Identifying  Engines & Parts
Updated 05-29-2008

Abbreviations: DEW = Detroit Engine Works.  WMC = Wadsworth Manufacturing Co.  DMCS = Detroit Motor Car Supply Co.  CEC = Columbia Engine Co.  MSBC = Michigan Steel Boat Co.  DBC = Detroit Boat Co.  SMPC = Standard Motor Parts Co.    CPMC = Caille Perfection Motor Co.  MEC = Middleditch Engine Co.  BGEC = Bessemer Gas Engine Co.  TMC = Thrall Motor Co.   T&MC = Termaat & Monahan Co.  AEC = American Engine Co.   PIW = Petoskey Iron Works.               

The information on this page was collected from original Detroit Engine Works, Detroit Motor Car Supply Co. & related companies manuals, parts bulletins, patents, ad literature, etc... That has been scanned and posted on this website and is believed to be accurate. The color photo's are believed to be original factory parts. If you have original literature, documentations, photos that you would like to donate so that other collectors and restores may view this information.  please e-mail me.    mazak@rocketmail.com  

There are a number of companies that manufactured engines stationary and marine that appear to look just like or very similar to the DEW two cycle style engines produced back in the early 1900's. The information below will explain what some of the differences are on the engines manufactured or sold by DEW, DMCS, CEC, MSBC, DBC, CPMC, MEC, BGEC, PIW.  

MSBC & DBC were boat manufactures that used other companies marine engines in their boats mostly DEW engines. MSBC retagged their engines with their on tag.   DBC did not retag the DEW engines in their boats.

The stationary Middleditch & Bessemer engines have their own unique fuel feeder injector which bolts to the engine with a two hole type flange. The exhaust manifold is square box looking and bolts on with three or four studs. Heavy cast iron box style engine base with hinging door is also unique to the Middleditch & Bessemer
engines. These are all differences that makes it easy to identify these two companies engines from the DEW style engines. I don't believe these two companies made two cycle marine engines at least I have never seen one.

 CPMC stationary engines also have unique features such as the tapered ends of the crank shaft with nuts used to hold the flywheels on . Most of the DEW style stationary engines used gib keys to secure the flywheels. Air intake & governor arm on the CPMC engines are cast different then DEW styles. (See photos CPMC section). These unique features make this companies engine easy to distinguish from other DEW style engines.

CPMC marine engines are a little more difficult to identify from the DEW style engine. Some of the Caille marine engines have tapered ends with nuts on the crank shaft and some do not. Advance & retard timer lever has square spring loaded ignition contact. I have never seen this on DEW style engines.

If you have a Detroit type marine engine with no name tag it is going to be difficult to figure out what manufacture made your engine.  I'm currently starting to look at casting numbers as maybe away to identify the manufacture. Also if you have a Detroit type stationary engine with two flywheels that has no name tag it will be difficult to figure out who the manufacture is unless it is a Middleditch or Bessemer these engines are fairly easy to identify from a Detroit by looking at the fuel injector, exhaust manifold, engine base, cylinder shape, etc..

Peterson Automatic Fuel Feeder-Injector
Manufactured by Ben J. Middleditch.

   The early two piece Automatic fuel feeder-injector (patent # 926,892) was designed by John Peterson and Frederick O. Peterson patented on July 6, 1909 manufactured by Ben J. MiddleDitch for DEW. It appears that this fuel injector was produced a number of years before being patented  in 1909.  A DEW engine catalog dated 1907,1908 shows this same fuel feeder-injector with a different style ribbed fuel reservoir cap, see photo's below.  Original literature shows that this early style fuel reservoir-injector was used on DEW stationary and Marine engines. At this time I do not have proof that this reservoir-injector was used on other brand name engines but there is a good possibility that is was.

Sources = (1906-1908 DEW Catalog), (U.S. Patent # 926,892), (1909 DEW Catalog), (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914), (1915 DEW Catalog), (Information embossed on Peterson fuel feeders).

