New member with a Petter M.

I havn't started my Petter Engine for a few years. I can't remember what fuel to use and where it goes. There's two brass discs either side of the flywheels, a glass jar, a tank between the brass discs and a cast vessel with brass screw cap. I would like to have a go at starting it tomorrow so any information would be greatful. Thanks Mike.

Hi Mike,
The engine will start on petrol and run on paraffin (assuming it is an oil engine and not a petrol engine - plate will confirm and fuel chamber won't have the drain lifter if petrol only).
Fill base tank with paraffin, upper chamber with petrol. Before you do that I would take air breather crankcase cover off and give the big end a good squirt of oil. Oil up all the linkages with the governor, and the magneto gears. Both oil reservoirs with brass caps should be filled full with oil. The glass jar is the oiler, there should be a drip rate on the lid of the oiler.
Clean or replace plug (Champion D21 are pretty good), clean points, check spark. With the fuel chamber full of petrol, open up the needle valve about 3/4 and then swing over. It should start and run and start pumping paraffin from the base tank. If you don't have any paraffin just use petrol. Plenty of information on the Internal Fire Museum website on Petter M types. Hope that helps...! Regards David

thanks very much. I will try and start it next week.Mike