1920 Brewster with Knight engine

[Guest '22 Brewster]

The oil gauge on my 1920 Brewster with Knight engine doesn't work. Does anyone know how many quarts of oil are required for this engine? These engines burn lost of oil and I don't want to under fill it...I don't want to over fill it as well. Thanks

[Guest cben09]

Is there any hint of who made the engine,,,Ben in Maine,,

[nickelroadster]

Knight made these engines and made for quite a few different cars. It seems that the best way to do this is to research Knight engines in particular.

[Guest '22 Brewster]

Ben, The engine was made by Knight...it is an in sleeve valve engine. Also, nickelroadster thanks for the suggestion. Frank

[Hupp36]

If your engine is a 4 cyl, which most of the Brewster's were the crankcase capacity is 6 qts. In time the cork float in the crankcase soaks up oil and give a false reading. Drain all the oil out and start with 6 qts of new oil. Lift the pointer wire that is attached to the cork float up and let it drop. When it first lands on top of the oil , it should read to the full line on the gage. The pic will give you an idea as to what I was fefuring to.

[Owen_Dyneto]

A bit off-topic for which I apologize, but isn't it true that some Knight-engined cars, rather than use a Knight-manufactured engine, took a license but manufactured their own. For example, Minerva.

[Rusty_OToole]

A bit off-topic for which I apologize, but isn't it true that some Knight-engined cars, rather than use a Knight-manufactured engine, took a license but manufactured their own. For example, Minerva.

I don't believe Knight manufactured any engines. He was an inventor who licensed his patents to manufacturers around the world. At least at first it was his policy to sell a license to one manufacturer in each country and allow that party to sell licenses to others in the same country.

If Brewster made their own engines I would be very surprised. The Knight sleeve valve engine was extremely complex and demanding to build, requiring the most accurate machine work and close tolerances. I don't see how a body company with no foundry, machine shops etc could do it. And the small numbers they used would have made it completely uneconomic.

There can't have been that many makers of Knight engines in the US in the early 20s. Does anyone know for sure who made the Brewster-Knight engines?

[Guest '22 Brewster]

Hupp 36 Thank you for the picture and recommendations. I have the same oil gauge, but I suspect it is clogged because no oil appears in the "window" hence the need to know how much oil to place in the engine. I will do as you suggest and see if I'm able to get a reading.

With regard to Rusty_OToole's comment, I've got more questions about Brewsters than answers. There just isn't too much info on Brewsters and I haven't yet found anything to suggest who might have built the Knight engines for Brewster.

[Rusty_OToole]

So far as I can find out at the time Brewster built their sleeve valve cars there were only 3 other makers of sleeve valve cars in the US, Stearns Falcon and Willys. If you compare the Brewster engine to those 3 you may find a match.

[JFranklin]

Willys Overland built many sleeve valve engines for other auto makes.

[Guest cben09]

Yes there were others,,,Fred Hartung,,Boston Ma area,,Sold his slightly? different sleeve rights to Knight,,,Charlie Night was directing his operations from England and had his sister carry on his business in the US,,,A car was built around 1913 with a most graceful body on a Garford chassis,,,the photo looked as if the background may have been Miami,,,It was almost reminicent of a H Labrodette,,Just trying to paint a pic here,,,only saw this paper once back around 1975,,from a auto mag Fred had saved,,smaller,,,Auto&Trade review maybee,,,,,,new tab,,,Phil Richardson ,Waltham Ma.,,around 1955 had a 1913 Moline knight,,,28"wire weels,bright yellow wheels,,,never saw it run,,,but it appeared to be restored[which in those days ment,tune up an'paint]],,It was a tall engine,,,and my GUESS at size,,,4.5X6,,,4cyl,,,I did not see the engine much,,and this was back around 1955 ,,,There should be a brass plate,,2x4" appox,,stating the engine was built under license from Knight,,and the serial # of that PLATE,,,this is license # NOT engine #,,,,This is the way my 1910 Panhard X-7 is tagged,,Keep the oil clean,,,and I'll vouch for the bearings wearing out,,,and the sleeves will be ok,,,might change the rings once in a while,,,In France,,both Panhard and Voisin made sleve engines as well as Mercedes and Daimler under license,,Hope this helps,A small shop as Teetor or Brownell could have made small batches of engines under contract,,,Check the AACA library,,,they have a world of stuf,,,Ben

[Guest prs519]

Duerkson in some older issues of Cars and Parts magazine, gave a great dissertation on the

sleeve valve engines. I believe J N Willys was the driving force, for the most part, but memory being....ah shucks.....