O&R 23 Nitro back to running

That engine run wasn't sounding too happy. Keep in mind that you don't want to run this engine on anymore than 5% nitro and a minimum of 25% all castor. Even 10% nitro could pop the cylinder off of the case. It's held on by spot welds. Don't over prop the engine either. These really don't run fast and you don't want them too.

Well it does Look a lot better and runs just some twicking .. Good Job !

thanks all

Ken, 100% correct, it was not even close, I was using a 15%. and will back down to 5. GREAT advice

this one? running was the goal. but now? i do want to make it run better.

sadly, the mentor of the guy who sold it to me? passed days before I got it going.
https://www.postbulletin.com/obituaries/obits/bernard-l-drier-5ecfe7691e6ee72e56b8942b-65a17dd771df91655d2b6942

none of us is here forever, but we can make things function while we are here. I suppose!

That's sad and unfortunate on the passing of this individual. I've experienced this many times and when I do run the memoirs of those past it offers me at least the satisfaction that their belonging were placed in good hands. I actually lost and engine and plane on a free flight bird. It was gifted to my son and this really upset the both of us. The original owner passed away shortly after giving it to us but somehow, I know he was smiling.

The O&R engines are enjoyable to run. I have many of them of all different varieties. I like them on ignition, they're quite fun on glow equally. I would obtain a good 8x6 wood prop preferably wide blade and a 9x6 as well. O&R used to make these propellers with their stamp on them. I have a few somewhere. Even Brodak has the BY&O props which are wide bladed. I'm personally a fan of Rev-Ups but the sizes I mention are becoming quite scarce. Any decent prop will work but the wide bladers like a Top Flite Super M is also another good one. As I mentioned prior, don't over rev or over prop the O&R. The best thing is to run all castor and when finished introduce some trans fluid or air tool oil when done. There's a funny thrust bearing inside the case. The rollers or loose so use caution if you take it apart. There's no replacement parts for these and the gaskets are not available either so you will have to make them. Just insure everything is clean and free.

You are right, my local club, the Oakland Cloud Dusters, has quite a few members that seem to keep shuffling treasures from one guy to the next. I am very lucky to be one of the "young kids" (at 59) so I'm still pretty removed from that chain. Its sad, but a fact of life. As you mentioned? it just gives me such pleasure to work on a motor that was important to someone, and hear it fire off. thinking. "man, he would have enjoyed hearing this!"


i also have a few ignition O&Rs, still trying to figure out how to get those to run. I'll get there.

air tool oil, I like that.
I'm a big BIG fan of a light coat of Ballistol after running my Cox motors, and was using same in O&R
lubrication, not too little, not too much - is key to anything mechanical

YES! cutting gaskets, I really enjoyed Levant's recent tutorial, I NEVER thought about silicon impregnation on paper. And am eager to try it out.

years ago, I traced and cut EVERY gasket, (except head gasket) for a 1977 Yamaha Daytona Special.
its a perishable skill, but comes back with practice.

I'll keep working on getting my sparkies running.


BIG sparky O&R next to the smaller nitro one I just got running

The big O&R is probably the .60. It can run on glow as well if you put a glow plug in it. I've run spark ignition on glow fuel and gas or just glow fuel via glow plug. The .60 is a side port and it can run backwards as well so be aware when you start it. I find the larger engines even easier to deal with. I recently flew a Sterling PT-17 which was powered with a Fox .35. I have another kit and I plan on building it using the O&R .60 for power with ignition. My recent findings is a old Smith Firecracker coil which is working fabulous. I used to pass up many of these engines and lately, I find myself really becoming attached to them. My dad had a O&R chainsaw which I wish we never got rid of. He rebuilt it, it was just a really well made little machine.

I also found one of these engines which seems to be in good condition but without the parts to use it with an ignition system unfortunately but I really want to improve it somewhat I would like to solidify the part of the crank chaft where the ignition system was
Recently I reconditioned a few engines and one that really needed attention but I think I managed to make it functional again the crank chaft was broken no more possibility of fixing a propeller plus I did some aluminium Spinner for difrent engine

There's no need to beef up that area. It's not the weak part of the engine, the cylinder is. Many users of the O&R would make a U shaped wire out of music wire. It had loops at the bottom and this U was turned upside down which went over the cylinder. The bottom loops used the engine retention bolts to hold this device in place. It essentially assisted keeping the jug from popping off. Depending on year, O&R removed the points and timer many times to sell the engine as a glow. Unfortunately, the glow fuels were responsible for them blowing their tops off so they detuned this already anemic engine by lowering the compression. I've never seen a crank break on one of these engines. I'm certainly not saying it isn't possible, but provided you use the proper nitro and oil, this engine isn't a top fuel drag engine. It's not going to break under normal use. Wearing out is another story as the metallurgy of this old stuff isn't exactly high quality.

            Up until about 10 years ago, there was a fellow on another forum who used to work for O&R. He had the equipment used in spot welding the cylinders on. You could send him a engine which was suspect or already broken and he would fix it. Unfortunately, he passed away and nothing is known about the whereabouts of the tooling. These engines are a real joy to run, it's amazing to me something that's over 70 years old still breathes fire. Just treat it right and it's a real fascination.

As a side note, you have the tank on your O&R. This is somewhat of a rarity. Yes, they can be found but they're usually quite expensive. These typically cost about $30-$40 if you find them and sometimes more. Keep that together with that engine if you choose to use it or not. I remove mine many times because it makes it easier to get in my test stand.

Woody's engines, now run by his son, has some O&R parts
https://www.woodysengines.com/shopping.htm#!/Ohlsson-&-Rice-19-23-29-33-56-60/c/49631510

they aint cheap, but they have parts. he sometimes has gasket sets, but ya need to write and ask

We've got a couple bags of O&R parts (and engines), but on a lot of them not really sure how to identify them!

Personally I would like to put it back to original with a spark plug and a point system For old engines. I have found a new, inexpensive, lightweight system that I would like to test on an old engine that works wit point And if it works I would like to fly it in an rc model that I could build for this type of funny engine sure it will be slow and very noisy but fun I'm not sure how big this engine is, but I ran it once Backwards  with a good prime, of nitro fuel  Good sing no cylinders fly out of the engine.luckily This funny engine can run in both directions on glow fuel I wonder if it's the same with the point system or it would damage the points to turn backwards ???

here are a few O&R engines

I'm enjoying your thread Charles, even the O&R running on 15%. Eager to see how it runs on 5% as Ken recommends.

The extent of my O&R collection. And, the one that Mark was just gifted at the flea market.




Hmm, just noticed the Green head Torpedo on the left tagged Fred. A gift from Freddie sitting on the nose of a WWI SE-5 that he found in a Texas field. Got to work on that O&R, missing the cogged drive washer, always difficult to find.

Running a O&R on glow or spark ignition is always enjoyable. Running them on ignition is extremely easy as they're usually dead reliable. These engines in my opinion aren't loud in the sense of ear piercing. They have a somewhat mellow deeper tone but very smooth. Use caution with over priming as this can cause it run backwards or backfire. Finding the spring steel for the points and the points themselves are a bit difficult, it's easier to find another engine. Certain Fox drive washers will interchange with a O&R.