Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

I came across some old generators that the previous owner was going to throw away. I scooped them up! Since I’m not quite up to par at the moment a friend of mine was nice enough to go pick them up and bring them up to the house for me. They are old to be sure but I’m hoping they still work. 3 of them have B&S engines the other one is an Onan and I’m not sure who made that one. I feel confident I can get the engines to run if there any life left in them but I’ve never really messed with generators before. Do you guys have ane experience or advice? I love to hear your thoughts. Im going to be doing some research to see what I can learn.

I think they are worth putting a bit of time into. They are not as popular now as they once were for running power tools with the influx of battery operated tools.

They'll be worth spending a little time on. You never know how much run time they might have on them but a lot of times i think they did a lot of sitting around and wouldn't start when needed and where given up on.

So far my only experiance with old generators is that alot of them are low hour engines but the genny part for one reason or anouther no longer works . Parts and poeple that know how to repair them are few and far between now a days . But Low hour blocks that can be retro fitted into our tractors . Both my Onans are genny engines and I have 2 Kohlers waiting to be done .

I had a HF generator that died during a 7 day power outage. I quickly purchased a new one to get through the outage then later took the generator off the engine. The engine ran terrific but the stator was fried. I ordered a new one which had to come from China which took almost a year to receive. The wiring diagram that came with the stator didn’t match the colored wires from the generator. So HF gave me an email to contact and explain my dilemma. They sent me a revised wiring diagram which I used to install and it was back in working order. I only used it twice to power lights in my shop when I was wiring it in the evening. A few years later I purchased a Generac whole house system and sold the generator. I still had the second one I had purchased during the outage which I gave to my son in law for their house. I also had a Lincoln Onan powered welder that ran fine but didn’t seem to work in the amperage range to burn 1/8” electrodes. After getting into inspecting the electrical controls I noticed the windings on the controller for the amperage were burnt. I tried to clean it up but ended up buying a replacement for the part. The repair shop where I purchased it from told me that happens when it is used a lot in the same position. It worked terrific after replacing the part. Harry

I don’t know how many hours they have on them but one has a tag saying it was tested in 1996 and another says 2003 so they have been sitting for a long time. If I can get them working my friend the hauled them for me wants one. And I’d like to use the other three around here. I may use the engine off of one to try and repower my dad’s tiller that’s sitting behind the shop, it be nice to get it running again.

I’m looking forward to working on them!

I thought I’d look these over a little bit tonight. There’s enough oil in them to play around a little. They all rotate, and they all have spark that’s a great sign. I fed them a little gas and all 4 popped off! So I should have 4 engines that run.

I don’t know why but the Onan keeps catching my eye. Next they will need oil changes and at least 2 will need the carburetors gone through. Im making myself stop at this point. I should probably heal up a little more before I have gas and oil all over me!

@JSinMOJeff, I sent you a pm.

A wondering vagabond.

Spike aka Eugene

I don't know who knows this or doesn't . When dealing with any engine that has sat for long time . Especially splash lube.
Before trying to start as all the oil will have drained away to the bottom and may have condensation in the bottom of pan .

1- pull spark plug and put a little light oil in top end and leave out
2- drain and refill oil / over night or use heat gun ect to warm pan.
3- make sure engine has no access to fuel
4- with wide open throttle and no choke ,turn engine over a few times then let sit a couple of minutes .
5- turn engine over as fast as you can
6- repeat #5 a couple of times
Now the engine is lubed up ready for stresses of running
Check for compression to make sure no valve are sticking
Install good spark plug and fuel source
Start engine

Most damage to cam lobes and bearings,rod journals is done to engines that sit for long periods times on first start up . This procedure will prevent this .

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 6:30 am I don't know who knows this or doesn't . When dealing with any engine that has sat for long time . Especially splash lube.
Before trying to start as all the oil will have drained away to the bottom and may have condensation in the bottom of pan .

