I too have a D7 17A that needs an engine removal. I have a hole in the side of the block I could stick my head thru. I have never removed an engine from a D7 and was thinking I would remove radiator, hydraulic unit, and hardnose separately. It appears you have removed all three as a unit which looks a lot simpler and faster. Is that the preferred or best way of removal ? Any more tips or tricks on engine removal would be greatly appreciated.

The donor 17a has a cracked liner #2 and some serious crank case pressure all the valve cover gaskets blew out along with the dipstick. I was sitting for 10 years with coolant and oil in the pan.
This was my first d7 engine removal on 17a it was really nice to pull the nose off as a unit just rad pipes. pump coupler and its off. Pick your poison on the round crossmember inside as you can remove it and leave fan on. The donor i pulled fan and rested against rad and left the round member inplace.

Well i just got word from the machine shop that my donor crank is cracked. So we bought the donor cat and dismantled it all for nothing. oh well hope i can find another crank.

Have you contacted Gemdozer yet? He might be able to help you.

I was sorting through my new parts and found the piston firing plugs are only staked on the threads, this scares me and I want to spot weld them. What are your thoughts? Here the pics

Plugs should have nuts and washer like so....

Hi,
as both yourself and OM have said and have shown, they should be tack welded--Genuine ones are all tack welded to my knowledge.
The staked one is likely an after marked part, in your photo the nut also looks like it is not fully engaged onto the stud and so the stakes would not be effective--likely a tack weld on opposite sides of the nut/stud end would help secure things--something not right with the stud being short and so causing the nut to not be fully engaged.
My thoughts.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

"Only Caterpillar Parts Give Caterpillar Service"

Hi Rome K/G,
thanks for putting that up, I recall a few different Posters over time, one especially from the Nightmare On Elm Street era in particular that had something like "Avoid The Nightmare Of Will Fit Parts"
Cheers,
Eddie B.

Looking at the picture of the bolt end it looks to have been hack sawed off. I wonder if it interfered with the rod?