Proper way to start a Caterpillar D 2 with a pony motor

[@dieselrotor]

Those silly ole slide rule engineers who's designs still work 70 years later. Man I love old tech !

[@basshunter428]

"Old school always rules" when it comes to reliability! In today's machines you have at least a dozen sensors that are prone to failure along with lord knows how many power/ground connections! Simple is always better when you need a job done right and right away! Great vid! 👍

[@robertboyd3863]

Actually these old Cats are terrible when you do have to work on them .

[@chuckeberth4370]

When I was five or six my father ran a cat with a pony starter. I haven't heard the sound of a pony starter in over 60 years. Thanks for the great video and memories.

[@Shane-Singleton]

Thanks for explaining the whole thing before starting that pony motor. You're right that little thing makes such a racket you can't hear anything else.

[@bananas2878]

Thanks for the memories. That was the high point of any week (1950's New Zealand) when the D 2 got a start up to do some work. When I was 10yrs old I was allowed to drive it from time to time - so cool!

[@ianmckenzie8685]

Same here. We had a D 2 on our farm. Same country same decade - on a South Canterbury hill farm. Always a 20 minute job starting the beast.

[@squirrelhillfarm9070]

Back in the late 70’s I bought a old road grader with a pony motor. At a auction. Wish I’d had these instructions on starting it then. I was blind to how it worked. Finally recruited someone to show me. Hard to resell something when you don’t know how it works. I could use a little Cat a round here at times. But don’t need that one

[@georgehill99]

Brings back memories, thanks for sharing the results of obvious hard work getting here...

[@curtisstewart9594]

Construction jobs used to have Starting Engineers. Their job was to take an Oiler and get equipment running. At breaks, lunch, or any time equipment needed to be shut down or started, you called the Starting Engineer. Improperly done you could wreck a engine or get yourself killed if you had a transmission engaged and it fired up. High torque starters changed all that. I think Locsl 798 out of Tulsa OK still has a Oiler and Starting Engineer clasjfication.

[@jaytodd5809]

Old school operation is buried with the dead..so before i die..pony engine start up..engage the diesel..circulate the oil a bit..throw on the compression..then spray the oil bath filter opening with a shot of ether..the diesel usually fires and your done!..the whole process takea no more than a few minutes..

[@robertboyd3863]

I recall the old driller using gas to get it to start, which would be hotter than diesel , not sure why he didn't have either

[@ChrisG3253032]

I was interested to see how it was done. I had never even heard of a starting system like this until I saw the old movie "Killdozer". The D9 😉💪

[@robertboyd3863]

Yes, Cat had that system for many years

[@curtnicholson7771]

Nice old machine, looks to be in good shape. Very nice and informative video!

[@Caje-zf8md]

I once asked an operator of a Bucyrus-Erie dragline what engine he preferred. He replied that he preferred Detroits over Cats because he didn't have to monkey around with Cat pony motors.

[@mrwhips3623]

How did the Detroits start?

[@robertboyd3863]

@@mrwhips3623 They were direct start , with a starter system, plus 2 cycle so much better to start

[@shaunault7538]

Yea but cat motors where better power FACT

[@davidstillman4271]

I like the explanation provided. It allows your audience to better understand the working operation of the staring process.

[@Peter-nz9et]

Great fun. Great to watch. Well done. The reason that these engines went so well was the warm oil circulated before the load was applied to the engine. One thing, always leave the carby bowl half full of petrol. If it is full, it'll wear the fuel valve seat. If allowed to run out, the float will wear out the bowl bouncing around all day. Leave it with a puddle of petrol to float on.

[@johnkrim8377]

Paul Boobier , My dad always left his run dry after shutting off the fuel.

[@jaredclawson3766]

Cool, got the same version of this only it's a D4. My Cat T model buddies ask where the starter key is, I hand them the pull rope, priceless expressions. Mine has the over head frame cable system by LeTernou.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

My experience with starting CATS is get the pony warm after a minute or so and simply pull the start lever and it splutters into life, Then close the valve lift. About 90 sec.

[@ziggybammurphy191]

All mechanical no electronics....its a beautiful thing...

