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

[John B]

Karl is not on  the list anymore. He is not as active with the old tractors, but it still living in the desert in Ridgecrest, CA. Lately he has been buying fixer upper houses to rehab andf resell. I forwarded to him the retelling of his exploits on the ATIS list, I know that at the time we were all in awe of his accomplishment. It's hard to believe that it was 13 years ago now, back in 1999!

John Boehm
Woodland, CA
Visit my web site at http://vintagetractors.com



--- On Fri, 5/4/12, Doug Tallman <dtallman at accnorwalk.com> wrote:

From: Doug Tallman <dtallman at accnorwalk.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Best of ATIS? ---The D8 story
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Date: Friday, May 4, 2012, 9:51 AM

Is Karl still on the list? I haven't seen him post in quite awhile.  Doug T




Mark Sargent wrote:
> 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
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> 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>
>
> ---------------
> Tomorrow Part 1
>
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