DESJARDINS (8hp).
St. André de Kamouraska, Québec.

Desjardins 8 HP Restoration Details
Restored by Joe Kelley, completed May 2005

This engine was purchased in December 2003 in Stanstead (Rock Island), PQ., from Ken Meeks. The engine was missing many parts, but was a good candidate for restoration. This engine has a 6 bore x 10 stroke. Flywheel face width is 3 and the diameter is 34. The engine was not stuck, though had been used considerably. The bore was oversized and tapered due to the wear, as a result the cylinder was honed. The piston ring grooves were re machined (squared), and 5 oversize rings 6.030 x .437 were ordered. The end gap was filed on each ring to fit the cylinder taper. A new wrist pin and bronze bushing was made. The connecting rod was re-babbitted and new shims were made. During its former life the head had suffered some damage and had been brazed. This was smoothed, sandblasted and coated with JB weld. The head was faced on the gasket surface. New valve guides were fabricated and installed with a brass cap being installed on the exhaust guide. New intake and exhaust valves were custom fitted, ground and lapped in. New valve springs were fabricated. The clutch pulley was removed. It was cleaned, freed up and repainted. A broken cast iron piece was recast and replaced. A new handle and mounting plate was made. It was re-installed, adjusted and functions fine. Many cast iron parts were missing on this engine and had to be re-cast from the original factory patterns or from pieces from the 6hp engine that were interchangeable. Here is a listing of the replacement (reproduced) cast iron parts that were needed: rocker arm, rocker arm bracket, governor gear guard, crank guard, governor detent lever, governor assembly housing, gas tank bracket, ignitor trip lever bracket, speed adjusting lever. Here is a list of the missing parts that had to be replaced: Webster magneto, ignitor bracket, magneto trip rod mechanism, governor shaft, fly balls and gear, Muffler, oiler, decompression valve, grease cups, misc pipe fittings, fasteners and wood skids. These parts had to fabricated from measurements off other parts: Complete push rod assembly, including the push rod, the machining of the re-cast (iron) parts, the exhaust valve adjuster, detent lockout and bracket, cam roller and bolt, speed adjustment position indicator, governor rod, fuel line and bracket, misc pins, gas tank, head gasket, fuel needle assembly, gas tank bracket support and main bearing shims. Original traces of green paint were found. The decision was made to re-paint the engine green and tag it as a Champion which Desjardins made to power their Champion threshing machines. The engine was prepared for painting by various methods, sandblasting, wire wheeling, rust treatment, primer surfacer, regular primer, spot putty, sanding and more sanding and oil base enamel applied by brush and aerosol. Custom made decals were produced and applied. Thanks to Denis Rouleau for providing the scans.
Thank you to the following individuals and companies who were involved in this project, for providing technical advice, machining, and material. As you can imagine there were countless hours spent on this project! BUT, it runs...and that is the whole purpose of this hobby!
Technical Team: Dave Huling, Jim Goupee, Skip Woodworth, Dave Weston, John Elward, Ben Albert, Warren Chatto, Gilles Michaud, Carlton Willey, and Darran Harvey.
Materials: Oneida Foundry, Cattail Foundry, Otto Gas Engine Works, Carquest, Essex Brass, Lane Supply, O & R Lumbra, Charlie Alton, Branson Magneto, Bill Graves, Penobscot Promotions.
FYI: This engine displaces 283 cubic inches! Do you remember that Chevy V8?

	6-8hp. gas tank bracket.
	8hp. head (back).
	8hp. head (front).
	6-8hp. governor gear guard.
	6-8hp. crank guard.
	8hp. sub base before clean up.
	8hp. hopper removed, ready for prep.
	8hp. hopper removed and cleaned.
	8hp. hopper sandblasted.
	8hp. sub base primed.
	8hp. recast pushrod brackets (unmachined).
	8hp. governor parts machined.
	8hp. governor assembly.
	8hp. clutch pulley.
	8hp. clutch pulley off.
	8hp. priming 1.
	8hp. priming 2.
	8hp. pushrod reproduction 1.
	8hp. pushrod reproduction 2.
	8hp. pushrod reproduction 3.
	8hp. speed control assembly.
	8hp. speed control assembly.
	8hp. cam gear bushed shaft repair.
	8hp. recast rocker arm and bracket.
	8hp. paint 1.
	8hp. painted sub base.
	paint 2.
	paint 3.
	8hp. on skids and base.
	8hp. rocker arm and bracket.
	8hp. governor parts, piston and rod.
	8hp. pushrod assembly.
	8hp. piston installed.
	8hp. gas tank installed.
	8hp. head and carb installed.
	8hp. magneto installed.
	painting the 8hp crankguard.
	8hp. valves and springs.
	8hp. needle assembly.
	8hp. skids cut and sanded.
	8hp. skids assembled and oiled.
	8hp Desjardins decal.
	8hp. cast iron dogs for clutch pulley.
	8hp. Desjardins running - front view.
	8hp Desjardins running.
	8hp. Desjardins back view.
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