[@bruceb3786]

jiji Xx said it all, me=71-1/2yo, I LOVE this "old" equipment. Great explanation and teaching Video ! I want to get one, move my truck out of the garage, and park the D2 in there !!

[@vinyldash2333]

thats a nice sounding cat. my dad used to run one of these.

[@michaelmcclure8673]

I'm glad somebody still likes those ole pony start rigs. These guy's nowadays would be lost trying to start that Caterpillar tractor.🤔🤔

[@brandonmiller7466]

Not much different than the john deere pony motors. Except jd made them electric start.

[@johnkrim8377]

Brandon Miller Cat D2s had electric start , my fathers had a starter and battery ,push button start.

[@normanczerski5221]

The correct procedure, if you read the manual, is to allow the pony motor to run for at least five minutes to warm up the diesel before engaging the pony motor. Why wear out the starting gears?

[@johnnieguitar5724]

Great video! I've always wanted to know how the pony engine was engaged and disengaged, but forgot that the main engine started off with less compression. :)

[@robertboyd3863]

I've started a lot of them, cranked myself blue on those worthless starting motors , few start like that one did, plus had a 4 with a loader, so very hard to even get to it to pull the rope

[@markvolker1145]

Seeing where that fly wheel is located reminds me how dangerous some of these old machines are! This is why so many old timers who spent time around this type of equipment are missing fingers, hands, feet, legs and arms!

[@jamesb3321]

I have run many old dozers with a pup starter ( pony engine ) he did everything right the only thing that was drilled into my head was don’t put on compression until main engine has oil pressure especially on the D6-7-8s as it’s hard on the main bearings on the bigger engines

[@Texassince1836]

Itd probbably make less racket after he puts a muffler on it and fixes the carburetor

[@Fiberglasser03]

@Chris Richardson He said he had it running earlier and the engine was so warm so the oil pressure probably came up a bit faster.

[@billywalker9223]

Turn the diesel over until it has 40 psi oil pressure, then run on compression to heat the cylinders before turning the fuel on. Got a 1936 D13000 power unit, and it's still perfect.

[@Squarehead45]

Thank Goodness for Electric starters,,,but this way you don't have to worry about your battery going dead. So Six of One...….

[@flyingmerkel6]

Half of one, six dozen of another

[@mrwhips3623]

Yah but now you have to bother with 2 fuels

[@rouchar]

​@@mrwhips3623 and maintaining 2 engines

[@phillipcleaver7063]

Hello , here in England I,ve driven one of these , it belonged to my mate,s dad , , I have done a small amount of grain seed drilling pulling a Lundell drill with it , absolutely fantastic pulling power WITHOUT DAMAGING THE SOIL , from just a modest sized engine , who needs all that terriffic horsepower when you can have tracks ! , also we accidentally got a big flat roll stuck at the edge of a poached - up ring round a cattle feeder , it was early springtime , the ground was not quite workable dry , couldn,t move it with a 75 hp Ford 2 w.d. at all despite using every trick in the book & inventing a few that weren,t , we gave up , went home , got the obligatory roasting off his dad , for doing exactly what he,d told us not to do in the first place , then went back with " The Crawler " , hooked up , & popped it straight out first time , as a kid this taught me it,s not raw power you need , it is sheer wide footprint grip , it wins every time over raw power . I remained in awe of the capabilities of crawlers for the rest of my life , & would love one for mole ploughing on our heavy clay .

[@supermarioisacat]

Ouch. It looked like dude got bit by that pulley when his hand slipped down as he was shutting off the fuel to the pony engine.

[@mchl8]

If you go back to the books it is recommended to freewheel as in no compression . the main engine during warm up. That will allow the coolant to warm up from pony to speculate to main engine. I've also owned 3 of these in dozens, graters .

[@Dozervideo]

I love old machines

[@fredbroom5050]

My grandfather had one of these sitting in the back of his construction yard, long worn out. As a kid I wondered why a diesel had spark plugs.

[@rogerdavies6226]

I drove an ancient U-2 international? crawler. You first started it like a gas engine, then once it got warm you threw a big lever that shut off the gas and opened the diesel. To turn right you had to back left

[@dlmarquart]

Nice purring kitty

[@joestihl2234]

its like a machine that does the work of 3 men but takes 5 men to operate it?

