[tigergto]

I also watched the first video. found it quite interesting. Looking forward to the next one.

[bulletpruf]

Originally Posted by tigergto

I also watched the first video. found it quite interesting. Looking forward to the next one.

Thanks! Hoping to head back there in about 5 days to do some more work.

Scott

[bulletpruf]

Originally Posted by dataway

Watched your YouTube video ... haven't checked for the next installment ... will be watching it when it's posed.

Thanks!

[bulletpruf]

Headed back out there tomorrow for round 2 of trying to get this old girl started. Wish me luck!

[SRR]

I hope the seller doesn't back out of the sale or jack up the price after you get it running. I've been burned like that along with a couple of my friends. Good luck!

[bulletpruf]

Today was a good freaking day!

On the road at 6:30 am. Picked up my buddy Will at 6:45 and we headed south.

Arrived at 8:40 am. Got unloaded and got to work.

Hit the bolts on the monster winch access cover with some 50/50. They came off with ease. Immediately inside was where the two cables entered the winch housing, one for brake, one for engage/disengage. Will managed to free up the brake lever with some 50/50 and elbow grease. We couldn't get the engage/disengage cable to free up, so we cut the cable at the winch with a death wheel and unthreaded the stub from the actuating lever inside the winch. Once that was done, we freed up the lever with equal applications of 50/50, brute force, and curse words. Once we had the engine turning over later in the day, we figured out which position was neutral and left it there so the winch wouldn't spin when the engine was turning over.

We worked on the clutch brake next. Yes, the clutch brake; it has a wet clutch (submerged in oil) and there's a brake shoe that rides on the clutch to keep the clutch from turning when the clutch is disengaged. The clutch brake is actuated by the main clutch lever moving all the way forward. Checked the oil level in the clutch and it was good; oil was clean, too. Anyway, we figured out that the clutch brake was not actuating as it should have been when I tried to start the tractor last time, but I managed to get it in place to where it would actuate if the brake itself wasn't junk...more on this later.

Next we worked on the fuel system. I removed the cover to the rack and hosed everything down with 50/50. Then, with Will watching the rack, I spun the tractor over using the HF 24v jump pack.* Will reported that all the spring loaded plungers were moving up and down except for one, which was stuck in the up position. So I managed to gently persuade it to move back down to where it was in contact with the cam...and then spun the engine over again...and it stuck up again... We went back and forth for about 10 iterations of application of 50/50 and gentle persuasion and finally the plunger moved up and down its own.

At that point, we weren't trying to start the engine, and we weren't building oil pressure, but I did see a slight puff of smoke from the exhaust at one point, so then I cracked open the fuel lines at the injectors about 1/2 turn. Spun it over some more and got a fair amount of fuel flowing from each fuel line, so I snugged them down and decided to see if she would crank.

Now that it had been spinning over for a while, the jump pack was getting a bit tired, so we went up to the owner's house and picked up the pair of 8D batteries.* Wired them up for 24V and gave her the beans. I didn't get much of anything with the decompression lever in the START position, but when I switched it to the RUN position, I started getting some smoke out the exhaust, so I gave her a little whiff of ether. Engine picked up and started to catch like it was going to start. This happened a few times and then she lit for good! It was running fairly rough at first, but that's because I didn't have the decompression lever all the way shut. Once I shut it, she cleaned up and idled nicely! Great oil pressure, too!

From there, I tried to get her to move by putting the forward/reverse lever in either forward or reverse, but no such luck; all it would do is grind and I wasn't about to force it. Even with the clutch lever in the disengage position and the clutch brake on, the clutch still seemed to be dragging. I could see the driveshaft spinning, too, so I suspect the clutch brake is smoked.

At that point, we were out of time and had to head north back to San Antonio.

On the way back I spoke with a guy who owns a D7 of similar vintage (D7E) and he said he has had a similar clutch brake problem with his, and he will just crank the engine over with the tractor in forward and low gear. That will either actually start the dozer in gear or it will break the clutch free so it's no longer dragging.

On the way home I also spoke with the D7D owner (he's out of town for work) and he's tickled pink that the old girl is running again.

Plan is to head back out there again in the next week or so to drain the water out of the transmission (we didn't have the correct tool to remove the drain plug) and see if we can actually get it to move.

FYI - I love to complain about south Texas summers, but days like today do NOT suck - sunny and highs in the low 70's. I was in short sleeves at the end of the day.

I'll work on editing the video over the next few days and will post to my YT channel.

[dataway]

Clutch issue is not that uncommon on many types of old tractors, and even some newish ones like my 1990's Ford 1715. Yep, that's usually the method to break them loose .. although ... using low gear, often if it's stuck good there isn't enough resistance to break it loose and you are just driving with no clutch. I often had to use a higher gear.

