Johnson Iron Horse JOHNSON IRON HORSE INFORMATION These engines were designed for washing machines, lawn mowers, small automobiles, lighting plants pumps, and numerous other machines. The angle cylinder permits low height for engine mounting in close quarters and for keeping the center of gravity low. The engine’s adaptability to numerous installations is made possible by a wide variation in equipment, e.g., foot-pedal, rope and hand start.
The regular gasoline tank for the suction-feed engine has a one-quart capacity; however, other tanks of special dimensions could be use on the engine. A one-gallon cast-iron tank could also serve as a substantial tank. On the engines with the down-draft float-feed carburetors, an overhead tank could be mounted on the engine, or some other gravity arrangement could be used. The exhaust outlets also may be modified, and a special screen for the air intake to flywheel-fan was available for the engines.
On some generator-set applications, shielding of ignition was required. Belt or direct drive could be taken from either end of the crankshaft. Iron Horse engines are regularly equipped with a V-belt pulley on each side ( pulleys in various sizes). A dry-type air filter could be used on the suction-fed carburetor intake, while the oil-bath type were used on the down-draft float-fed X-500 engine. ENGINES The engine operates on a four-stroke-cycle principal requiring four strokes of the piston to complete the event of the cycle of intake, compression, power, and exhaust. Two poppet valves (intake and exhaust) allow the admission of fresh fuel changes, while discharge of the burned gases is by way of the two valves. The intake and exhaust, which operate by cams, are timed close at predetermined positions of the piston.
LUBRICATION Lubrication is by the splash system from the crankcase, with a splash arm on the connecting rod. The crankcase’s oil capacity is 3/4 pint. The regular gasoline tank with suction-fed carburetor has a one-quart capacity, while the overhead gravity-fed tank’s capacity is three quarts. The base gasoline tank’s capacity is two quarts.
HOW TO START THE ENGINE. Be sure engine crankcase is filled with oil. Fill gas tank with regular-grade gasoline. Do not use high-grade gasoline.
Johnson Iron Horse Engine Serial Numbers
Pull up on choke button. Do not use choke to start when engine is warm unless necessary.
Step firmly (do not stomp) on starting pedal. Engine should start on two or three cranking efforts when cold if choked properly. Push choke button in gradually upon to start the engine.
To stop, Pull-up on the choke button. OTHER SPECIFICATIONS Spark Plug: 14 mm., 3/8 Champion, J8 Governor — Mechanical fly-ball type mounted on crankshaft inside crankcase. Close speed control. Speed adjustment.
2 Donnacona Crescent Scarborough, Ontario M1E 3P9 My interest in engines began about ten years ago when visiting my sister in Milton, Ontario. It never seemed to fail that we picked the Labor Day weekend for our visits when the Steam Era Show was on. We could hear the steam whistles off in the distance, and I was told about the steam show in progress.
After a couple of years I decided it was time to take a look for myself firsthand, and I was amazed at all the activity going on. I thought it would be great to own one of those engines. I had always been somewhat mechanically inclined, so about five years ago I decided to take a night school course in small engines. Little did I know the bug had bitten.
I started simply enough, overhauling all the small engines in my possession. After the first year I had run out of engines of my own, so I fixed a few for friends the second year, but soon even these were in short supply. By the third year I started buying any old engine I could find and fixing it. About this time I was working on Briggs, as these were the easiest to find. A friend said, 'Why don't you get a cast iron one to work on?' Little did I know it, but that old iron bug had me hooked after I finished my first cast iron engine, a model 9 Briggs.
I started to look for something different, and that's when I stumbled across the Johnson Iron Horse. It sure looked different with its angled cylinder and suction carburetor. Photo B: left to right, Model X436 hand start and X417 foot start wash machine model with long choke cable and flexible exhaust pipe.