[@norman7179]

I don't think I've ever seen a pony engine run quite that long, even when the temperature was below freezing. You said it warms the main motor so I guess that explains why.

[@johnkrim8377]

Norman , Its not really to warm the engine , it's to build up oil pressure in the main engine before you start it.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@johnkrim8377 Actually does both as it circulates the coolant threw the main engine

[@natehawkins2910]

So I need a union starter man to start the starter engine that starts the engine. This would cost a fortune in today’s work environment. Lol

[@billl605]

Don't forget where to position the clutch lever or its gonna be a whole other hassle.

[@drizler]

They still use these in places like Africa. I once saw one on a bonded shipment coming from a refurb facility in Canada going to Africa. It was a Komatsu 1980 model . The thing was an exact clone of the 1959 D4 7U I have in my field. It looked like it just rolled off the assembly line back in the 50s. Strange

[@jimrstout]

@@drizler I always heard the older Komatsu dozers referred to as "Komaterpillars"

[@georgemudgett3989]

Mine has an electric start on the pony motor,6 volts,factory installed.

[@sidecar147]

yup mine too.........ive been thru it from front to back......I rescued it from the scrap man ...shes a 1948 with a hyster winch...360 feet of 3/4 ….…..rope on it....I have one for spares...…...

[@robertboyd3863]

An option many of the later ones had , the ones I had didn't have it though

[@richardbrown5346]

I see once you do it 10 times in one day .you just might remember the 30 steps Is that right

[@chickensguys]

Rookie Mistake, he put it on run before building up oil pressure.

[@amyjojinkerson5668]

I thought it was a joke but when you get down to it it eliminates a lot of electronic wiring and cost less

[@pinslayer4579]

The gear selector was in neutral and the master clutch was disengaged two pretty important steps that ya might wanna mention........ And back in the day when we worked the bigger iron pony's were great in the winter because as he explained they preheated the main diesel as well as got the oil moving and a little thawed out in the days before glow plugs and now manifold heaters that heat the intake air. We didn't have seat belts roll over protection or cabs with heat/ AC either. But even a bad day outside is better than a good day inside........

[@johnkrim8377]

Pinslayer 45 AARP , My dad ran them for 70 years, plowed snow with a D8 for years ,no heater ,no cab out in the open when he came home he had frost bite. He also had a D2 of his own for 50 years , we sold it when he was close to 90. Lived and breathed Caterpillar till he passed.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@johnkrim8377 Ran all sorts of machines all my life, no cab , no heat in 0 weather

[@stevenworthy8462]

This is cool showing how a pony motor works but I'm thankful electric starters and glow plugs eliminated many of the starting procedures

[@Texassince1836]

Imagine it being 2019, and you have to pull a rope start in your king ranch powerstroke Ford to start the pony motor 🤣 but with modern technology they've routed the rope up into the cab and put it on a recoil like a push mower

[@trentwheeler6161]

and grid heaters of course! they work so very well.

[@Chuckcia]

I wonder why in spanish this starter was called "el mico" instead of pony. Was it because you had to monkey (mico) around the machine during the staring procedure?

[@joebessette6565]

IT'S WHISPER QUIET!!

[@mikeg.5233]

Been there, done that, not doing that again. Operated a D8 as one of my first jobs. 😊

[@kevinburns5762]

Couldn't hear a word you said mate, but it sounded good

[@teslapower220]

Jesus... that pony motor makes 100 times the noise of the diesel for 1/100 of the horsepower :-|

[@nomon95]

yes,but the exhaust of the pony preheat the intake manifold,and then the air intake to the main engine hot and the start is easier, but is true,,the pony is noisy!

[@badcommentbot8349]

2 strokin bro

[@Riqrob]

@@badcommentbot8349 Pony is a 4 cycle engine.

[@sidcostello7532]

I've seen worn out pony motors but my God, there's no lower end left in that one....for those who doubt me, go back and re watch the part where it's being filmed from the rear and watch the movement ...the shaking...of the flywheel. It's got a hell of a lot more movement than .016 max permissible clearance and .025 end play.