1- pull spark plug and put a little light oil in top end and leave out
2- drain and refill oil / over night or use heat gun ect to warm pan.
3- make sure engine has no access to fuel
4- with wide open throttle and no choke ,turn engine over a few times then let sit a couple of minutes .
5- turn engine over as fast as you can
6- repeat #5 a couple of times
Now the engine is lubed up ready for stresses of running
Check for compression to make sure no valve are sticking
Install good spark plug and fuel source
Start engine

Most damage to cam lobes and bearings,rod journals is done to engines that sit for long periods times on first start up . This procedure will prevent this .

Good information to know David. Thanks Harry

@DavidBarkey Excellent procedure Dave. That’s how it should be, thanks for typing it up!

I don’t want to open a can of worms on the oil debate, but what’s your thoughts on oil? I believe these would have called for a straight 30WT non detergent. I’ve considered the Shell 15/40.

JSinMO wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 9:14 am @DavidBarkey Excellent procedure Dave. That’s how it should be, thanks for typing it up!

I don’t want to open a can of worms on the oil debate, but what’s your thoughts on oil? I believe these would have called for a straight 30WT non detergent. I’ve considered the Shell 15/40.

Yes that is what was required at the time those engine were built . Since then advances in oil technology has given us many more option than were available back then . For what it is worth , I use 15w40 diesel oil in my flat head engines in the summer months . The zink and sulphur not found in gas gas engine oils offers added protection .
My 2 cents worth . You may keep the change .

My only experience with generators was when I bought one from a guy who was parting out an old motor home. His add said it was in working condition so I brought it home and tried to turn it over by hand. No go wouldn't budge.
Then I separated the generator part from the engine and found a mouse nest under the bottom of the ring gear where there's very little clearance.

That nest had straw, dirt, twigs some kind of cotton type fibre packed in so tight it took a few different tools and a bit of time to remove it. After that
the engine could finally rotate thankfully.

The generator housing was so corroded it pretty much broke in pieces during disassembly. The wiring in the control box was a mess but since the engine was for the GT it didn't matter. So it kind of shows you not every non functioning generator is junk. If I was more careful taking it apart and pre soaking the screws, nuts and bolts with penetrating fluid it probably would have been a good generator to have .

For interest in these generators there's a forum called Smokestack Generator Forum that's similar to tractor forums with lots of Onan info.

@keith Thanks for the tip about the smokestack forum I haven’t been over there in a long time. Not even sure I knew they had a generator section. I’ll have to go poke around!

I never searched google but you may find forums dedicated to each brand of generators you have.

Well I just can’t stand to wait any longer! I’m going to see if the guys will run.

Here our first victim……..I mean test subject! I followed @DavidBarkey set up procedure
And put some gas and Seafome in the tank. I’ve always had an affinity for these 1970s era Briggs & Stratton engines. They just seem to work no matter what, and as it turns out this one is no different! I set the choke and gave a couple of pulls and away it went! The engine sounds great to me, runs smoothly, but the generator isn’t making power.

Here’s an old voltage tester for you and yes it still works good! I decided to see if I can get them all running then circle back to the generators. Up next is the Onan. Got it ready to try but gas was pouring out of the carburetor. I took it off and I think I see the problem! She is gummed up! Took awhile to clean it all up and I still couldn’t get it to start. You guys know the drill had the carburetor off a couple of time and then try again. It put up a bit of a fight, and it almost made me say bad words, but it finally took off and ran! Looking over this one makes me wonder it they were scavenging parts from it for other machines. It was set up at one time for an electric starter. Also the governor spring is missing. You guys that are purists or actual real mechanics can turn your heads now! Because I used what I had, the spring out of an ink pen! Tell me I didn’t grow up on a farm! I’m 2 for 2 so far, but the generator doesn’t work on this one either I’m wonder if they lost magnetism from sitting so long?
Finger crossed that the other 2 run!

Well I was supposed to mow the grass today but I just couldn’t tear myself away.
I started working on the the 3rd one, it looks to be an older generator attached to maybe a mid 1990s Briggs engine. It too needed some carburetor work, the diaphragm was stuck but I was able to carefully loosen it up and what do you know this one seems to work fine! I might as well go after the last one! It sure would appear this one has been fed a hot supper more than once! I got it ready to run and I got nothing. No fuel getting to the chamber. So I pulled the carburetor off. Kinda interesting old setup. This looks to be an older Briggs engine It would be nice to try to figure out how old it is. I cleaned it up and reinstalled it and gave it a whirl, successfully! We’re making power! I still have some carburetor work to do though. It will run the bowl empty and then die. I can keep it fluttering along for a bit by choking it. I think the needle it sticking.

