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.
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.
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
@@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
@@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.
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.
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)
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.
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!)
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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??
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!"
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.
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.
I really love the video's about engine history, it's so nice to learn about. Could you do one about Hatz or Lister/Petter aswell? Those were the european small engines that powered everything :p
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
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! 🔥💥🔥💯%!🏁
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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 😂
This is rite a stone throw away from my house and I NEVER knew what history was there.. I recently learned about the ladish hammer , my GPA actually operated the overhead crane there at ladish for 30+yrs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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.
I can't afford to support your ,,,A1,,,, channel financially . But THANK YOU for the Excellent Subjects and analysis/presentation/information ... Kindest regards from me....skint petrolhead , More power to yer production ... REAL.
My grandfather had a McCormick-Deering combine powered by a Wisconsin V4. It was difficult to start with the hand crank and the heat from the engine cooked the guy working on the bagging platform. I was happy the day that combine was sold.
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
We had an old JI Case swather for cutting hay. It had a VG4D. constantly overheated. You'd just let it cool down for 20 minutes and it would run fine for another hour or so. Lol
Had a v4 Wisconsin on a hay bailer in the mid 1960’s set out in the rain and snow and local shade tree mechanic would always get it to run. Loud as hell muffler had rusted away years ago.
As for the distintive sound of the older ve, ve, vh, vp engines, it is due to a flat-plane (180 deg. ) crank in a 90 deg v block One side fires at 180 degree intervals followed by a 270 degree space then the other side fires at 180 degree intervals, then a 90 degree space before the first side fires again. This isn't as apparent as it might be because the magneto runs at engine speed and wastes the spark when the cylinder is not on top compression. This really drives people nuts when they try to get the wires straight if they are not familiar with this. Configure the wires according to when the pistons come to top dead center regardless of the firing order, and everything will be all right.
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 TH-cam 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.
Spent many hours operating MJ1 and MJ4 bomb lift machines in the USAF. They were then equipped with a 3 speed standard transmission. Later MJ4 had hydrostatic drive. Hydraulic system was very capable, and would still like an MJ4 with the adjustable front wheel spreader and articulated lift arm. Those things ran thousands of hours in tropical areas with seeming little maintenance. Before that experience I worked on my cousin's farm and his self powered hay baler, also Wisconsin V4 powered. He used another to build a "jalopy" for fun, would now be called a rat rod.
I remember these , drink like a fish from memory about 20l hour replaced them with deutz , more reliable and drank about 5l hour under the same load with the added bonus of been able to use the machine inside this was back in late 70s early 80s aerial access equipment
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.
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.
Our parents wanted cheaper and cheaper products and their bosses wanted cheaper labor, neither thought about the long term ramifications.
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
Thank you for your fun fact
Ask if you can have it!
It would be fun to see how much HP you could actually get out of one of these using typical hotrodding techniques!
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
@@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
@@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.
Just make it rev higher. Or add a turbo.
[I never said anything about longevity.....]
Its a flathead, so my gess is 75 hp with out boost, and say 125hp with boost for the old v4.
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.
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)
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.
I can imagine that!
It’s about time someone finally made a historical video of these old workhorse’s!
Great job!
I’m from the Canadian Prairies, these engines used to be everywhere. Not many left anymore
Agreed.....best air cooled any where....better than the vw
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!)
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.
I had a Hesston self propelled mower that had the same problem.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
These always sounded a whole lot like a light aircraft engine.
Great video!
basiclly the "modern" piston aircraft engine (air cooled) is 1930's technology...about from whence these Wisconsins came....
@@JohnSmith-yv6eq Yes.
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.
Excellent video!
I own seven V4 Wisconsins. They are simple and reliable.
Cheers from Vermont USA
I remember those when I was a kid doing farm work in the early 70's . Those things would run all day everyday .
Got a 2 speed bobcat with one. Works great, always starts in the winter. Leaks a lot, but still a little workhorse
This reminds me of my childhood tractor that was powered by a Wisconsin TH twin cylinder. Awesome to see a video about these!
Me too! Mine was in a Gibson Super D2.
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.
Thank you, Michael!
Very interesting. When I was a kid back in the '50's, we had an irrigation system powered by one of these.
I started working on Wisconsins in 1977 as an apprentice. I'm retired now but I still get asked to fix them!
So cool someone actually dedicated a video to the V4 Wisconsins🙏
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??
Had one on a old trencher and it was a beautiful lil beast. Yes they are loud as hell.
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.
Thanks for making this! This is the kind of stuff I love to see more of Unsung heros for sure!
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
Was that a Hesston 220 mower?
@@ffjsb was a New Holland three wheeled swather from the 60s
@@65bug519 Hesston's were three wheeled too. It was like a belt driven Zero turn mower.
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.
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.
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.
In new Zealand I had one on a lincoln electric arc welder
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.
Ive worked on a few of these. Some of our old old concrete saws had them
Our saws were hand cranked. Always had to be careful not to break your thumb if it backfired. Good power for its size
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.
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.
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.
Spent many days on a self propelled swather with a Wisconsin V4 in the 1970s. It was a good reliable simple engine.