I learned to put a wood block in the clutch linkage to hold it disengaged if the tractor is going to sit for any length of time.

[chuckies76ta]

Wow, That's dedication. Looking forward to see the video of it firing up and running.

[bulletpruf]

Latest video is up in case anyone is interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt7_upfzQ3Q

[sdbob]

Thanks for the update enjoyed both videos. Sometimes I wish well maybe in my mind to get involved in old construction equipment. There is a collection of old operable construction equipment about an hour from me near Brownsville Pa. They hold demonstrations about 2 times a year. I want to go just havent.

[muscle_collector]

loved the video

[SD455DJ]

Great video Scott! Subscribed!

Dennis

[bulletpruf]

Originally Posted by sdbob

Thanks for the update enjoyed both videos. Sometimes I wish well maybe in my mind to get involved in old construction equipment. There is a collection of old operable construction equipment about an hour from me near Brownsville Pa. They hold demonstrations about 2 times a year. I want to go just havent.

Glad you enjoyed the videos.

It's been fun doing something different, but not sure I'm ready to get geared up with tools, land, equipment to handle just about anything that I would unbolt from the tractor, etc.

thanks

Scott

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Originally Posted by muscle_collector

loved the video

Thanks, Gary!

[bulletpruf]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Great video Scott! Subscribed!

Dennis

Thanks, Dennis!

[bulletpruf]

Ok, headed back down tomorrow to see if she'll move. We hope to have some technical expertise on site as well...

Dropped $350 at Napa on various fluids and $58 at the local Cat dealer for the drain plug socket. If I don't end up using all the oil to top off the various reservoirs, I'll have to buy this dozer or another one so it doesn't go to waste...

[sdbob]

I hope you enjoy losing your mind. Really it's a challenge that few of us could or would do,$$$$. My grandfather operated a 'steam shovel' back in the 20s.He had me on an old cat dozer when I was little,still have pics. My great grandfather a stone mason had the first truck in Latrobe,a 1907 Gramm. I have pics,looks like a conestoga wagon without the horses. Those older pieces of equipment probably were designed to last. My 60s Cub Cadets just keep going with maintenance. Good luck.

[dataway]

I heard noise and saw smoke

[bulletpruf]

Originally Posted by sdbob

I hope you enjoy losing your mind. Really it's a challenge that few of us could or would do,$$$$. My grandfather operated a 'steam shovel' back in the 20s.He had me on an old cat dozer when I was little, still have pics. My great grandfather a stone mason had the first truck in Latrobe, a 1907 Gramm. I have pics, looks like a conestoga wagon without the horses. Those older pieces of equipment probably were designed to last. My 60s Cub Cadets just keep going with maintenance. Good luck.

I am actually having a lot of fun losing my mind! Sounds like your family had some pretty cool toys way back when!!!

[bulletpruf]

Today was another out-freaking-standing day!

Picked up my buddy Will at about 7 am; 35 or so degrees, which is frigid for south Texas! On site at about 9 am, sun was shining and it was warming up nicely! Ended up in the mid-70's by early afternoon; just a gorgeous south Texas "winter" day!

Worked on fluids first -- added another 5 gallons of diesel to the tank, then topped off the oil in the winch; turns out it was only a few quarts low. Next step was to add several quarts of 30W to the steering clutch booster.

At that point, our "tech advisor" Craig, showed up on site, with his lovely wife, Helen; they drove in from 2+ hours away. Craig has been running Cat dozers for 50+ years, so it was a huge help to have someone with his knowledge and experience as we tried to get the tractor moving.

Next, I managed to get the tractor started, but it wasn't as easy as I had expected. Anyway, I let it idle for 5-10 minutes to let everything warm up. After it was warm, I killed the engine, then started it up in Forward, 1st gear. I was half expecting it to jump, but it didn't do anything until I engaged the clutch, then it moved forward immediately and out of the hole that it had been sitting in for 10+ years which was a huge relief.

I didn't have much room to move forward, so I killed the engine and shifted into reverse, still in 1st gear (I wasn't able to shift while the engine was running because the clutch was still dragging).

Once I started the engine and started moving in reverse, I tried the steering brakes and clutches - both worked! I was able to steer without any problems. From there, I killed it again, put it in forward, 1st gear, and did a lap around the area (a few acres) where the dozer had been sitting. All went well, so I parked it for now, and topped off the engine oil (a few gallons low!) and the final drives (each took a few gallons of 90W).

I suspect I have culminated on this tractor. I did what I set out to do, did right by the old girl by getting her running and operating again, and now there's a decent chance that she'll get sold to someone who will put her back in service.

Will and I thought about making a stop at the Dusty Saddle Saloon on the way home, but I'm not a huge fan of women that chew Red Man, so we headed back to San Antonio!

Thanks again for all the input!

Scott