Is it worth the drive back? (FR2)

[westcoaster]

Went for a drive on Wednesday and stumbled across this thing sitting out in the bush. I am surprised no one has holed the block with a high powered rifle yet. (The area is littered with spent shot gun shells and everything else has been shot up)

Engine is stuck solid. I tried to bar it over with a four foot bar. Someone had flipped the covers off exposing the valves (I placed the covers back on for the pic) scavangers had been after it for the copper but left the gen head alone (5Kw) I figure this stuff has been sitting for 25 years or so.

How much effort to free up the engine? all the levers seem to move what they need to move. It doesn't appear as if the valves are stuck. Spare parts?

[Combustor]

Hello there Westcoaster,
                                  Your FR2 looks fairly complete, and as long as it has the injection gear undamaged, it's a good chance it could be salvaged. Their design
postdates the CS types and they are one robust engine. They were only in production for 9 or 10 years from mid 1950's I think, and were discontinued when the new
aircooled series proved more popular,(and possibly cheaper to make). Being totally enclosed and self lubricating, they were a great marine engine. I hope to find one
someday, but they seem thin on the ground here in Australia. Spares can be a problem, as I don't think the Indians built anything equivalent. If you are keen on
rebuilding or restoring, grab it with both hands, or pass it on to someone who will give it the attention it deserves,    Regards,   Combustor.

[wrightkiller]

YES 

[westcoaster]

If I break the pieces down into the main components (engine, gen head, stand) can two people lift it?

[billswan]

If I break the pieces down into the main components (engine, gen head, stand) can two people lift it?

only if you are both BIG guys and willing to take a chance on getting  hurt

How close can you get a pickup or trailer up to it?

If you can get a low trailer right up to it 2 guys could possibly walk the pieces onto the trailer.

Are you real sure it is free for the taking the owner may still be somewhere near by? The place may be shot up but it could be the owners kid or someone else that may see you and call up the owner.

That thing must sit on private property no one would put that thing on public land and walk away.

[apogee_man]

Yes, it's worth the drive imho.

I would definitely go get it if you can get permission from the owner.

Even broken down into pieces, these things are damn heavy.  Safer to figure out some kind of lifting equipment, especially if you need to lift it up into a pickup truck bed...

I would guess the flywheel itself is a couple of hundred pounds alone.

I'm guessing the engine is around 600 lbs by itself with no generator, so you might be able to drag it but not likely you will be able to lift it...

The adventure getting it is always half of the fun!  Just don't hurt yourself while doing it....

Also, grab the I-beam base if you can while you're at it.  Otherwise you'll just end up making another one...

But again, get permission from the owner first, otherwise you might end up with bad juju. 

Steve

[westcoaster]

Hmmmm.... I suppose it could be someone's property. As best I can see it is an abandoned mine site.




It's housed in the shed behind the wheel loader. The tail end of the wheel loader is blocking me from getting a pickup right to it.



anyone want a bulldozer?

[LowGear]

Dear westcoaster,

That really looks like the Pacific Northwest?  Maybe if you had AAA you could tell them your engine fell out and you need it towed to the nearest repair shop. 

Casey

[apogee_man]

You will have to drag it out then.

I'd take as much of it as possible apart first.

Are you located here in the Pac NW?

Steve

[westcoaster]

Located in British Columbia. (Canada eh!)

Would rather not disclose too much more as to location as I won't be able to get back to this until the fall (survived out there for 25+ years what's another couple months?)

[Doug]

Nice find on the engine.

It does piss me off however to see a small time mining outfit up and walk away leaving a mess like that.

Its mostly the waste oil and fuel that gets abandoned and leaks into the ground and my worst fear explosisves. I live in a mining town and camp near Jr.s and exploration drills. Too often I fin messes left behind and piles of burned garbage, a lack of respect for others...

The Scoop looks like an old Wagner  ST6 ( B series ).
Great old school machinery

[apogee_man]

Figured that it was up here someplace...

I don't know what you have for a truck, or how it's setup, but I have been considering doing something like this on one of mine.  You might also consider it or find someone who already has a setup like it.

Would be a cinch to pull that genset...

It was likely put there with something similar.

I plan on making mine removable with pins so it's not on the truck all of the time, but easy to install when I do need it....

Since you won't be back until fall, I am guessing that you have time to put something together.

Might also look around for the fuel tank if it hasn't been destroyed...

Food for thought...

Steve

[contaucreek]

I picked up a 750 lb engine a couple of weeks ago and the owner (80 yrs old) had moved it 150 feet out to the road before I got there simply by using rollers and levers. Shouldn't make how to move it your biggest concern, just who it really belongs to. Jeez man us Easterners aren't used to a view like that....I'd move my house to the engine !!!! Good luck with the Freedom twin. P.

[tlfrantz1]

I used to have a Dodge Power Wagon like the one in the pic---I drove it to high school for a year and loved it!

Tommy

[LowGear]

Hey!

Do the environment a favor and steal anything you want from this testimony to why environmental laws are necessary and make sense.  Or ask the owners' how much they'd pay to have some of the crap removed.  One mans crap is anothers man's treasure - something like that.

Casey