[@georgealmeida7382]

Big deal. Its yot compression and runs and starts the engine. Try starting anything with a regular starter that worn out.

[@scopex2749]

Do they have a kitten engine for starting the pony engine? All that sticking your hands in and around spinning parts worries me!

[@hovanti]

Some rare variations did have a mouse motor to get the kitten engine going, but only when the ambient temperature was below 10 F/-12 C.

[@goldCrystalhaze]

At 6:27 his hand met pony's spinning flywheel. I hope it didn't hurt..

[@jamesbooty]

@@goldCrystalhaze - If you look at his face when that happens, it looks like he says "ouch"

[@robertboyd3863]

@@hovanti Most of the later pony engines had a electric start

[@dyeeb]

KILLDOZER!

[@baerentstrandberg1756]

please someone tell cat to start making dozens like this again they will save the company

[@simonframpton7090]

Just like starting a British seagull. 😁😁😅😇

[@jussayinmipeece1069]

The space shuttle was easier to start

[@wcollins7557]

This guy sounds like he knows what he is doing, but I couldn't hear anything he said after he started the pony motor. He should have added subtitties.

[@realmccoy9597]

Looks like my 1938 3j series D2.

[@smug8567]

I'd use Marvels Mystery Oil for startup

[@robertboyd3863]

And just what good do you think that would do, it isn't any hotter than diesel , some used to use gas, most use either

[@ronalddaub1710]

Take care of your Pony motor sounds like it needs a good carb cleaning LOL

[@pup9et]

Cool video. Thanks!

[@mickboakes7023]

Beautiful.

[@ontheroadagain4773]

No electrical system means no lights, right? Well, they obviously worked only at daylight - they weren't so busy. The good old days were sometimes actually good....

[@robertboyd3863]

Many had a battery generator option on them , plus electric start for the pony engine , daylight to dark was quite long hours during the summer

[@chechnya]

Love the detailed explanation!

[@bmaiceman]

Soooooo use of tiny gas motor to get the diesel engine cranking, to build the heat through compression, until the diesel engine can start and run!! Why not just use a starter motor and glow plugs?? Unless this was built long before that kind of stuff was used

[@althejazzman]

No electrical components required at all. Maybe for reliability?

[@JohnnyWishbone85]

This was designed to be a small, lightweight, affordable piece of equipment. In its time, a battery and motor that could crank those enormous pistons over would have added significantly to the cost and weight of the tractor. I’m pretty sure that electric start was an option for the pony motor, but it wasn’t very popular, because it was just one more thing that could break, as far as the target customer was concerned.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@JohnnyWishbone85 Most of the later ones had electric start for the pony motor , as far as lightweight even the huge D8's used this system, so much for your bs

[@opictia]

Pony motor crank is on the way out look at the wobble

[@makingithappen5178]

My old Volvo tractor from 1949 starts on petrol and then when it gets warm you run it on kerosene.

[@hjohnstone6921]

Great video👍🏻... thank you for sharing👍🏻😉😊

[@Galynn159]

Good job Garlic Pete

[@jmyers9853]

i often wonder why cat stuck with the pony motor by late forties when gm 71 series by 1940 had electric delco starting.

[@TheKuskokid]

Batteries drain. As long as you have gas, you're golden. I worked on a Vietnam Era D9 (surplus actually), that had the pony motor which required you to hold the clutch and disengage as soon as the main engine started. Damn that thing was loud.

[@vector6977]

j myers reliability, no need for a battery, pony Motor heats the main diesel, no need to plug it in etc.

[@rayg9069]

GM needed a good battery and working electrics, plus if was really cold the factory ether starting kit. The cat just needed a jug of petrol.

[@Texassince1836]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm sure pony motor start was also more reliable in cold weather than electric

[@robertboyd3863]

For remote cold areas, the Cat could not be beat, these old pelters are still widely in use in AK. I have friends using them right now to mine with , old D8's in perfect shape running every day , that said I much prefer an old Allis with a Detroit

[@AJ-qn6gd]

You’ve lost half a days work by the time you’ve got that started !

[@jamesbooty]

- Still a lot faster than getting a steam tractor going!

