cat fuel system

[lonesomegeorge]

Help,
I recently bought a 1953 D4 Caterpillar with a pony motor. The previous owner said it was running fine a year ago. The pony had so many things wrong with it, I mounted a 5.5 hp gas engine on the fender. I've got the main engine running 3 times but the rest of the time it will only run on starting fluid. It is not getting fuel to the injectors. There is no fuel filter that I can find, but there is fuel up to the fuel pump. Any ideas?

Terry

[modelman093]

What's the fuel pressure gauge showing?
Filter elements in the tank.
Would be worth joining the ACMOC forum for detailed vintage Cat advice.

[martyn williams]

I would start from scratch, drain out and clean fuel tank, renew filters, fill with fresh diesel, bleed fuel system, check fuel pressure. How long are you cranking the engine with the pony motor ?
[video]http://youtu.be/Jcz7qPz8QTE[/video]

[lonesomegeorge]

Thanks for your reply's.
I've cleaned the fuel tank, put in clean fuel, cheaked the fuel pressure pump, there is fuel in that housing in front of the fuel distributer pump, but unhook the lines going up to the injectors, and no fuel. someone has disconnected the fuel pressure gauge line and taken it out. I blew backwards through the fuel distributor pump with compressed air, bled the lines out and it started up and ran for about 10 minutes . tried to run it later and no fuel again. I pulled an access plate off the big housing in front of the fuel distributor pump and someone had had it off, and used a half a tube of silicone to reseal it, resulting in half of the sealant going inside and the fuel had bean dissolving it. I wonder if some of that is plugging up every thing? the pony motor was beyond help, so I put a 5 1/2 hp b&s on the fender and run a v-belt down to the pulley. I know it's probably not kosher , but it works good. I'm a retired truck mechanic, worked on a lot of Detroits and cummins over the years,. but not much on Cat's.

terry

[lonesomegeorge]

I'm new here, what is " acmoc forum" ? I appreciate your help. I need to find a maintenance manual. The P.O. said he had one, but hasn't found it yet. Meanwhile the wife is checking scrap metal pricing incase I don't get it running soon.

terry

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Lonesomegeorge.
Inside that tower in front of and above the governor and injector pumps, there will be either a paper element filter or four string filters on rods. You need to take the top off that tower and check them to see if they are choked up. There is also a bleed screw on that tower to help bleed the system. Make sure it is done up firm enough that it won't leak air into the system.

Also, on SOME but not all of of these D4's, there was a little jigger like a smallish sight bowl but made from steel and held in place by a bow and a tensioning screw, just like a sight bowl. This was situated on the main fuel line from the tank to the lift pump, under the injector pump. If your tractor has one, after you have removed the steel bowl, there should be a WHOLE BUNCH of brass segments held in place by a center bolt. Unscrew this issue and wash it out in diesel fuel. Try to do it WITHOUT removing the brass segments from the center bolt. I'll leave it to your imagination for the 'why' of that - - - - BUT there are a LOTT of segments. When replacing the bowl, fill it with clean fuel before fitting it - less air to get out of the system.

If itza 1953 vintage, it ought to be either a 6Uxxxx - narrow gauge, or 7Uxxxx - wide gauge, tractor. Serial number can be found on the rear of the steering clutch case, left side, on a small aluminum plate help in place with rivets. The serial number was also stamped into the housing under the plate in case said plate 'went missing'. There should had oughta be a similar plate on the left rear of the engine block, inboard of the starter pinon clutch lever.

Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owner's Club - ACMOC:

http://www.acmoc.org/bb/forumdisplay.php?4-DISCUSSION

Pretty helpful bunch of blokes - - - - - - especially if you register and post photos. I KNOW. I'm wunnuv'em.

Buy the wife a sewing machine that doesn't work to keep her quiet. LOL.

Just my 0.02.

[martyn williams]

New filters are still availble from Finning. May be a transfer pump problem.

[lonesomegeorge]

Well, I pulled the top off of that tower and it had 4 sock filters, and they seemed to get fuel through them easily. I filled the housing up with fuel before putting the top back in. hooked up a preassure guage, but get no preassure . and the tower is almost empty of fuel. Is that small housing that the fuel line comes into below the lift pump supposed to be a check valve? it only had a spring and a lineup button inside to keep the spring straight. Is there another part that is missing? I don't know how it could be a checkvalve the way it is. any ideas?

terry

[Deas Plant]

Hi, LonesomeGeorge.
Unfortunately, I don't have the parts book page(s) for the D4 Fuel system. All I have is a schematic which does not show a non-return valve, only an overflow/bypass/relief valve in the transfer pump body. If this does not help, you could go to ACMOC, register on the forum (Free) and post your query there. There are a few people over there who have all this sort of information coming out of their ears.

http://www.acmoc.org/bb/forumdisplay.php?4-DISCUSSION

Hope this helps.

[jcb4cx]

you could cut an old inner tube with the valve and fix it over the filler neck and lightly pressurize the system and see if you get fuel and pressure then