Another project, maybe...

[300 H and H]

My Uncle has liver cancer. He is selling some things off. Unfortunately the construction busines he owned slowly died in the early 80's. He never had a sale of the equitment. Most of it was old anyway.

My Grand fathers 1935 Dodge Brothers truck was up there and a Caterpillar gen set. I went north and brought them home for future use...The Gen set has my attention at this time. I am considering resoring it and using it for stand bye power.

1947 20Kw 3 phase delta wound. 32V exciter, fully sacherated feild coils, self regulating Louis Allis gen head. 76 Amp max.

I have been told I can take about 17.5 Kw off it single phase, 220/110 V

It looks rough, but the pony engine is free and feels good. The only controls that are frozen up are the compression release linkage and the pony govenor and linkage. Yes, you start it with a rope! It can be converted to electric start. Total time on the hour meter is 1638 Hr. Not hardly broken in at nearly 70 yrs old.

I will have an electrician I know check the Gen head out for anything that would kill this idea of a working unit. Every thing important I see seems to be OK so far, anyway.

I know some of you like pictures...

Regards, Kirk

 

[BigAl]

My Uncle has liver cancer. He is selling some things off. Unfortunately the construction busines he owned slowly died in the early 80's. He never had a sale of the equitment. Most of it was old anyway.

My Grand fathers 1935 Dodge Brothers truck was up there and a Caterpillar gen set. I went north and brought them home for future use...The Gen set has my attention at this time. I am considering resoring it and using it for stand bye power.

1947 20Kw 3 phase delta wound. 32V exciter, fully satcherated feild coils, self regulating Louis Allis gen head. 76 Amp max.

I have been told I can take about 17.5 Kw off it single phase, 220/110 V

It looks rough, but the pony engine is free and feels good. The only controls that are frozen up are the compression release linkage and the pony govenor and linkage. Yes, you start it with a rope! It can be converted to electric start. Total time on the hour meter is 1638 Hr. Not hardly broken in at nearly 70 yrs old.

I will have an electrician I know check the Gen head out for anything that would kill this idea of a working unit. Every thing important I see seems to be OK so far, anyway.

I know some of you like pictures...

Regards, Kirk

Just remember , All those yellow parts are gold .. No way I would even dare to try restoring one for use . $$$$$$$$$$$

 

[300 H and H]

Al,

Gotta know where to get them parts...I am not going to spend more than it would make sence. That is why I'll be doing a physical on both the engins and the gen set to see if some thing "terminal" has already happened.

This was built for many years of service. wtih only 1600 hours it has lots left if it hasn't been neglected or damaged years ago. But I don't think so. It was actually covered from the weather pretty well. It's just been in the same pace for 45 years or so, partially protected.

Regards, Kirk

 

[BigAl]

Al,

Gotta know where to get them parts...I am not going to spend more than it would make sence. That is why I'll be doing a physical on both the engins and the gen set to see if some thing "terminal" has already happened.

This was built for many years of service. wtih only 1600 hours it has lots left if it hasn't been neglected or damaged years ago. But I don't think so. It was actually covered from the weather pretty well. It's just been in the same pace for 45 years or so, partially protected.

Regards, Kirk

You are a braver man than me . Last time I touched a old Cat in cost me $16000. and my intention at the time was to only repack a hyd ram . Never again ......

 

[300 H and H]

So what's an 18Kw diesel Gen set worth? Running it has to have some. If not it weighs in a 5000+ lbs, and lots of that is copper.

Regards, Kirk

 

[squerly]

Looks pretty rough Kirk.

 

[mla2ofus]

My advice: #1- see if it will hold antifreeze. #2- see if the pony will start and run. If you need any parts they'll probably be hard to find. Do some research to find if that is the same engine as in a D-4 7/U crawler. If so there's still a few parts around for them.
I worked around some of them in my eary days of rock crushing. They were used to power jaw crushers. If they're not worked hard enough they pull oil past the rings. If we crushed glacial moraine for a while it would have oil running down the stack. Then if we moved to shot rock it would spit hot chunks of carbon out the stack for a couple of days.
I'd take a long hard look at everything before diving into it. The one good thing about them is the pony exhaust runs thru a tube in the main engine intake manifold. If you can get it to turn over w/ comp release on it will start at any temperature.
Don't know how familiar you are w/ it. The two handles just below the pony in the first pic are for engaging the bendix. IIRC you push the vertical handle forward to engage the bendix brake, then pull the horizontal handle up to engage the bendix w/ the flywheel, then pull the vertical one back to engage the bendix clutch while also holding the horizontal handle up to keep the bendix engaged w/ the flywheel. When the main starts release the horizontal handle. Shut the gas valve off on the pony and let the pony run the carb dry.
IIRC the injector pump has it's own oil supply for lubrication. 10w hyd oil will work fine. The fuel filters are in the squarish looking housing just ahead of the inj pump.
HTH,

Mike

 

[300 H and H]

My advice: #1- see if it will hold antifreeze. #2- see if the pony will start and run. If you need any parts they'll probably be hard to find. Do some research to find if that is the same engine as in a D-4 7/U crawler. If so there's still a few parts around for them.
I worked around some of them in my eary days of rock crushing. They were used to power jaw crushers. If they're not worked hard enough they pull oil past the rings. If we crushed glacial moraine for a while it would have oil running down the stack. Then if we moved to shot rock it would spit hot chunks of carbon out the stack for a couple of days.
I'd take a long hard look at everything before diving into it. The one good thing about them is the pony exhaust runs thru a tube in the main engine intake manifold. If you can get it to turn over w/ comp release on it will start at any temperature.
Don't know how familiar you are w/ it. The two handles just below the pony in the first pic are for engaging the bendix. IIRC you push the vertical handle forward to engage the bendix brake, then pull the horizontal handle up to engage the bendix w/ the flywheel, then pull the vertical one back to engage the bendix clutch while also holding the horizontal handle up to keep the bendix engaged w/ the flywheel. When the main starts release the horizontal handle. Shut the gas valve off on the pony and let the pony run the carb dry.
IIRC the injector pump has it's own oil supply for lubrication. 10w hyd oil will work fine. The fuel filters are in the squarish looking housing just ahead of the inj pump.
HTH,

Mike

Your right the D4400 is a D4 tractor engine. My uncle had new pistons and sleeves put in it, and supposedly never used it after that. Why it needed the repairs I don't know. Maybe wet stacked with a light load till the rings/pistons were worn out? Any way I don't think it froze with coolant in it. Uncle tried his best over the years to see it was at least covered up. The second coat of paint is what really makes it look bad as it is peeling off big time. It is also equipted with a low oil preasure/high water temp shut down system. I need some books on the engine and gen head before I too caried away. There are those who collect this stuf and will pay for it. If nothing else for the parts. The internet has made this much easier...

The head has been off and boiled as the paint is gone....This is also a 1,200 RPM set, 6 pole gen. They say they are very good on fuel.

Thank you for your wise words of caution and examination. It may be just scrap and parts, or it may be a jem, in the rough...

Regards, Kirk

 

[mla2ofus]

Well, let's just hope after sitting for 45 yrs the main and pony cyl haven't gotten rusted from condensation. Might pay to run a comp test on the pony before you wear your self out yankin' on the rope. Looks like you could rig up a socket on a 1/2" drill to crank it.
When you get a book on the gennie you might be able to change the taps to make it single phase.
Those old 1200 RPM Cats will run forever. We had a Cat 398 V-12 genset that had over 20k hrs on it. When they overhauled it, it was mainly to fix all the oil leaks.
If you decide to accept this mission,good luck!!
Mike