The early two piece style first appeared around the 1907-1908 time period.



 

Barthel Automatic Fuel Feeder- Injector
Manufactured by Detroit Engine Works.


  The one piece fuel feeder-Injector (patent # 1,026,425) were designed by Frederick Barthel sometime before 1912 and then patented May 14, 1912 manufactured by DEW.  There were 3 styles of this one piece fuel feeder/Injector produced. All three styles are believed to be patented under the same patent number. They are listed below in the order in which they were produced.

1st style:    flat top with a U shaped tube on the top.
2nd style:   flat top with hex cast on the top.   
3rd style:   Acorn hex top.  

Sources = (U.S,Patent # 1,026,425), (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914), (1915 DEW Catalog).

                             
1st style                                                    2nd style

I have literature that shows this first style fuel feeder injector was used on DEW, CEC stationary engines.
Literature shows the second style being used on DEW, DMCS stationary engines.  I'm sure that all three style fuel feeder injectors were probably used on other make and/or style engines.

3rd style




                                                                      

This 3rd style fuel feeder injector with the acorn top was also introduced around the 1911-1912 time period. Literature shows that these fuel feeder injectors were used on all DEW, DMCS stationary engines with two flywheels. Also used on some of the DEW, DMCS single flywheel stationary and marine engines.
  
  Some of the 3rd style fuel feeders had a primer cup valve that was mounted to the top of the acorn cap or the side of the reservoir, This allowed you to prime the fuel reservoir after the engine had set for a period of time and the fuel had evaporated or seeped down to the fuel tank. This primer cup valve would save you the trouble of having to find a wrench and remove the reservoir cap every time.



  The 3rd style fuel feeder-injector either has typographical error on the original patent filed with the US
  patent office or the date is stamped incorrectly on the reservoir cap of the fuel feeders. The acorn caps
  are stamped with a May 04, 1912 date. The patent has a May 14, 1912 date. I have seen this error myself
  on at least 4 or 5 fuel feeders.

   

Detroit carburetor used on marine engines.
 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                               
 
This carb was built by the PlanHard Manufacturing Co.
Used on some of the Detroit twin cylinder marine engines .

                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                            
                                    Krice photo's donated by the guys from  OldMarineEngine.com  website.                   

     
Krice Float type carburetor
Literature shows this carb was used on DEW, CEC marine engines.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               



   
Schebler float type carburetor.
literature shows that some DEW, CEC, marine engines used this type of carb.

                                                                                                                                                                             
                                   

                                                                     

                    
Lunkenhiemer 3/4 inch L.H.  mixer with adjustable throttle arm on top and floating valve.
Literature shows that this mixer was used on some Detroit marine engines.

                                                                
                                                                  
 
DMCS Throttling Valve


     
Williams Mixer known to be used on DEW & DMCS engines.
 

        


Sectional view of DMCS engine, fuel feeder-injector & non-return air intake valve.
Photos of non-return valve donated by the guys from  OldMarineEngine.com  website.

Water Injection

        In the early 1900's most engine companies who manufactured kerosene type engines used water
         injection. The literature below is from the Detroit Motor Car Supply Company catalog about their
         Sandow engine explaining why they use water injection. DEW, DMCS, CEC all used water injection
         on their larger engines.

 

  

Made by the Lavigne Manufacturing Company Detroit, Michigan.

