New Way Engine Ignition Systems

The New Way Motor Company optioned the ignition systems on many of their motors. Like todays vehicles prices varied according to the option selected.

Options Included:

• Battery ignition and utilising Buzz Coil
• Friction Magneto - A low voltage magneto that may be set up in leiu of or in addition to batteries to feed the coil for the high tension spark.
• Bosch High Tension Magneto
• National high tension magneto

Magneto drive trains included use of

• Chain and Sprocket drive
• Gear Drive

Slotted holes in the drive Gear/Sprocket mounted on the magneto (if fitted) will allow a fine timing adjustment once the correct gear meshing or correct chain and sprocket relationship has been established.

New Way Engine - Identification?

Determining your New Way Model!

Obviously most New Way Motors out there waiting to be restored aren't in pristine condition. At times they aren't readily identified and require hours of enjoyable but painstaking devotion to detail to bring them back to their former glory. Knowledge is priceless in this process.

New Way Motor identification

• The New Way Motor Company generally used two letters to define the model and type of air cooled motor (eg AC).
• The Model letter defines Hp rating within a Type (generally dictated by cylinder design) in any series of motors. ( eg. both vertical and horizontal models may be a Type C) An AC is one of the 3.5 Hp. Vertical models.
• Many New Way motors have a brass ID plate on the crankcase. The plate should show Model / Type / Hp / Serial No. along with patent and advertising detail.
• In the event the brass ID plate is missing or severely mutilated - the number and orientation of cylinders, number and size of flywheels are key guides you can use for full identification.
• New Way Jewel motors having no ID plate can be identified by the cylinder part number located on the top side of the cylinder at the crank end. The letters are indicative of the Model / Type and therefore the Hp rating.
• Knowing original use may help indictate Model / Type eg Marine.
• Carburettor location (if original) on Vertical cylinder motors  is also indicative model / type.
• Does your motor have a hinged crankcase?
• Is it a Hit Miss model? For hit miss New Ways the Exhaust valve was held open by a lever activated by govenor weights usually mounted in the flywheel. This caused the motor to miss power cycles till it slowed below govenor speed.

NOTE: I have posted a New Way Engine table (click for it's page) defining much of the basic engine identification  information. It'll be incomplete but I trust with feedback from other collectors I can expand it to ultimately become a fully comprehensive table for owners to reference for all New Ways.

New Way Engine Design

Stationary engines manufactured by The New Way Motor Company were advertised as suited to a multiplicity of applications including - industrial, rural, agricultural and marine. Reliability and simplicity through good design were touted as strong points for cold, harsh environmental conditions and promoted to the discerning buyer.

They were air cooled and built using one of 4 basic designs in various sizes and Hp ratings.

• Horizontal Cylinder Open Crankshaft
• Horizontal Cylinder Enclosed Crankshaft
• Horizontal Cylinders Enclosed Crankshaft Twin Opposed
• Vertical Single Cylinder Enclosed Crankshaft
• Vertical Twin Cylinder Enclosed crankshaft

Like the "T Ford", for the New Way Motor Co. colour was apparently standardised across the range of New Way Motor Company motors with decorative detail used quite extensively in a yellow/gold/white for letter highlighting or for purely decorative effect (eg flowers on the crank case housing).

For those seeking color authenticity, the following apparently are New Way  Motor color approximations you should be able to purchase:

• Cylinder casting (Cooling fins) & Flywheels/Pulleys/Shaft faces - Aluminium color
• Cooling shroud and flywheel body - red/maroon - Dulux 93-30420-H
• Base, Crank housing and non cooling section of cylinder - Olive Green - Dulux 93-29609-H
• Brass fittings maintained their Brass finish

New Way Engine - Owners

Hi, I'm an enthusiast of the New Way air cooled stationary engines. These were manufactured in the early last century in Lansing Michigan USA. It is apparent there was a close association and cooperation with the John Deere Plough Company in both sales and field area of application/research. I am from Australia and recently returned from an interstate road collection trip to Victoria and South Australia. I am looking foward to the task of restoration - one is seized. I don't know how badly. I am using transmission fluid to try to free the piston.