out in the field for years

[@rotax636nut5]

I've been a fan of these engines for many years, thank you for making this video

[@cedarlaneenterprises6258]

Cool someone made a video about these , I have them , and see them all over but no one ever talks about them

[@aaron71]

Great video, I learned a lot from this! I had no idea Wisconsin made engines so large, and I didn't know they still made them!

[@loosehandle1]

Big fan of Wisconsin engines although I mostly have single cylinder models still in use. There are no plastic parts.

[@junkrust2182]

Had one that used one bank to compress air …. Made a unique sound when running

[@monsieurcommissaire1628]

Hello VisioRacer, great to see a new video from you. You always find such fascinating engines! I'd love to see one of these powering a big motorcycle. This reminds me of another industrial engine, a fire pump motor made by Coventry Climax. The compact inline 4 cylinder was powerful and reliable, and available as surplus after WWII. Many race car constructors discovered it's usefulness, including Colin Chapman, who used them with great success.

[@fmrjk]

The Hillman Imp was powered by a version of this engine. A great little ohc aluminium slant 4 and, for its day light and could rev. I had one in my teens, and have fond memories. As a rear mounted engine it did have a reputation of overheating and cylinder head gasket problems.

[@craigmclean8260]

Fisher-Pierce modified this engine for its short-lived "Bearcat 85" outboard motor; they also had the "Bearcat 55", which had its roots in a marinized Crosley 4-cylinder powerplant.

[@RuralTowner]

At work we have an old DITCH WITCH powered by one of the later V4s. To my knowledge the thing has never been opened up, at least not since the time my dept took ownership. A number of years ago a former employee accidentally topped it off with diesel & didn't realize the fact until later when the thing was pumping out alot of smoke. Since the thing was being worked the revs were up & so this brought engine temp up sufficiently to burn what was mostly diesel & partially gas. Tank got drained & after some initial smoke that cleared any left over residue, the smoke stopped. The valves definitely would've loved the extra lube.

[@dennis-nz5im]

Used to work on four of those. 30+4 back in the eighties from Case had them. They had a little brother cable layer used a diesel version of the leyland engine for the MGB . In the car 51 hp at 4900 , 33 as de rated for the maxi sneaker around 3300 revs

[@Iowa599]

Woah. I haven't seen a Wisconsin that was made in the last 50 years!

[@BRUCEFORCE82]

I have an AENL-3 (flywheel magento version of the AENLD ) from 1997, and a couple from the 80’s

[@timmungenast]

I first noticed these engines powering carnival rides when I was a pre-teen in the early seventies. I know this sounds silly, but I just fell in love with them because they looked so danged cool! Later on I noticed they were THE engine to have for wood chippers. And as others here have mentioned, it would be cool to hotrod one of these in spite of the design limitations -- I mean, consider the Chrysler slant six: it has a congested head design and only 4 mains, but people have managed to get some really impressive power from them regardless.

[@Al828282]

Hello from Wisconsin! Thanks for the history lesson!

[@russelmanary2501]

We had a VE4 on a Case pull type combine and a Vg 4 on a International Swather. Great engines

[@charlietanner6211]

my dad bouught a new 7 1/4 hp wisc in 1958 it is still in family we used it on david bradley tractor for long time in barn now still will run

[@danhuttinger5040]

Very interesting video, those engine's were diffinitly used in a lot of applications I worked on some of them years ago I had no idea they were still making them.

[@NBZW]

Discharged from the navy in 1955, went to work at a pottery stacking clay conduit and pipe. The company had a fleet of Hysters equipped with Wisconsin V4, they would be run at full governed speed at least 50% of the time on a shift, never heard of one breaking down in the 8 months I was employed.

[@willyck948]

I have a couple of inline twins myself, I just put one back into service in a 1994 craftsman gt6000. 1970s Wisconsin TJD. It wasn't a drop in fit. I had to modify the hood alot.

[@ryanwiese5280]

Many farm machines were powered by these. Miss that sound.

[@scootergeorge7089]

America's favorite V4. Great engine but how much competition is there? Ford planned a subcompact called Cardinal with a V4 but cancelled it for US production and sent it to Germany. Can't think of another American V4.

[@blowupbob1]

Didn't Ford use a V4 in the rear engine Mustang prototype? The Falcon killed the Cardinal, but later Ford sold the V4's to Saab to replace the two stroke triples in their 96 model.

[@scootergeorge7089]

@@blowupbob1 - Correct! The mid engine Mustang 2 seater used the front wheel drive Cardinal drivetrain in a mid engine arrangement, like the latter Fiat X19. Saab also adopted the engine. Can't say how many made it to the USA though.

[@jeromebreeding3302]

The V-4 is an engine configuration largely ignored by auto makers, though saw some success in motorcycles. During the first gas crisis of 1973, some small-block V-8's were converted to V-4s,with good results.

[@richardross7219]

Good video. I have a bunch of Wisconsin and Waukesha engines in my basement waiting for me to rebuild them. There are 5 kohlers and a Chevy 350 in front of them to do.

[@morgancure1604]

pumped concrete for a few years and these were the motors used...tough and durable..the pump i used most was an original 1980 motor almost everything else on the pump wore out and needed to be replace many times

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

That's down to the wear parts stirring up concrete..stones and sand!

[@philsaunders8508]

Another great little engine is the 4 pot flat head continental in my Clark CY 30 forklift which is in very regular use. I've no idea how old it is. Just keeps going and going, doesn't drink much but he's a heavy smoker 😂

[@rearspeaker6364]

tag on side of block, could be a F162, or F163.

[@Hydrogenblonde]

I'd heard of these engines but never seen one. Another fantastic video!

[@dougtaylor7724]

My 1946 Hyster QC20 has one. Still running!

[@johnelliott7375]

I can't wait to see this one and pass it on to everyone, you hit this one hard and deep to deep left field and Home Run! Enjoy your evening and thanks for sharing your work and time with us as always! 🔥💥🔥💯%!🏁

[@philippetays4263]

they were used in many farm applications, we had one in a swather

[@simpleserf]

As a Wisconsin Engine fan, thanks for posting this!

[@RobertBrown-vm3ce]

On our farm, our first skid-steer was a Case with a Wisconsin V4. It would fail to start at random times. One guy could always start it, though. You could see his lips moving as he was cussing that thing! "CJDLAFSOB!"

[@dfb1111]

Great video of a motor worth mentioning.

[@aaabbbccc543]

we had one of these in our Thompson plaster pumps. always ran, good engine but if it was a really hot summer day and pump was in the sun, sometimes the engine would vapor lock and we would have to put a water mister on the front to keep it cool... but they always ran