Well, now my collecting moved into high gear. Where would I find these engines that have not been made for over 40 years? The first year I found fifteen of them. Some were restorable and others would be a future parts supply. Most of the engines still had their engine tags attached, and this started the first of many puzzles what did all the model numbers mean?
The answer to this question eluded me until one day, while I was buying some Briggs parts, I asked the chap about Iron Horse engines. I asked him if he had any manuals on these engines. He was kind enough to let me photocopy them. This not only answered my first question about the model numbers but started my collection of Iron Horse repair and parts manuals. At this point I had to decide what direction this hobby would lead. Would I steer to the big hit and miss which I had longed for, or would I stay with the smaller engines?
Living in the city presents a space problem. I do have a double garage, but space is at a premium, what with lawn mowers, bicycles, work bench and all the other things one ac-cumulates. With this in mind, I decided to go in the direction of the smaller engine.
I could collect a wider variety, store them easily, and (only having a car and trailer) I could transport them to the shows with ease. This brings me back to the Johnson Iron Horse: a simple little engine but rugged enough to run with little attention.
It is the only four cycle engine made by Johnson. These engines were assembled at Waukegan, Illinois, and at the Peterborough, Ontario, factory. This engine seems to descend from their Utilimotor as a compact dependable engine. To quote from one of their advertising brochures they describe them this way: 'Johnson Iron Horse engines are available in two convenient sizes to develop either?
Or 1.34 horsepower. The dependable Iron Horse is widely used to provide power at low cost for washing machines, lawn mowers, pumping water, electrical generators and a host of other uses on the farm, in garages, workshops or home.' There were five basic models: X100, X200, X300, X400 and the X500. These models could be also shown as X1, X2, X3, or X4.
The X100, X200, X300, X400 series all used a suction type carburetor and the same 2? Inch bore and a 1 inch stroke. The X500 series has a gas tank mounted over the engine and a float carburetor.
The bore is increased to 2 inches and the stroke 1 inches. With this change the horsepower is rated at 1.34- The one other combination used was a 2 inch bore with the suction carburetor; this they rated a 1 HP.
This simple engine was also used on a series of generators. They used the suction carburetor and the base became the gas tank holding about a gallon of gas which enabled the engine to run for many hours charging batteries.
The Canadian army also used this generator to charge their radio batteries during the Second World War. This model featured a waterproof plug and ignition wire, air cleaner and a protective cage. I will try and describe some of the many differences of these engines as the variations become complex. The length of a choke cable or the size of pulley will create another model, so I will keep these descriptions as simple and basic as possible, starting with the X100, X200 and the X300.
With these three models the cylinder and crankcase were cast in one piece. The X200 and X300 used different suction carburetors.
They all had the same starting system, which was a foot starter or hand starter depending on the model. All models utilized a mechanical governor. With the X400 and X500 series the cylinder and crankcase were cast separately. They also used different carburetors, one suction, the other float. They shared numerous starter systems which include two types of starter handles and five different-shaped foot starters. They also had a recoil rope starter which I am told was a first.
A mechanical or air vane governor were also used, as was the backup rope pulley starter. The generator sets could be started with a battery or the rope pulley starter. I have tried to keep the descriptions as accurate and simple as possible. My estimation is that there are over 100 different models. I now have five restored and fifteen restorable engines and many parts engines which are essential in any restoring project. Five generator sets, two Bob a Lawn lawnmowers that were made in Canada, and one Evinrude Lawn Boy powered by an Iron Horse engine round out my collection.
The main reason for me writing this article is the hope of getting some more background material on this engine. It seems that the history is very sketchy as to the exact year production started and finished. I have been told that all the records at the Peterborough plant were destroyed, and Waukegan had no records either. Maybe somewhere out there someone who worked at either plant has some vital information that could be passed along answering so many questions about this engine. I would like to hear from other Iron Horse collectors who may have information they would like to share, or if I have made any mistakes I would like to hear about them.
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Johnson Iron Horse Serial Number
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