Rescuing a Forgotten "Iron Horse" Engine – Will It Run?

In this video, I share my latest swap meet find — a rare Johnson Iron Horse X-401 four-cycle engine from the late 1930s to early 1940s. This little single-cylinder motor was likely built for washing machines and is unlike the two-cycle Maytag engine I restored previously.

We go through the full first-look inspection, check for compression and spark, and even get it to fire and run for the first time in decades! Then, I begin the disassembly process, showing how surprisingly clean and well-built this 80+ year-old engine still is. Follow along as I get ready to restore this unique piece of small engine history back to life.

If you enjoy vintage engines, restorations, or swap meet finds, this one’s for you!

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