unidentified tractor spanner

[reedydrive]

greetings to all. I'm trying to determine the identity of a large double box end wrench with spanner teeth.  Markings are "1RN338 " (I don't recognize it). Anyone recognize the markings? (I can upload more photos if need be)

[rusty]

Weakly identified in the Virgil auction as probably a Reo (automobile) wrench.
Funny prongs fit valve cap ports.

(1RN379 is known, ID of 1RN338 is likely assumed based on similarity)

Shown #877 here: http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/saak-2011/VS-865-877.jpg

[skipskip]

Funny prongs fit valve cap ports.


Shown #877 here: http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/saak-2011/VS-865-877.jpg

'splain 'Valve ports'  please

[Papaw]

Valve covers- like on Triumph motorcycles.


Or even a Honda. 


Openings for valve adjustment.

[skipskip]

Ooooh.....those valve caps


I was thinking tires....

[reedydrive]

Thanks guys. The ideas are getting me closer. Next step is locating any engine pics for an REO Speedwagon (so THAT'S where the name came from) or Touring Car.

The wrench came from a buddy, long dead, who ran a farm from 1930 to 1984.

[johnsironsanctuary]

The tool is for removing valve port plugs in very early engines. Before about 1915, many engines had cylinder jugs that did not have removable cylinder heads.  This was done because head gasket technology was weak and the headless design meant no blown gaskets.  The engines were side valve or flathead design and to get the valves out of the jug, you unscrewed a plug in the top of the jug that was directly over the valve. The plug was sealed with a copper ring that looked like a big spark plug gasket. The bad news in this design was that the threads on the plug were on the combustion side of the seal and the plugs were a bugger to get out with the threads packed with carbon. The other bad news was that you had to do it fairly often. Doing a valve job every three to five thousand miles was common.  The top of the plug was a castle type design with four slots in the top wall. Most engines had the spark plug in the bottom of the cup shaped plug.  You took out the spark plug and placed this tool in the four slots. Then you screwed a sort of a bolt down through the tool and into the spark plug hole to hold the tool in place. Then, sometimes with a little torch heat, the plug could be unscrewed. You can sometimes do it without the screw, but often the castle on the plug gets chewed up making it harder next time. The photo below is a Bulldog Mack engine with a homemade tool.

The tool in the photo was probably used with an air gun.

[mvwcnews]

I have an illustrated ad + related patent info for an adjustable port plug wrench in the forthcoming Sept. MVWC newsletter.
The wrench was advertised in summer 1921 in a couple of auto trade magazines by the Carl Meyer Co. of Toledo Ohio.  The patent number is 1,390,371 and the drawing includes a cross section of a port plug.  The June 2007 MVWC newsletter had more information about port plugs and port plug wrench patents.