International Harvester was formed in 1902 by the merger of the McCormick Harvesting and Deering Harvester companies. It has manufactured a wide range of products and after several reorganizations is known today as Navistar International.

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The Olds and International Harvester are single cylinder 4 cycle gasoline engines. The gasoline is injected, via a fuel pump, directly into the cylinder. The “problem” is that the gasoline is not ignited on each compression stroke.

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Today we think that fuel injection is a new idea. Not so. HMEs had fuel injection at the end of the 19 century.

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The ignition is controlled by a governor which calls for ignition based on the rpms of the engine.

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Gasoline is consequently ejected from the engine on each of the non-ignition cycles. Hence the characteristic pop of the engine when it is running. Both the fuel ejection and sound can be seen and heard in the accompanying video. The first time you see gasoline coming back out of the engine is a little scary. Normally the gasoline is returned to the fuel tank.

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Both engines have spark plugs and ignition via a battery and a “Buzz” box. Most people associate buzz, or trembler, coils with Henry Ford and the model T. In reality the first buzz coil was invented in the 1880’s based on 1830s technology and used in the first automobile developed by Karl Benz in 1886. Benz also invented the 2 cycle engine made popular by lawn mowers today.

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Both are water cooled: the IH with a pump and radiator; the Olds via a water tank and convention.

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Both would be hitched to a team of horses and driven into the field to run various farm implements or for example the Hildreth. The seating arrangement on the IH is a little more comfortable than for the farmer.