Waterloo engine questions

OK guys, I have a couple of questions. First does anyone have a way to date Waterloo Gasoline Engine Co. engines given the serial no.??? Between my Dad and myself we have 3 that would be nice to know the manufactured date. I have recently acquired a 2 hp Waterloo with both main bearing caps cracked on the front side. What do you think can I just have them repaired or are they junk. It is really too bad as the bearings appear to be good yet, but will be lost if repaired. Does anyone have a pair laying around they don't need? Help Thanks in Advance, Craig

I believe that serial numbers 6000 to 10000 were in the last half of 1908 and first part of 1909.

OK what about the following S.N.s 3 HP Wonder 129628 2 HP PJ Downes (Waterloo Boy) 150419 2 1/2 HP Waterloo Boy 111342 Thanks, Craig

I have found that the first two numbers of the serial # is the year and have never been proved wrong yet this also holds true clear back to the davis engines mitch

Hi Mitch,

Do you have any lists on the Davis engines? I'm interested in the serial numbers & what you've found relating to the dates. I do know that the numbers of the Galloway engines made in Waterloo didn't correspond with the same year though. John


The Galloway Page

I only know of a couple of the davis engines very old 1901 and a 1904?? the first is a vert. pumping engine and has igniter and hot tube the second is a horz. air colded and is igniter only hope this helps mitch

Waterloo Engine Co. made not only Waterloo Boy but also a number of "contract" engines for other retailers that put their name on, such as Cray Bros., John Smythe, etc. I believe all of these engines were in the same serial number sequence, just as Hercules did with their engines sold as Economys, Jaegers, etc., probably so replacement parts could be more easily supplied. At any rate, when John Deere bought out Waterloo in 1918, JD kept the shipping records. Several years ago, I contacted their archivist and dated three engines. I gave the serial numbers and the bore size, since most of the contract engines had rerated the horsepower. I was given the shipping dates (month, day, and year.....1915 and 1916) of the three, a 2.5 HP Waterloo, 2.75 HP Cray, and 3.0 HP Smythe (all 4.25" bores). The first two digits in the serial number did not coincide (if that were true, with a six digit number,which my three had, they would only have produced 9,999, or fewer, engines per year, which is quite a few less than they actually made in the teens before selling out to John Deere). As for the bearing caps, they could be recast or welded. In the old days, when the crack was parallel to the crank, they did sometimes simply place a metal strap over the crack and use the bearing cap nuts to cinch it down......not O.S.H.A. approved.....