Is It A "Waukesha"? (reissued with aditional information May 2013)
Is it a "Waukesha"?
Antique engine restorers occasionally come across an old engine without a name plate, or any other identification to indicate the manufacturer. Old Waukesha engines can be identified by the cast part numbers on the major external engine components.
Waukesha used a part numbering system whereby the last two digits of the part number series assigned to the engine model was coded to identify specific major components of the engine. The last two-digits of the coded part number for some of the major engine components are:
- xxxx02 - Cylinder head
- xxxx04 - Piston
- xxxx07 - Connecting Rod
- xxxx11 - Crankshaft
- xxxx14 - Oil pan
- xxxx20 - Crankcase
- xxxx23 - Camshaft
- xxxx39 - Rocker Arm Cover
- xxxx41 - Intake manifold
- xxxx42 - Exhaust manifold
- xxxx43 - Combination manifold
- xxxx45 - Gear cover
- xxxx57 - Flywheel housing
If, on an unidentified engine, the last two digits of the part numbers cast, forged or stamped on at least two of these engine components match Waukesha's coded part number system -- it is almost certainly a "Waukesha."
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| Figure 1 Model 180 DLC |
In Figure 1 above, the Crankcase part number for the engine is 180220H; the Rocker Arm Cover is 180239; the Exhaust Manifold is 181142A and the Flywheel Housing is 180557A. The last two digits of these part numbers match the Waukesha coded part number system and is therefore a "Waukesha". See reference webpages:
| Basic Part Number to Model Cross Reference Lists |
| Part Numbers 800 to 49000 (updated September 2013) |
| Part Numbers 60000 to 136000 (updated September 2013) |
| Part Numbers 140000 to 222000 (updated September 2013) |
| Part Numbers 223000 to 960000 (updated September 2013) |
And as these lists indicates, it is a Waukesha Model 180. (Engines introduced from the late 1930's until the early 1950 used the first three digits of the part number series assigned to it as its model designation. Model designations were changed 1962/1963.)
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| Figure 2 Model VRD220 |
In Figure 2 above, the Cylinder Head part number for the engine is 216002; the crankcase is 216020, the Intake Manifold is 216041 and exhaust manifold is 216042. Again all the part numbers match the Waukesha coded part number system and the engine is therefore a "Waukesha". Again see the part number to Model cross reference lists above. In this case, as these lists indicate, the engine is the Waukesha Model VRD220.
Rocky 3-2013
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