Willys Overland Crossley "Manchester" trucks used Lycoming CT engines imported into the United Kingdom from Lycoming Manufacturing Co. in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA.
The following trucks were also fitted with Lycoming CT engines:
| 1924 - 31 Gramm Bern 10 1 - 1 ¼ ton 1926 Gramm Kine 1 - 1 ½ ton 1925 - 29 Grass Premier 1 ½ ton 1927 - 30 International Harvester S24 1 ¼ ton 1927 - 30 International Harvester 34 1 ½ ton 1927 - 30 International Harvester 2 ton |
1925 - 30 Republic 1 ¼ - 1 ½ ton 1925 - 26 Ruggles 1 ton 1927 - 28 Ruggles 18 1 ¼ ton 1925 - 26 Stewart 1 ton 1927 - 30 Stewart 16 - 25x 1 ¼ - 2 ton |
They were also used in Fageol tractors.
It would appear that a large number of the Lycoming CT engines was made. The engine number can be found at the rear of the engine on a horizontal surface behind the exhaust manifold flange. The earliest engine number we are aware of is 43900 on Manchester A1 truck MT10199 and the latest is 54096 on a Manchester LBX4 bus MT30274. It should be noted that the different sizes of truck appear to have used blocks of chassis numbers and there are unlikely to be 20,275 trucks manufactured between these two examples.
Lycoming Engine Oil Pump Issues
We have experienced difficulties with the oil pump and oil pressure regulating valve on our engine. The housings for these two components are cast in MAZAK (more commonly known now as ZAMAK), which I understand is an alloy of zinc, aluminium, magnesium and copper. This material tends to expand distort and crack as it ages. As a consequence we were unable to extract the oil pump stem from the crankcase, without damage, and had to have a new stem machined from bronze. (See illustration below)
Distortion of the bottom cover of the pump, allowed oil to leak from the pump into the sump resulting in zero oil pressure. This was overcome by fitting a plate between the pump and the bottom cover. The lack of oil pressure persisted and my attention was directed to the oil pressure regulating valve. Distortion and cracking of the body (see below) allowed oil to bypass the pressure regulating valve. Fortunately I had a spare pressure control valve and this was refaced and fitted to the engine.
I found details of a replacement for the Lycoming oil pump on Robert Gardner's website on the Gardner Motor Car Company - St. Louis, Mo, United States that produced cars between 1920 - 1931. This link is to the page on the website featuring information produced by Trevor Davis in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
oil-pump-replace.pdf (gardnermotorcars.com)
Robert's website is very interesting and informative.
Lycoming Engine Parts Wanted.
I am looking for a cylinder block for one of these engines if anyone has one, or a complete engine, available for me to buy.
I have copied a publication I found for the care and operation of the Lycoming "C" series 4 cylinder engines. This should be of interest to anyone with a truck or tractor fitted with a Lycoming CT engine and is copied below.
If you have any comments or queries on the above page please contact me by email at the following address
Care and operation of the Lycoming "C" series 4 cylinder engine