Thanks Visio for another great video! I love that you're now also tackling non-automotive engines.
the video= good; the "closed captioning" stank !!!
@@georgepruitt637 It's still early days for voice recognition. It is improving all the time.
Got one on my hydroseeder. She runs like a dream
Some of our older bomb jack still use the VH4D, if it's in good repair they are amazing.
Great video. I have one. Been thinking about rebuilding. Also a 2 cylinder on log slitter It still runs perfectly.
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.
I love my skid loader. It has the VH4d engine in it.
I've been a fan of these engines for many years, thank you for making this video
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.
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!"
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.
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.
I really love the video's about engine history, it's so nice to learn about. Could you do one about Hatz or Lister/Petter aswell? Those were the european small engines that powered everything :p
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
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! 🔥💥🔥💯%!🏁
Had one that used one bank to compress air …. Made a unique sound when running
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.
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
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
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.
Many farm machines were powered by these. Miss that sound.
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.
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
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.
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 😂
tag on side of block, could be a F162, or F163.
My 1946 Hyster QC20 has one. Still running!
This is rite a stone throw away from my house and I NEVER knew what history was there.. I recently learned about the ladish hammer , my GPA actually operated the overhead crane there at ladish for 30+yrs
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.
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.
What does the b stand for? I assume it’s bonus
@@joshmanis9860 it stands for brake horsepower
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.
The Wisconsen and the Hobart welder is the best you can get.
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.
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.
@@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.
In the late 80’s we still had these in the USMC Bulk Fuel as a 350 GPM Fuel Pump...
I have often wanted to have one of the smaller flathead models to make a motorcyle of, but even they seem too heavy.
Funnily, they are not that small 😁
I can't afford to support your ,,,A1,,,, channel financially . But THANK YOU for the Excellent Subjects and analysis/presentation/information ... Kindest regards from me....skint petrolhead , More power to yer production ... REAL.
they were used in many farm applications, we had one in a swather
As a Wisconsin Engine fan, thanks for posting this!
A variant of this engine was used in an all aluminum bodied, air dropped, small jeep. I wish I could find one.
Great video of a motor worth mentioning.
My grandfather had a McCormick-Deering combine powered by a Wisconsin V4. It was difficult to start with the hand crank and the heat from the engine cooked the guy working on the bagging platform. I was happy the day that combine was sold.
WE HAD SAME PROBLEM!!
THE CURE ?
SHIT CAN THE WICO MAG, RUN ONLY FAIRANKS MORSE MAGS!!
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
That's down to the wear parts stirring up concrete..stones and sand!
Every bailer I ever worked with/behind back in the 50's and 60's had a V4 Wisconsin air cooled engine on it. Never had one not start.
We had an old JI Case swather for cutting hay. It had a VG4D. constantly overheated. You'd just let it cool down for 20 minutes and it would run fine for another hour or so. Lol
Had a v4 Wisconsin on a hay bailer in the mid 1960’s set out in the rain and snow and local shade tree mechanic would always get it to run. Loud as hell muffler had rusted away years ago.
Used them for years. Great torque ..
still use these on the farm I work on now, they can power grain augers like nothing
As for the distintive sound of the older ve, ve, vh, vp engines, it is due to a flat-plane (180 deg. ) crank in a 90 deg v block One side fires at 180 degree intervals followed by a 270 degree space then the other side fires at 180 degree intervals, then a 90 degree space before the first side fires again. This isn't as apparent as it might be because the magneto runs at engine speed and wastes the spark when the cylinder is not on top compression. This really drives people nuts when they try to get the wires straight if they are not familiar with this. Configure the wires according to when the pistons come to top dead center regardless of the firing order, and everything will be all right.
Years ago I rented a chipper with one of these. Unfortunately, I haven't come across one since.
Great engine and I love working on them
Another excellent video.🏅
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 TH-cam 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.
Spent many hours operating MJ1 and MJ4 bomb lift machines in the USAF. They were then equipped with a 3 speed standard transmission. Later MJ4 had hydrostatic drive. Hydraulic system was very capable, and would still like an MJ4 with the adjustable front wheel spreader and articulated lift arm. Those things ran thousands of hours in tropical areas with seeming little maintenance. Before that experience I worked on my cousin's farm and his self powered hay baler, also Wisconsin V4 powered. He used another to build a "jalopy" for fun, would now be called a rat rod.
We had a 28 hp and a 32hp manual start bears to get running if you run them hard they use a lot of fuel
I remember these , drink like a fish from memory about 20l hour replaced them with deutz , more reliable and drank about 5l hour under the same load with the added bonus of been able to use the machine inside this was back in late 70s early 80s aerial access equipment
I spent hours in close proximity to one of these on a Versatile swather, and I have the hearing to prove it.
Those old beast made massive amounts of low end torque. Can you do a video on the onan or kohler opposed cylinder engines?
Very interesting information, thanks.
I have one on my Vermeer 630b stump grinder..still runs
There only drawback was that they were quite heavy for their size.
their only real competition was the Onan engines.
Good video. Thanks
These air cooled engines started to burn oil like crazy after some years of use
In northeast Ohio, some Amish run the the V4 on bailers and other farm implants. They r extremely old, but sound great with a straight pipe exhaust 👍