OLDS PETROL ENGINE TYPE A – c. 1908

The Museum’s Olds is a type “A” mounted on a transporter. These engines ranged in capacity from 1½hp to 4½hp and use petrol for fuel, where as the “AK” uses kerosene in the 3hp to 12hp range. The engine was imported into W.A. by William Sandover & Company, and, as with most imported Olds engines, it uses a water-tank cooling system. Speed governing is via a Hit and Miss Function which uses bob weights to latch the exhaust valve open and the inlet valve closes owing to there being no vacuum, so reducing the revolutions per minute (rpm) back to the desired level.

History: The Olds Engine Company was founded in 1880 by P.F Olds and his sons Wallace and Ransom, producing gas engines. In 1899 Ransom Olds branched out to manufacture motor cars, having great success with the Oldsmobile. Ransom left the company in 1904 to form REO Motor Co. and the company was then reorganised.  The stationary engine side was renamed the Seager Engine Works of Lansing Michigan (see photograph) and survived till 1912.