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Onan W3M


HWade

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I picked up this little onan generator the other day its an onan W3M its a 3 kva 230 volts. After a bit of messing about i got it going and it produces electric. Its built in a small cabbinet.The side covers are missing but these wont be to hard to biuld. I have started to strip it down now ready for the grit blaster. Will post a few more pics as and when i get it done.I will add pics as soon as I get them uploaded.

 

Thanks Howard

Edited by HWade
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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's one of ours.

 

The pictures were taken before we took off the angle irom framing and did the exhaust.

 

The nameplate gives the engine year of manufacture. 75.235182 is July 1945, the first digits before the period.

 

The basic manual is on our websites in the Onan section.

 

The thread on what we did with it is here:

 

http://www.stationary-engine.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4425

 

Peter

 

OnanW2Red1.jpg

OnanW2Red3.jpg

Edited by listerdiesel
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The new exhaust is an Onan one that is now vertical. We had some flanges laser cut to suit the mounting on the cylinder block, and welded some 1" BSP swept bends in to make the 'manifold',

 

We also fitted a stainless steel band around the top half of the silencer with a stay going down to the carb/aircleaner bracket.

 

So it finished up like the pictures below.

 

Magneto points and capacitors can be got from Rudy Adrian in the USA, KLG plugs or NGK A6 work OK.

 

Peter

OnanGen2.jpg

OnanGen5.jpg

OnanGen8.jpg

Edited by listerdiesel
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Hello Listerdiesel

 

They made a nice job of the exhaust flanges, I dont suppose you had any spares cut and want to sell one.The silencer you used looks like the ones that are used with the CCK 3.5 kva ex British Army.You have made a nice job of that.Because mine is in a small cabinet I think i will put on a quick realease type fitting, as used on the cck gennys.it is suppose to have an pancake exhaust muffler but this i would have to make dont think i would get an original part now.

 

 

Regards Howard

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Hello Listerdiesel

 

They made a nice job of the exhaust flanges, I dont suppose you had any spares cut and want to sell one.The silencer you used looks like the ones that are used with the CCK 3.5 kva ex British Army.You have made a nice job of that.Because mine is in a small cabinet I think i will put on a quick realease type fitting, as used on the cck gennys.it is suppose to have an pancake exhaust muffler but this i would have to make dont think i would get an original part now.

Regards Howard

 

Yes, we had some spares done, and it is indeed the CCK silencer, we had a load of that stuff around when we bought our crated/overhauled 3.5 from Rosyth.

 

The CCK silencers "don't", they are very noisy!

 

Drop me a PM with your address and I'll sort a flange out, I can't remember what we paid, but I can check back.

 

Peter

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Got a bit of an update, I have now managed to mount the engine on new top and bottom rubber mounts.I have also refitted the the carb and also the mag.I was hoping to have had the radiator back but its still away being recored,I hope to get it back next week.Well thats it for now.Will post some more pics when i get the radiator back.

 

Thanks Howard.

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I picked up this little onan generator the other day its an onan W3M its a 3 kva 230 volts. After a bit of messing about i got it going and it produces electric. Its built in a small cabinet.The side covers are missing but these wont be to hard to build. I have started to strip it down now ready for the grit blaster. Will post a few more pics as and when i get it done.I will add pics as soon as I get them uploaded.

 

Thanks Howard

 

Whats the difference ? the CCK 3.5Kw has the same output but is completely a different shape, what years do they date from.

My CCK is pretty quiet considering it can chuck out 13 Amps all day at 1500 RPM, bit on the heavy side though do like it lots better than the "modern gennys"

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The W3S was a water-cooled wartime unit, made before Onan went into air-cooled engines full time. earliest I have seen is 1942, all of ours are early to mid 1940's.

 

They were sold as Fairbanks-Morse units and also as Montgomery-Ward. There was a single-cylinder variant that is fairly rare.

 

The CCK and the variants it spawned was the basis of Onan's post-war sales, but the W3S is a nice unit and easy to work on, and nowhere near as mechanically 'chattery' as the CCK. Being cast-iron everywhere, including the radiator casing, it is also a fair bit heavier!

 

Peter

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That is the earlier one with the float oil level indicator and the rear-mounted magneto. One of mine is identical.

 

Nice to see the primered block etc., never had any of mine stripped that far down yet.

 

One of ours was donated by a family where the husband was incapacitated, so we promised to look after it and not sell it on. The red one we bought on ebay, another one (the early one) was down to a chance spotting of a W3S at an engine show, and the owner said he had the 'remains' of another one at home, and the last one we bought off a guy on our engine forum.

 

Peter

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I had some spare time today, I managed to collect the radiator and get it fitted back to the generator,they made a nice job of putting in the new core,After a bit of time fitting, the water was added and she was fired up.Great stuff no leaks anywhere.Now got to get the cabinet rebuilt as and when I find time.Heres a couple of pics with the radiator back on.

RAD 008.jpg

RAD 007.jpg

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hi, yes i have used the same colour from the same batch of paint,and the last tin I am putting an order togeather for some more paint.The colour is an olive drab that some friends of mine use on there US vehicles that the British used during the 40s.The funny thing is the last batch i got was called landrover green, I dont know why because its nothing like it.I know it takes them a while to batch it because they have to taken out the gloss. The paint I use is not a matt finish but more of a sheen finish. you can also use a standard thinner with it. If you are interested I can let you know the price as soon as i give them a ring for a price.The last lot was £35 for 5 litres.

 

 

Cheers

 

Howard

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Hello Peter, thanks for that, in reply to the hacksaw I think that is the make, i picked it up from an army surplus store there was 3 2 of them were 3 phase and the one i have was single phase. Heres a couple more pics of the genny i got a bit more done today.Please dont take to much notice of the exhaust it just temporary untill i get the correct one made up.

 

Thanks Howard

genon 008.jpg

genon 007.jpg

genon 006.jpg

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The W3S was a water-cooled wartime unit, made before Onan went into air-cooled engines full time. earliest I have seen is 1942, all of ours are early to mid 1940's.

 

They were sold as Fairbanks-Morse units and also as Montgomery-Ward. There was a single-cylinder variant that is fairly rare.

 

The CCK and the variants it spawned was the basis of Onan's post-war sales, but the W3S is a nice unit and easy to work on, and nowhere near as mechanically 'chattery' as the CCK. Being cast-iron everywhere, including the radiator casing, it is also a fair bit heavier!

 

Peter

 

So I presume it has the same 13Amp output ? does it still rev slow like the CCK's ? I like the slow dependable generators bit on the juicy side though, but when you want it to start you know it will and probably will for ever.

 

Long live cast iron bits.......bits always come undone.

 

Poo poo to ally.... here to day gone tomorrow.

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  • 1 year later...

Hello guys

 

I have one of these genys lying at the back of the shed

 

got it out think I will start in to getting it restored

 

I no nothing about it at all I will add some picks and if you fancy

 

playing I spy and tell me whats missing or where to get the parts

 

I would love to see the ole gal going as it powered a house down the road during the war

 

any help would be greatly appreciated

 

yours Davey

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