[AT] Best of ATIS? ---The D8 story

[Mark Sargent]

Folks

I came across what I consider to be one of the best posts tot the list in my
saved files on the HD.   I get the list in digest form these days and I
noticed very little activity- so I though I'd post
one thread I thought may be one of the best stories - I'd seen on ATIS.
I'll do it one a day for the five days-unless Karl Olmstead  has objections.
Karl has a real way with words- and he did/does neat stuff!

Here is the first installment - Karl -Let me know if you want me to stop!
It was written back in Dec of '99
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To: "atis" <antique-tractor at atis.net> 
Subject: Tractor weekend 
From: "Karl Olmstead" <olmstead at ridgenet.net> 
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 17:47:35 -0800 
Posted-Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 17:53:46 -0800 (PST) 

Should be an interesting weekend.  As most of you know, I bought a D8 Cat
that was advertised on ebay a couple of months ago.  Price was right; less
than I usually pay for worn-out Cubs.  It's near Modesto, CA, about 320
miles from me.  Owner says that both engines (starting and main) start and
run well.  Total weight is easily 40K pounds, so with Richard Walker's help,
I found a trucker to haul it for me.  Name's Charlie, he's an old
catskinner.. ideal for this job.

The previous owner, who lives in Utah, assured me that the starting engine,
a 2-cylinder gas hand cranked gas engine, would start as long as I was
careful not to flood it.  A week ago I called the trucking company where the
tractor is stored, and they gave me an entirely different picture.
Evidently the D8 has been sitting there for a year or two, which I didn't
realize.  Although they got it started once a long time ago, since then
three different guys with Cat experience have failed.  According to the
fellow I talked to, 'It's been here so long that the magneto is full of crud
and there's no way you're going to get it started'.  The PO did mention that
it had new plugs and wires, so obviously somebody felt that there was an
ignition problem.

OK, so I changed my plan.  The trucker told me that he had a winch; I
figured he could still handle the loading, and I'd bury an anchor at my
place to chain the Cat to for unloading it.  I've been corresponding offline
with John Parks at Western Gear about the matter, and he told me that the
winch was almost certainly not going to be able to pull the D8 up a
beavertail or loading ramps.  Checked with Charlie, and he confirmed that.

So, I'm going North tomorrow to solve the problem.  Never even touched a Cat
pony motor before, but I do have the D8 service manual because John loaned
me his to photocopy.  And I bought a D8 operator's manual on ebay a couple
of weeks ago.

My current theory is that there's nothing seriously wrong with the starting
engine.  If it's been sitting for a year or two, I'm sure that the gas in
the carb has turned to varnish.  It only takes a few months in hot
California weather for the gas to go bad.  Worse yet, somebody may have left
the fuel petcock on, so several gallons of fuel may have evaporated from the
carb.  I'll bet it's a mess inside!  I'm taking carb and brake cleaner,
gasket stock, some brushes and safety wire for cleaning things out.

It's entirely possible that the mag's not sparking also, but I'd bet on
dirty points instead of some major breakdown.

I've also gotten some valuable pointers from Bill Strickland, Richard Walker
and John Parks.  It seems that Cat starting engine valves tend to stick when
the engine isn't used.  I'll be checking that.  I'll be taking a gallon of
Kroil along.

Also 1/2" and 1/4" sockets and ratchet, the usual hand tools, a digital
multimeter, cleaners, paper towels, a 55 gallon drum to dump bad gas or
diesel fuel in, fresh fuel, service manual, pliers and screwdrivers, two
sizes of fuel hose, some brass fittings and a petcock...  but no trailer,
for a change.  I haven't driven to Northern California for years without my
tractor haulin' trailer!  Oh, yeah, and a couple of pieces of plywood so I
don't have to sit on the track grousers while I work.  And my Y2K Mr. Heater
propane heater, to take the chill off when I'm working on all that cold
iron.

I won't have much daylight left tomorrow when I get there, so I expect to
work all day Sunday on the tractor.  I may drive back Monday, but since
Charlie's probably going to show up Tuesday morning, I may just stay over
and help him load the D8, then follow him down to my place.  One way or
another, I expect to increase the mass of old iron in my yard by about one
third some time Tuesday afternoon.

Guess I'll find out whether I'm a mechanic or not on this little adventure!

Karl Olmstead   <olmstead at ridgenet.net>

K&F Engineering     Ridgecrest, CA
Karl's Old Tractor Page:  <http://members.xoom.com/kolmstead>

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Tomorrow Part 1