TAYLOR VACUUM ENGINES

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Style A was the first sellable Taylor to come out. These engines had the following traits: serial numbers went from 5000-6999 (APP.). All 'A' types were 2 HP and were spark plug fired through the side of the block. The serial number was stamped on the face of the flywheel, (engine exhaust side) and name tag.

The A style engine came with low spoke flywheels. They could be gotten with two styles of ignition. These were a high tension Webster rotary magneto or battery with coil and timer. These engines had no governor and speed was controlled by gas supply and vacuum. They had a minimum speed of 275 RPM with a maximum speed of 400 RPM. They came with water cooled heads and cast iron gas tanks. The first A's had one oiler in the water hopper, later the A's came with two oilers, (one in hopper, one on vacuum cylinder).

The Taylor engine had a piston with two different diameters. The gas engine part of the piston is 3? O.D. and the vacuum end is 5³/₈' O.D. (APP.). On the style A, the ring configuration is 4 rings on the engine piston and 2 on the vacuum.

The vacuum is accomplished by two valves connected to the vacuum chamber, one on either side on the block. One is for the purpose of intake from the vacuum line and the other is the exhaust for the vacuum cylinder.

The style A engines were recalled by the company because of faulty lubrication, ignition and cooling problems. There are still a few style A engines around, so recall wasn't perfect.

Many owners wondered how the engine piston was lubricated. It was found that the oiler in the hopper on the style A sometimes caused the vacuum valves to leak due to excessive amounts of oil.

It was later suggested a small amount of Maytag oil be mixed with the gas before putting it in the tank. This helped some in the lubrication of the piston. But if the valves and cylinder above the piston were not cleaned every so often, cylinder wear would result, thus ending the engine's life.

Now these engines were replaced with the type B engine, serial numbers went from 7000 to 10,500 (App.), 1? HP, max. 480 RPM. The very first B's had a Webster magneto for ignition, but soon dropped it; replacing it with the Wico EK magneto, they also offered the Wico set up as a replacement to other previous engine buyers for $8.00 in 1925, also the battery and coil systems with timer could be obtained. All were of the hit and miss flyball governed type with air cooled head and sheet metal gas tanks. The 'B' engine came with dish, solid, and 6 spoke flywheels.

The engines Taylor built had an open base or leg-type base, which was called a broken base engine. He had this engine put under a stress test by a company in Chicago. The engine proved to be too light in weight and slightly weak, so he then changed to a fully enclosed base.

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