Identify O&R Chicken Power Bicycle engine parts

[K-TRON 24]

I picked up what I believe to be an O&R Compact III Chicken power bicycle engine. It was seized up when I bought it. I have since blasted and free'd it up. It will certainly need a lot of love. However what I am curious about is the recoil housing, and the manifold/muffler on this engine. All of the Orline/Chicken power bicycle engines I have seen had the common 'teardrop' O&R blower shroud. This one has the later boxy blower shroud. This one also has an odd exhaust manifold with a threaded end. This is the first I have seen a threaded exhaust manifold on an O&R. Is this engine just an odd combination of parts?  There are no numbers on the engine anywhere, and sadly the one sheet metal shroud that would have had some stamped information is missing. There are no numbers stamped on the flats of the crankcase.

 

Chris

Edited December 30, 2022 by K-TRON

[Wallfish 698]

Those parts are original. It's a later model from Advanced Engine Products (AEP) that bought out O&R. It would have had a square recoil that was an improvement to the teardrop housing recoils.

The exhaust was a tube that threads onto the manifold and thing they are the only tool with that feature.

I have a complete one in an original box that got ruined by mice making a house in the box. Pee and crap all over it.. Think I posted a pic on here somewhere

[K-TRON 24]

Thanks!  I was really scratching my head on this one, as I have a lovely Orline chicken power in my collection, and there are a LOT of small differences between these two units. I would love to complete this one, as I want to run two of them on my bicycle at least once!

Also as a side note, I forgot to mention. There is no primer on the AEP bicycle engine. This carburetor was on this engine when I bought it, but there were a few other busted up carbs in a bucket of loose parts with it, and I wasnt sure which it had. Would this have had a primer carburetor?

Also, if anyone has a type number for this AEP bicycle engine, can you please share it. I will need to hunt down the right parts for it at some point.

 

Chris

Edited December 30, 2022 by K-TRON

[Wallfish 698]

The AEP chicken power used a different gas tank that mounted above the engine on the handle bars so the carbs did not have or need a primer button

[tvenetis 0]

I have a chicken power engine i am working on which has the square recoil on it and I was told it is a 13 b

[Nick22 1]

I believe its TYPE: 181

MODEL: 833001

it's the same one I'm working on.

[factory 487]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:14 AM, K-TRON said:

I picked up what I believe to be an O&R Compact III Chicken power bicycle engine. It was seized up when I bought it. I have since blasted and free'd it up. It will certainly need a lot of love. However what I am curious about is the recoil housing, and the manifold/muffler on this engine. All of the Orline/Chicken power bicycle engines I have seen had the common 'teardrop' O&R blower shroud. This one has the later boxy blower shroud. This one also has an odd exhaust manifold with a threaded end. This is the first I have seen a threaded exhaust manifold on an O&R. Is this engine just an odd combination of parts?  There are no numbers on the engine anywhere, and sadly the one sheet metal shroud that would have had some stamped information is missing. There are no numbers stamped on the flats of the crankcase.

 

Chris

 

 

Can you confirm if it has AEP or O&R on the decal at the top of the blower starter housing? I'll see what info I have on this one.

 

David

[K-TRON 24]

David,
The sticker on the blower shroud says "Manufactured and warranted by O&R Engines Incorporated 3340 Emory Street Los Angeles California USA"

 

Chris

[factory 487]

Thanks for that picture, the O&R branding should date the engine to Nov/Dec 1974 or earlier.

 

There are two possibilities for the Chicken Power engine, with the threaded exhaust manifold, remote mounted fuel/gas tank and a silver painted /starter blower housing with toggle switch (the numbers in brackets are the release date from the O&R list);

 

Type 13B-340 (7-1-74), this had a flexible exhaust pipe.

Type 13B-406, this has a tube exhaust pipe.

 

I'll have a closer look at the part number differences another day (the carb parts differ between the above two engine types).

 

Other engines that it can't be are;

 

Type 13A-181, older style engine with round starter mech.

Type 13B-328 (8-29-73), has five cup exhaust muffler.

Type 13B-341 (1-21-74), has five cup exhaust muffler, but could also be supplied with threaded adaptor.

 

David

[factory 487]

After comparing a lot of different part numbers, I've finally figured out the correct engine type, which is Type 13B340.

The induction housing assembly was the part that changed, 13B340 used the older type A-13-18 that was used in most engines from the approx 1965 onwards.

 

And 13B406 uses the newer type 400563 which has two extra screw holes, to directly fix the feather valve assembly to it.

 

Take note of the different spacer used under the cylinder too, these are original.

 

Scan of parts list/diagram to follow...

 

David

[K-TRON 24]

Thank you very much for your in depth replies David!

I would have never been able to figure all of that out. My hat is off to you. You must have a wealth of O&R literature in your collection.

Now that I know what it is, I will have to pull it all down and make it as right as possible. These little bicycle engines are really neat.

 

Chris