A Reo Restoration

[Mac Leod]

Thought you guys would like to see a project that is nearly completed (I really need the gas tank and mounts, then it will be done)

I picked up the engine at a swap meet a while back, it was all there except for the gas tank and it was pretty ugly. The color used is rust-o-lium hunter green on a black primer (the inside of the shroud had a very good sample paint color and the rust-o-lium matched very well when put over black primer.) The whole engine was taken apart and completely gone through, all aluminum was cleaned with scotch brite. The bore was honed (still could see factory hone marks though- I just wanted to break the glaze)

I fired the engine on a shot of gasoline before I tore it apart but have not run it since (I need to make a skid to mount it to and also could really use a gas tank) I really like the way it turned out, this is my first reo engine and I found its design to be very interesting and appealing

I hope you all like it

Mac Leod

[Junkologist]

Nice job! Is that a 552A model?

[turbo]

Great job I always thought REO's were cool engines. Keep up the good work

[Craig DeShong]

Mac

Nice job! Give Doug a call at http://www.geocities.com/reo_engine/ . I haven't talked to him for a while, but he was just the best in helping me get my REO together. His web site says Email him for gas tank prices and availability.

[Mac Leod]

Yes it is a 552a. Craig, Thanks for the link, I contacted Doug and am waiting for a response.

I am glad he has so much information on his site, the section for timing
( http://www.geocities.com/reo_engine/ ) was very helpful, my gears did not have any timing marks on them and on my engine, when compared to the drawing has the key way 180 degrees off from the cam shaft on the drawing. so my cam would have been 180 degrees out if I had timed it off the key way. I opened the engine today and timed it according to the peak of the lobe and the key way on the crank shaft.

On this engine, would it have made any difference though if the cam was 180 out?

Thanks for the responses

Mac Leod

[kammer0072000]

Originally Posted by Mac Leod

I hope you all like it

Mac Leod

Like it..? Like it..? Like it..? Shoot man what a great restoration! I've been wanting a reo for a while but I just havent found one yet. Thanks for showing her to us! Great work.

Scott

[Craig DeShong]

Mac

I'd bet, if we would all be truthful, that at one time or another we all have put an engine together with the camshaft out of time and wondered why we couldn't get the thing to run. I remember doing this with one of my engines a while back and could not figure why it wouldn't even TRY to run. As a matter of course now, after I get the camshaft and valves installed, I always turn the engine over and look for the exhaust valve to open as the piston moves up, I look for the exhaust valve to close at top dead center, and then I look for the intake valve to open as the piston begins to move back down. This is just common sense. If you don’t see these events occurring at the right time in the correct order, then you’ve got something installed incorrectly and you might as well address the problem now rather than later.

[Bill Sherlock]

I believe some engines were made so that they could run in either direction. In that case the timing marks would be 180 degrees off the normal marks. Friend of mine had to install a camshaft in a Wisconsin AENLD engine 180 degrees out to get it to start and run in the required direction to operate a direct coupled water pump. The engine had been rebuilt at a machine shop and had the camshaft aligned to the timing marks and wouldn't start.

Bill

[Christian Berlin]

hey maclooks good is that one you got at woodland

[Kevin Pate]

Good looking little engine..

[Bryton181]

great job on that little engine! do you have any movies of it?

[Mac Leod]

Christian, this engine was not from woodland...different swap meet (motorcycle swap)

I do not have any movies of the engine...I have not even run it yet (I would have but I busted a hand up pretty good and cant do any work with it now so until my hand heals up)

I will get pics up when it is complete

Mac Leod