lauson engine

[Harry Eisenhauer III]

i have a lauson engine i got about two years ago. i have looked all aver the webb and can't seem to find any pictures or another like it. i am quite sure that it is not a rare engine. all the engines that look like it have ignitors this engine has a spark plug maby i am not looking in the wright spot. i have sent along some pictures. is there any parts missing? would this engine have had a mag? it dosent seem to have any place to mount one. it also has a bronze crank gear that is damaged. any one know where i could find one of these? thanks for any help.

Harry Eisenhauer III

[David Babcock]

Harry, Iam Not A John Lauson Expert, But I Believe You Have A Very Early Lauson. I Think They Used Spark Plugs Before Ignitors. Ive Seen These Before But Very Uncommon. D. Babcock.

is that the same lauson that made the lauson small engine or a diferent one?
just wondering. wouldnt it be neet if Briggs actually made one.

[Ken Erman]

I recently picked a new dishpan model myself. Go to the Gas engine magazine home page and do a search for Lauson. Someone pointed me there last week and it has lots of information. Lauson was purchased by Tecumseh and i have been told is still making engines there in Wisconsin.

[OldironJeff]

Hi Harry,I helped a buddy restore a similar 2 1/2 h.p. Lauson.
His had a flange that bolted to the block that held the spark plug.
I can't see the gear damage but the rest looks OK.
I'd say all you need is a buzz coil hooked up.,The brass lever is insulated
for the positive side.The one we worked on had a gas tank cast into the base In Lauson litature you'll find they did a lot of experimenting.
We took his to some shows and it started easy and ran nice and slow.They are fairly scarce and usually cost a little ching.
Hope you gotta break.oldironjeff

[Kevin A. Behnke]

John Lauson offered the 2 1/2hp in ignitor as standard with an option of sparkplug ignition. These engines had completely differant engine blocks, not just a plug stuck in the ignitor hole. The earlier post with a sparkplug in the ignitor hole is a post production conversion. The 2 1/2hp heavy pattern engines (cylinder and base cast as one piece} were made with the gas tank cast in the base and a tin tank installed the hollow base. Frost King engines serial numbers run consecutively regardless of style or horsepower. Your engine is circa 1906 or 1907.

[Doug Barbee]

Kevin,
I have a John Lauson 3 hp. s/n 8157. It is an igniter with the two pushrods.
I also have a Alpha, made by Lauson, that is identical, s/n is 19416.
Do you know what the date is for either engine?
Thanks, Doug