Hercules engine

[airhead]

Does anyone know what the 084 Hercules engine is? Is it the same as the Teledyne?

Jim

[buster]

Jim,

I have heard somewhere, that at one time the military needed so many of these engines, that Teledyne couldn't supply them fast enough. Therefore they had several other companies also building them, to the same specs.

I'm quite sure Hercules was one of the them. All the parts are supposed to fit any other 084 engine.

Dave

[Papee]

yea It's just an older version of the 084, I think it was the first one.

[airhead]

Ok good deal.

I keep seeing it mentioned here and there and just wanted to clear that up.

Thanks guys,

Jim

[Wildfowl]

Mine is a Hercules and a gen/series III engine??? Made in a nineteen a hundred an sixty four.

I am not sure what the III is for... it could be the design phase or it could be the number of times it has been overhauled.

The nut case is a proof of concept project. Once I can prove the hull will run upgrades will be plug and play. Emphasis on PLAY.

[Duane Scarborough]

Mike,

I'm not sure there is any such thing as Plug and Play in this hobby. At least it hasn't been my experience so far.

Seems more like cut, fit, weld, curse self, cut again, fit again, weld again, etc., etc., etc.

And there's search for the right part, buy it, it's not going to work, try again, etc., etc.

But it's been a fun, learning experience for me.

Thanks,

Duane

[airhead]

Alright Duane, welcome to my world I've been doing this most of my life.

My dad was a carpenter/contractor. When i was about 10, mid sixties, someone had on the news that they were building an airplane at home. So the next day i was in my dads shop putting together an airplane. I thought i would use a horizontal lawn mower engine.
Well you know how far that went. But my point is i been ever since.

Schooled on mechanics, welding, electronics, and leared carpentry and other from experience. Don't claim to be an expert on anything but I can feel your pain

Keep on my friend

Jim

[Papee]

When My boat was first built back in 1992 it had the Hercules motor on it. Since then it has had:
Hercules
Buick V6
Modded 18hp Briggs
4A032
4A084

[Wildfowl]

So Papee... do you have any comments or has your research discovered any significant points on the Hercules 4AO84 V any of the other o84's? Any info at all be it good, not so good, or indifferent...? Nice fish by the way 20" SMB is a very nice prize!

The only thing I can share is that my Hercules has the Fairbanks mag... CRW has me but I believe the Slick's are more desireable but I don't remember why. Duane...I'm thinking you might be up to speed on this component?

Speaking of the Hercules and Fairbanks mag... when I was doing ebay searches under hercules, several times a magnito noise suppressor came up. It looks a lot like a condenser. Anyone know about these and I am thinking it is electrical noise and not sound but I dont know for sure. I do know when I spin the 84 in the garage the mag sounds like 1 1/2 black cats going off. Lots of snap.

[Duane Scarborough]

Mike,

About all that I can tell you about the Fairbanks vs. Slick Magneto is that as far as I know, they are completely interchangable. (As complete replacements, I don't think any of thier parts are interchangable) And I don't know of anything that would make one a better choice over the other.

Mine is a Slick. It makes a very loud snap when turning over by hand, or starting. This is a spring loaded impulse / advance, to help with starting. Once running, I don't hear that.

My Dad's old Piper had 2 Magnetos, one was an impulse mag, and the other has not. You'd hear the same SNAP when hand proping it, but none when it was running.

I don't know anything about the noise suppressor. But I'd think it was for electrical noise, as you said. I think they do have points and condensors inside, similar to an old conventional ignition system.

I haven't looked into it any further than that, since mine hasn't caused me any trouble, yet.

Duane

[Duane Scarborough]

Alright Duane, welcome to my world I've been doing this most of my life.

My dad was a carpenter/contractor. When i was about 10, mid sixties, someone had on the news that they were building an airplane at home. So the next day i was in my dads shop putting together an airplane. I thought i would use a horizontal lawn mower engine.
Well you know how far that went. But my point is i been ever since.

Schooled on mechanics, welding, electronics, and leared carpentry and other from experience. Don't claim to be an expert on anything but I can feel your pain

Keep on my friend

Jim

Jim,

We I was about 10, me and a couple of friends built a Flintstones car, using 55 gallon drums for wheels, water pipe for axles, and 2x4's for a frame. Ran it down a fairly steep hill for it's first and only trip.

How well did it work? Don't ask. I bet that tree remembers us though.

But we had fun building it. And we didn't get hurt too bad.

Duane

[Papee]

Hmm, If I remember correctly I've got some ribbing from you in the past for hitting a tree. Oh never mind, I was in a boat when I hit the tree.


Back on subject, I did read about the Herclules but you know the deal, I don't remember so well. I have read that some of these Continental style motors were actually made by Wisconson as well as Hercules, Willys, and Bowen-McLaughlin> I'll try to find out more and report back.

I'm back, from what I have been able to gather, the engine was designed by Continental and were manufactured by multiple companies. I've also seen that the motor is rated at 33hp at 3600 RPM for 1500 hours. So far I have not seen anything about swaping parts. My guess would be yes since they are all the same design but I'm almost never right.

[buster]

About the magnetos, my 084 has a Fairbanks, but I remember reading someplace that a Slick is supposed to be a much better unit. I don't remember who I heard it from though, It could have been from someone trying to sell a Slick.

My Fairbanks also makes a loud snap when turning it over by hand.

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Papee,

You've got to have given a tree a really good smack yourself before you're qualified to rib someone else about it, right?

And YOU had steering. We hadn't thought that far ahead.

I think you're on target about the 4A084 history. Like many other things, the Gov'ment considered it a standard engine, and would contract it out to different builders as they felt the need.

The basics of it would have to be the same, or very similar, to meet thier needs. Major parts interchangablility was always a big thing, but minor parts, not always so.

Thanks,

Duane

[Wildfowl]

I'm back, from what I have been able to gather, the engine was designed by Continental and were manufactured by multiple companies. I've also seen that the motor is rated at 33hp at 3600 RPM for 1500 hours.

Wow...Thanks Papee. Very interesting information given all of the "talk" about the 84 being somewhere in the low 40's at sea level. Did it mention an altitude for the rating on your source?

Good stuff Papee!

[Papee]

I wouldn't pay much attention to HP ratings The most accurate I've seen is what I have posted in the 084 specs post when all this started. If someone asks me on the water I just tell them 50hp it's easier. You can make up your own number. Their eyes get big when I tell the it's only 50hp after they see how it performs. This is an estimated hp you can make up your own number. If nobody has done it til I'm ready, next time I rebuild I'll take it to my local speed shop old racing buddy and have them put it on the dyno.

[Wildfowl]

I just tell them 50hp it's easier.

You guys are cracking me up today!

That is soooo true about too much information on the water.

[Papee]

Thanks WF you just gave me and idea. I'm going to make up some business cards for the MAA and just pass them out when someone asks.