Back in the summer of 2023 I purchased a 5hp Tangye oil engine from a friend near Peterborough. The engine had been fitted to a steel base and used slave axles/wheels in each corner to move it about. As my friend used the same wheels/axles for his 7hp Tangye, these were not included in the sale, though I was allowed to borrow them to make unloading once home much easier.
The Tangye loaded up on the trailer back in 2023.
Once I had the engine unloaded, it was wheeled into the back of the shed, jacked up to remove the wheels/axles and then sat on wooden blocks. There it has stayed for the last two years. This weekend I was intending to go the the Cheffins sale at Harrogate where the plan was to bid on a Campbell oil engine. Late on Friday afternoon, the Campbell was withdrawn from the sale, which left me with a free day on Saturday.
The Campbell which was withdrawn from the Cheffins sale at Harrogate.
Rather than waste the day I decided that it would be an ideal chance to get the Tangye out and finally put a lamp under it. This posed its own problems as the Tangye isn’t on wheels and was at the back of the shed. This meant moving several engines weighing over a combined 2tonnes just to be able to get to the Tangye. Once the other engines were removed, the Tangye was picked up with my pallet truck and gently wheeled outside for the first time in 2 years.
The Tangye sat on blocks in the back corner of the shed.
Out in daylight for the first time in 2 years.
Once outside the engine was moved in to position and a temporary exhaust & cooling system were set up. Everything was given a good once over and all of the moving parts got a generous oiling. Then two pints of fuel were added to the tank & a blow lamp was set up & lit under the hot bulb/vaporiser. After a few minutes it was hot enough to try and start. At first we couldn’t tempt the engine into life, but after playing with the fuel settings it soon fired up. After 10 minutes we stopped it to check everything over, before re-lighting the lamp and re-starting the engine. After this it was left to run for about an hour. This was the first time in over 11 years that the engine had run.
After 11 years the old girl was back up and running.
Now that I have had a chance to run the engine, I plan to finish the base/trolley which was started by the previous owner and hopefully have it out at a few events before too much longer. Its safe to say that it will not be another 11 years before it runs again.
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Country: GB