So all in all a pretty successful day. All four engines now will run after sitting for a couple of decades. Since I still have a little work to do on the last one we’ll call engine work95% done and half the generator actually generate.

Having spent the weekend working on a generator, I can say, your machines have much nicer access... I was a hundred bolts or so in to the sheet metal covers of an MEP-802a Military surplus diesel unit.

I had a couple Winco gen sets such as you have here. They had those bomb-proof Briggs on them. No matter how much I neglected them, they'd always start (somtimes with a wiff of ether). They always made power fine for items that didn't care about power quality. When I inherited my folks place, that put me at 4 generators. The Wincos were both the oldest, and only 2000 watts, so they hit the auction block. I kept a couple more modern Briggs powered machines that also put out kinda trashy power, but more of it. So far, they have been very good with starting after neglect, but they'll never have the life span of those old machines.

I just got the MEP as a whole house unit. They're apprently good at making clean power. Everything has a computer in it now, so that's become more of an issue for me. Plus, being diesel fired, I know I'm not going to have the same kind of fuel storage issues. Having a 1000 gallon heating oil tank will take care of any potential need I have. I usually only burn 800 or so over the winter, so that's a pretty big safety margin for reserve fuel storage.

Thought I’d have a look at the 2 that aren’t making power. I took the back of the generators off and clean the connections and pick up rings then back together and I’ll be darned! Now all 4 are running and making juice!
But now I feel a little bad to scavenge one to power the old tiller. Might have to think it over a bit!

Before declaring victory, you might want to run them under a heavy load close to their rating. The drop light is inspiring, but a heavy load is where it's at.

After that, sell 'em off, and buy the right motor for your tiller. (you could wait for a storm, and sell at a premium, but done is good more often than not)

Toolslinger wrote: ↑Mon May 06, 2024 5:30 am Before declaring victory, you might want to run them under a heavy load close to their rating. The drop light is inspiring, but a heavy load is where it's at.

After that, sell 'em off, and buy the right motor for your tiller. (you could wait for a storm, and sell at a premium, but done is good more often than not)

I completely agree with both your points. The light was an easy “proof of life”. As time and opportunity presents itself I’ll will be putting them under a load to make sure they will handle it.

The second part of your post is a bit more complicated. My father grew up in the depression era/WW2 on a farm. I’m sure a lot of us had someone from that time frame in our lives. I, for better or worse, inherited the “dont get rid of anything, you might need it” way of thinking.

It’s the old, one is none, two is one, and three is better philosophy. I should sell them to get other things I need, but the truth is they will probably stay here until we decide to sell out and move on, or I kick the bucket and the auctioneer sells them for me!

JSinMO wrote: ↑Tue May 07, 2024 12:18 am
The second part of your post is a bit more complicated. My father grew up in the depression era/WW2 on a farm. I’m sure a lot of us had someone from that time frame in our lives. I, for better or worse, inherited the “dont get rid of anything, you might need it” way of thinking.

I understand completely, - My Dad was born in '34 and had exactly the same "don't get rid of anything" philosophy - I also inherited that gene and the desire to try fixing things instead of throwing them out and buying new... trying to downsize and "declutter" for the move from the city to the country has been especially challenging, you never know which treasures might be useful in the future

Oh, I get it... Dad was born in '33. He passed in '22. It took many months to clean out/up to the point I could even have the auction in PA, and estate sale in NJ. I'm still working on it now since I couldn't part with too much of it at the time.
Plus, moving out to PA showed me just how much stuff I had myself.

I'm doing my level best to break that habit. (as I type away with 3 generators on hand, but in fairness, it's kinda 1 for each main building) If I can get myself down to 1 of any given thing in any given location, I'll call it a win. (which really means I need to sell one of the 646's, but that's another issues all together)