[AT] . Best of ATIS? -The D8 story Karl's Post

Herb Metz metz-h.b at comcast.net
Sat May 5 10:59:30 PDT 2012


I can remember when Karl first posted this message. By then we all knew he 
was good; but making known his plans was a bit surprising.   But, he did it. 
Last I heard, Karl was still active on Farmall list. His posts were always 
informative and educational.
A one acre garden takes too much time for me to read all posts; but if 
memory serves he sold that "running D8" before heading home.
At the Tulare, CA April 2008 Tractor Show, I briefly met Karl; but he was on 
a tight schedule and had some commitment (buying or selling) that took 
priority.   However, my old college roommate (we both had 350 ccc. Triumphs) 
and I were treated to a several hour personalized tour by Richard Walker and 
Don Bowen.  By the end of this tour we both felt as though we had attended 
the last several years Tulare shows.
Also saw John Boehn and his show tractor.  First met John several years 
earlier when he gave a tour of his many special JD NFEs and Hi-Crops.
The next day we drove over to Grant Brians and had a short tour of his 
sizeable operation. Barbara still mentions the beautiful roses his mother 
raised.
Herb

Cc: "Monika" <m.lenz at rrh.org>
Posted-Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:06:26 -0800 (PST)
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I had the D8's starting engine running pretty well.

I had checked the coolant and oil in the main engine.  Hmm.. oil is only
midway up dipstick.  Better check it when the engine is running (that's what
the book says).  Coolant is OK.  Pony oil is down a bit, too.

Showtime!  Let's see if the pony can turn over the main engine.  Latched the
starter pinion, engaged the clutch, and the main engine was turning!  I let
it spin five or ten minutes with the compression release set to 'start'.
Oil pressure climbed to almost the middle of the gauge.  Moved the
compression release lever to the 'half' position, where three cylinders are
allowed to compress fully.  Ran there for a while, and moved the compression
release to 'run', where all cylinders get full compression.  Started playing
with main engine throttle.  In another five or ten minutes, I started
getting puffs of black smoke from main engine exhaust, but that was it.
After fiddling for a while longer, I remembered that I had set the starting
engine's transmission to 'low', which is mainly for spinning the engine in
subzero weather.  It doesn't spin the diesel gast enough to start it.

Shifted the starting transmission to 'high', re-engaged the clutch, and the
1246 c.i. diesel began to spin much more quickly.  I climbed back onto the
seat and began playing with the throttle some more.  It took me quite a
while to find the throttle; it had been moved to a big lever to the left of
the seat so that it could be operated from the winch platform.  Gradually
the number of black puffs from the exhaust began to increase.  At least
twenty minutes of cranking, by then.  I began to wonder how I'd know when
the diesel engine was actually running.  Then, all of a sudden, the pony
motor began to speed up.  Runaway?  I jumped back down and disengaged the
pony clutch.  And realized that the main engine was still running!!  Jumped
back up to the seat and played with the throttle.  Sure enough, it was
running!  I shut off the fuel petcock to the pony motor, but the carb holds
so much gas that it took a long time for the starting engine to quit.  It is
considerably louder than the main engine.  Pony finally died.

I have to admit, at this point I almost chickened out.  Unless you've
climbed up on one, you have no idea how BIG a D8 is.  The thought of putting
it in gear and driving it was, frankly, pretty scary.  But I did it.  Shoved
that big transmission shifter into first gear, got my feet ready to brake,
moved the throttle up a little, and pulled back on the flywheel clutch.  We
were moving!  Pulled back on right turning clutch, nothing happened. Stomped
right brake, and the Cat spun to the right.  Tried same on left side, and it
worked perfectly.  Suddenly, I was king!  I could go anywhere, do anything!
I even tried reverse.  Steered quite nicely.  Drove the Cat back to where it
was parked and put it in neutral.  Time to look for leaks and check the oil.
No leaks, but the dipstick had only a tiny spot of oil at the very tip.
Oops.. shutdown time.

I was pretty happy with the first run, but I needed oil.  Drove around and
found a convenience store/gas station.  Asked the lady if she'd sell me a
case or two of oil.  She did.  $50.00 for 24 quarts.  I hate buying quarts!

Back to the Cat.  Dumped a case and a half into the crankcase, then checked
fuel injection pump.  It needed a quart.  Pony got another quart.  Dumped
the rest into the main engine.  Six gallons, all together.

Starting engine lit right off.  Main engine started almost immediately.
Hadn't cooled down much; lots of heat stored in that big motor.  Wonder what
it weighs; it's five or six feet long.  Drove around a bit more and liked
how it felt.  I hate to say it, but if I closed my eyes, it was exactly like
driving Richard Walker's Cat 22.  No more difficult.  But bigger when I
opened my eyes!

-- end of part two --

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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