Starting a Rare Fairbanks Morse 3hp 'Z' True Hit and Miss Engine with Buzz Coil Ignition 

Great video, lots of detail! That is quite a find! We recently bought an engine that needs a buzz coil, nice to see the information. Weird Detroit Engine Works 3 Hp 2 stroke reversible vertical boat motor with a cooling water pump.

Thanks for sharing. Love this old stuff. We didn’t own anything like this, but my dad took me to local antique tractor shows and events. Ironically, we also had a Model N railroad layout we tinkered with.

Amazing-- thanks for putting another informative & significant historical video together, Jay-- so great to learn about these vintage engines.

Yet another superb video. In a moment of weakness.... Laynie understands. 😂 Careful around that buzzbox.... don't get "bit"!

I love your engine! Great find !

It's so great to see this video!! I found [and still have] one exactly like this one in 1972. Way before the internet, which brought me to this. I haven't had mine running for years but am going to get it running again and hope to power a line shaft machine shop I put together many years ago. I use a big electric motor to run it all the time but I have a smaller throttle governed enclosed crank that I've used before. I just want to get this out and running again. Mine still has the tin box with the knife switch and a model T coil like this one. When I dragged it out of a junk yard in 1972 the rocker arm was broken and missing but I figured that I could make something to braze on that would work but it would be a lot of trouble and thought. Imagine my happiness and surprise when in cleaning out all the junk in the water hopper I found that whoever broke the rocker arm off in the past was thoughtful enough to put it the the water hopper to be found! I brazed it up and it worked great. I had it running for years [after much trouble without the help of the internet] and with a load on the flywheels it would keep certain RPMs pretty well. I need 250 RPMs on the main shaft so the spring trick I just learned will most likely to come in handy. That and a bunch of pulleys. I'm so grateful to see this! Mine also has the same [but weary and rusted out] gas tank too. I now see one can even buy a new gas tank! Who'da thought?

Thanks for the video. I have a 1917 3HP Z ENGINE which is throttle governed with a plug oscillator , and was not aware that Fairbanks Morse made a Hit n Miss . Never to old to learn .😉 !

Your Z is a beautiful engine. I myself rebuilt a 1 1/2 1918 Z compression was not high due to pitting on the cylinder. I had a machine shop bore and sleeve it. The points were modified from original and now it’s a running machine.

very nice.i used to have a z 1 1/2 throttel gov.used to boil eggs while craking corn.

Thanks for the great explanation and demonstration of a unique governor mechanism. I wasn't aware that FM ever made anything but throttlers in the Z series.

Another fantastic video and project!

I can't wait to get mine going, thank for the inspiration.

You done did it again! Great Stuff! Suggest you keep the "Run Slow" spring installed. It better matches your own speed...

Love it Jay. Always wanted a hit and miss for our farms sourgum smasher. Something fun to watch other than a tractor.

Great work on that rare engine !! ......A good, clean Contacts, connections & wiring Properly Adjusted buzz Box should run Good off 6 volts.....Sometimes the Internal 0.22 uF 400 volt Condenser (Usually Buried within the wood Buzz box) goes "open" & Reduces the spark Intensity......New or Rebuilt boxes are available.....

Very informative video. Thanks

Thank you for sharing!!

Evening, im from England and have just purchased a 1 1/2 hp model dishpan

I wish they would make equipment half as good as this tofay

I also have one of those, it's twin a 3hp throttler with the AB mag...... And a 2 hp dish plan from 1923

This is really nice, Jay. Thank you for sharing your adventures. What? No Morse code whilst testing the buzz box? 😿 Good call on the choke issue. I would have suspected fuel delivery. 👍 I have extreme curiosity about the hit-and-miss mechanism. I will look it up to see if I can “see” it.

You will need to adjust the chock or / and the main jet. As you change the engine speed. To keep it dialed in to one hit between misses.

What a pretty red engine!!!! I'm sooo sure Laynie loves it!!!!

What were they used for?...

What was the point of the hit-and-miss firing cycle? Fuel consumption?

I've been looking for a good hit and miss engine, I have a idea for a good business that I can use one for

I've got one.. the mag hits on the workbench.. but not on engine

Type e mag

Any help??

I would have took the old spring 2 the hard ware store and matched it up 2 the closest I could find even the same spring tension also 😊😊 OMG 11 1O 2O23