Trying to force the end of winter. Still lots of snow in the bush but D6b I’ve named “Rocktopushy” fired right up! Servicing happening this week, removing the winch hook and installing a couple cable choker bells for some upcoming logging work.
I bought a Ford L8000 for a flat deck truck. Going through the motions to get it on the road. Found a d3b in the woods close by where I bought the truck and the previous owner is asking about it and another dozer he knows of in the area...
First pic is my oldest son (13) cleaning the dozer
Second is of the new to me wheels.
Stay healthy!

All done the spring service, buzz bomb pony oil and main, oil filters, fuel filters and sediment bowl, outer air filter with mouse nest removed and replaced, and some choker bells and cable chokers attached. I couldn’t tighten the leak out on my right final so that’s a job for another day. Getting floated out in an hour or so for the next job. Some land clearing and tree removal. Started the pony at -12c. First time I’ve had to use the choke!

Hi Dizzel,
thanks for taking us along on your adventure.
I well remember the buzz bomb saga at The Dealer--we hired 2 mechanics to work full time doing the constant raft of updates that were tried and applied to the Recalls for these things--must have nearly sent Cat broke.

It took a few years to get the BB's sorted to be reliable but many people could not afford the down time while change over BB's were swapped out/in so often, so they went over to Direct Electric start.

Treat your BB kindly and keep up the servicing especially the oil changes, at least at half the recommended time--twice as often.
Always check its oil level before each start and if you see the oil level has risen, most likely from fuel/gas/petrol dilution --change the oil and find out and rectify the cause.

Cheers,
Eddie B.

"edb" wrote:

Hi Dizzel,
thanks for taking us along on your adventure.
I well remember the buzz bomb saga at The Dealer--we hired 2 mechanics to work full time doing the constant raft of updates that were tried and applied to the Recalls for these things--must have nearly sent Cat broke.

It took a few years to get the BB's sorted to be reliable but many people could not afford the down time while change over BB's were swapped out/in so often, so they went over to Direct Electric start.

Treat your BB kindly and keep up the servicing especially the oil changes, at least at half the recommended time--twice as often.
Always check its oil level before each start and if you see the oil level has risen, most likely from fuel/gas/petrol dilution --change the oil and find out and rectify the cause.

Cheers,
Eddie B.

I will do that Eddie. Neil suggested every x number of starts I should change the oil. I’ll go with 10-15. This last change showed small rust coloured flakes on the oil pan magnet and quite a lot of fine metal suspended in the oil itself. That was alarming enough to really heed the warnings. I almost never run this engine at high idle. Maybe 10% each run. I make sure the main engine is warmed up and will easily start before I go to high idle. I also run 2stroke premix at 50:1 so that the cylinder walls have a little extra lube at startup. I’m about 4 starts into this change already and will update the condition of the oil on the next change. I was bloody impressed it lit off this morning. Pretty chilly!
Thanks as always.
Stay healthy all!!

A 14 ton issacson winch that shouldn’t fit but has been made to..

Hi again,
from memory and simply to let you know that the electric starter motor bendix and its ring gear are running in the engine oil as is the clutch and some reduction gears so they can make some metal from these sources as well.

One of the mods was to increase the pony oil pan capacity. Spent some time as a cheap labour Apprentice in the Fab Shop modifying belly pans to accommodate the larger pony oil pans after the lube system was separated from the main engine lube system--about the 3rd time this connected lube system mistake was made over the years--twice before from way back before these ever came along.

Cut your oil filter element open and check in the paper element pleats to gain a better insight into any non-ferrous materials being filtered from the oil. The oil filter was another of many updates/modifications to these jiggers to try and increase their longevity and reliability, most mods did have a noticeable improvement.

These high revving starting engines came out in around early 1960 and I recall any time someone in the shop started a machine with one on it the startee usually received a barrage of abuse and missiles from all in the shop--we soon had a Shop muffler to fit extra on them to help with this issue.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

Hi Team,
we often fitted winches of odd parentage to Cat and other brand machines from other brand machines they were not built for in our Used Equipment Dept. I recall lots of measuring and making adaptor plates and shafts for them as well as modifying controls to suit--was all good experience for this Apprentice--er, cheap labour.

I enjoyed this sort of stuff as my Dad taught me a lot of the skills needed to carry out these tasks when I worked with he and his men during school breaks at his Boiler-making and Fabrication Shop as a kid.
Memories

Cheers,
Eddie B.