Marine Engine Info

  
Research shows that DEW, DMCS, CEC  marine engines were offered in many different configurations over the years. An assortment of carburetors and mixers manufactured by different companies, DEW, Schebler, Lunkenheimer,  Essex, Krice are just a few that are known to have been used.  Ben J. Middleditch  manufactured the first fuel injection systems that were used on these marine engines. Then DEW manufactured three different styles of fuel feeder-injectors in the proceeding years after. Two or three different styles of timing controllers were offered. A few different versions of condenser exhaust manifolds were produced.  Original literature shows that DEW single cylinder (marine engines) were manufactured with three or four large holes in the flywheel or a combination of large holes and small holes. There were a lot of engine companies including DEW, DMCS, CEC, CPMC, MSBC, DBC, Termaat & Monahan Co., Etc.... that had different combinations and quantity of holes in the flywheels.  Trying to identify the different brand of marine engines by how many or what size holes are in the flywheel simply does not work. Collectors have also tried to use the location of greasers or grease cups on the end of the crank shaft as a means to identify certain engines, again this does not work. You will see examples of engines on original literature and photos on this website that will prove that all these theories do not work.  The smaller DEW marine engines used a gib key to secure the flywheel. The larger DEW marine engines used a tapered end crank shaft with nuts to secure the flywheel.  
                                                                                                                                                                                  


 DEW & DMCS (Stationary Engines with two flywheels) Some time between 1913 and 1914 a new cylinder style change was made on 5 hp all the way up to 20 hp.  Exhaust port changed from direct pipe thread into the cylinder to bolt on flange type manifold elbow. The bottom water inlet also changed to bolt on style flange. The position of water port on top of cylinder changed by 90 degree's. The place were the oil line screwed into the cylinder moved from the left side of the cylinder to the right side. The (Lower Con Rod) oil line that screwed into the crank case on the right was moved to the left side. The 4hp and under engines still used the old style cylinders that did not have the bolt on flange for the exhaust and lower water inlet. 
Sources = (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914).

 DEW & DMCS (Stationary Engines) Between 1913 and 1914 new cheaper governor linkages was introduced with stamped out of flat metal that replaced the heavy cast metal linkages.  Sources = (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914).

Single drip oiler's or double drip oiler's offered on all single cylinder engines. These oilers came with check valves built into them, This kept the crank case pressure from blowing the oil in the line back into the oiler. One oil line lubricated the big end of the connecting rod. The second oil line lubricated the piston and the small end of the connecting rod.     

The oil system on the single cylinder engines are drip feed not pressure feed from the crank.  Although a small amount of vacuum from the crank case does help pull the oil into the engine. Check balls in the oiler prevent pressure from the crank case to enter the oiler. The lower end connecting rod and crank journal is force feed (positively feed) by centrifugal ring oiler that is connected to the crank shaft but the amount of oil that is force feed is still regulated by the drip oiler. The diagram and photo below shows how the oil gets to the centrifugal ring oiler which is a disk with a curled up outer ridge, the oil drips into the outer ridge and is centrifugally forced into a hole that leads to the crank journal for the connecting rod and bearing.

Some of the larger two cylinder DEW engines did have pressure feed oil systems. A oil pump that was belted to the crankshaft with multiple oil lines through out the engine.
Sources = (1909 DEW Catalog), (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914), (1915 DEW Catalog).

  Original DEW literature states that Serial numbers were stamped in at least one of the following places. Top of the cylinder, Outer diameter of flywheel, Flywheel hub face, End of crankshaft, Engine name plate. Serial numbers were stamped in with steel stamps. Embossed or raised numbers and letters are casting numbers not a serial number. I have no information on dating the year of a engine by serial numbers. I don't believe anyone has this information at this time, Sorry.... Although your engine can be dated as being a early, mid or late model by the type of fuel feeder-injector, governor controls and in some cases exhaust manifold.
Sources = (Bulletin No III Jan 1st 1912), (Bulletin No III part 3 Nov 1st 1914).

DMCS (Sandow) hopper cooled engines were first introduced in 1911 sizes 2.5, 4, 6 hp. We know these style engines were still being produced in 1914. We do not know when production ended. In 1911-1912 the new style one piece acorn cap fuel feeder-injector was introduced. 
Sources = (1913 DMCS catalog), (1914 DMCS catalog).

         Below are some photo's of various engine tags that might be of interest to some of you collectors.

Late style engines identified by one piece fuel
reservoir injector & stamped light metal governor arm.