5 Cylinder diesels and Gardner

Mercedes Benz were the first manufacturers of five cylinder diesel engines. 

I was under the impression that L. Gardner & Sons Ltd of Manchester, England were the first to have a 5-cylinder Diesel engine in a road vehicle around 1930.

Yes Gardner were in the multi-pot game from 1930's. Any combination of 1 to eight was available as the heads were made as doubles and triples to be fitted to the block length of your desire. The single cylinder was for industrial stationary engine type use and not not fitted to the bigger engines, They all got to the required number with 2's and 3's.

I had a 1930's Gardner 5LW in my 1913 Pearling Lugger that I owned in New Guinea in the early 70's. It was hand start and you swung like crazy then dropped the decompression levers on the double head, then when it fired you dropped the levers on the triple head. Valve bouncing at 1.200rpm and I think it made fuel. I have never seen a more economical engine. Gardner LW and later LX engines were right on the theoretical fuel consumption money for their capacity of "half a pint a pot" an hour.

Lang

On the subject of Gardner single cyilnder engines, I was told years ago  by a Gardner/Thornycroft enthusiast, that the single cylinder Gardner was popular for running a washdown pump in butcher shops.  He said in that application, they ran on town (Coal) gas.
Correct me if I am wrong Bill.
I hae just thought that I have a Mate, Stephen who is a retired butcher. I will ask him what he knows about them.

The Gardner was an off-the-shelf engine available to anyone, automotive, marine or industrial not designed with any particular vehicle in mind.

The first truck to have an in-house 5 cylinder design made for a specific vehicle was Lancia.

The 1938  Lancia 3Ro  trucks introduced a straight-five diesel engine to replace the previous straight-three engine. Built for the Italian and German armed forces during World War II and later for civilian usage, the truck remained in production until 1950.

Lancia 3Ro trucks

 

 

 

The Poms loved that town coal gas. It was popular on many stationary engines. Saw a large Crossley locally here but now sold which had the had converter / rubber bladder still fitted. He ran it on lpg out here

Hello Cobbadog,
I trust that you and Cobbarette are well.
It was not only England that had coal gas.  I worked for some years on the conversion of gas appliances when Melbourne and the LaTrobe Valley got Natural gas.  The job got me into all sorts of places I had never been in before (or since), including Synagogues, Masonic lodges, churches of several denominations, a girls school and Jewish meat processing shops and factories.  My crew was chosen to convert gas appliances in Pentridge prison and we all had to have our fingerprints taken by the Australian Federal Police but thankfully, before that job came up, I was transferred onto a crew doing conversions in industrial premises. Before anyone asks, no, the police did not find any reason to prevent me going to the gaol, as a worker or  to send me there as an inmate.

Yes thanks Morris we are both well n getting ready to hit the road again soon. Been playing with a little 3hp Buzacott. Finished the transporter n about to open a can of worms, again.

My original, flippant, throw away post was made on the back of a YouTube video. Aid video stated that Merc made the first five cylinder diesel engine. In hind sight, it may have referred to high speed/light vehicle engines.