[@robertboyd3863]

@@jamesbooty Or a team ready to go

[@ralphturner3798]

Once the Diesel motor is warmed up... and you stop it... when you immediately want to restart it, can you start it with a battery, or do you always have to start it with the pony motor? Thanks

[@rileydog362]

There is no electrical system on the tractor . No battery or electric starter so you always have to use the pony motor or pull it with another tractor to start.

[@ralphturner3798]

@@rileydog362 Thanks.

[@GavCritchley]

Love it. So does the pony run on gas or diesel?

[@rileydog362]

Pony runs on gas

[@PatrickKelly-lz3pv]

Pony motor becomes Donkey engine on the UK side of the Atlantic.

[@frankjackson2439]

Do you think the pony motor has enough power to move the machine in first gear?

[@finncampeau4922]

Frank Jackson maybe

[@FiizgetsTV]

Have no clue about CAT’s, but on soviet tractors, if accidentally or on purpose left in a gear after parking and shutting down, pony motor easily moved the tractor. Plus on newer motors, still with ponies, one had to engage bendikss, connecting pony motor clutch to diesels flywheel, did some finicky stuff with carburetor, in most times winded up the string, pulled and it went off, if penny started then engage the clutch and you where ready to go. For smaller motors, like for MTZ -80 motor was running in seconds, no warmup ratcheting on pony. And if main engine was well maintained, startup was on half turn. And no, there where no safety circuits, or they where disabled in most cases, that would prevent any of engines from starting. As a kid, I saw once or twice how does pony engine moves the tractor. Still, I remember the pony engines. They where almost all the same on most of the tractors - bigger bulldozers had two piston, smaller only one, two stroker, but every tractor was different - without knowing how many pushes on a carburetor, how wide to open butterfly valve, or maybe not to open fuel valve on start, or any small detail, one could pull the string all day long and that bloody thing won’t start.

[@Mighty-Quinn]

Um....no. I run an old D4 sometimes, and when you engage the pony motor to the diesel you can hear the drop in power. There's no way the pony motor can move that machine. It takes a lot of power to move the machine.

[@tjlovesrachel]

Yes it will

[@BobVerwey]

Fab!

[@TestECull]

Why not put fuel to it as soon as it starts turning and let it warm itself up? It should be able to run fine, especially with the high ambient you're in when recording this(Shortsleeve shirts = definitely not cold).

[@mikesecondo2254]

Once started will need to take a nap after such a procedure!!

[@mog5858]

good stuff

[@retireddriver16]

Yep a early D2 no electric start 👍

[@charlienorton2337]

No D2 ever had electric start

[@johnkrim8377]

Charlie Norton , Yes they do my fathers was equipped with a battery and starter .

[@robertboyd3863]

@@johnkrim8377 Did it come like that or added on later, many were converted

[@robertboyd3863]

@@johnkrim8377 Was the starter for the main engine or the pony engine , most of the later pony engines had starters

[@danvanhoose6783]

Damn,what a PITA .

[@PaulLorenzini-ny2yw]

as you provide electronics that no one can fix......anymore

[@ffarmchicken]

Thank God for 24 volt batteries.

[@jacksonsinflatablechannel]

cool

[@tandemcompound2]

what year D2 40, 39

[@robertschumann9059]

Stephen W. Meader "Bulldozer".

[@cdsouthern]

I saw at least 47 ways to lose a hand or a finger.

[@how_to_hallagon1]

It's an old machine. They smoked unfiltered cigarettes back then. Safety wasn't considered.

[@robertboyd3863]

Men had to be alert back then

[@leonardboudreaux6661]

Yes

[@MrA1Goku]

Couldn't a electric starter work for this application along with a block heater instead of having to go through all this just to start a small diesel engine ?

[@davidstillman4271]

With the high compression and very old style fuel delivery, No. The starter would have to run too long causing starter to burn up.

[@rayg9069]

Yes certainly would, if you have a battery and mains power for the heater.

[@Lara__Croft]

There are probably kits available to convert these old engines to electric start.

[@Steel_Valley_Vintage_Cycle]

You never have to worry about a dead battery or any charging system problems.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@davidstillman4271 Many of them were converted to electric start , you could still use the compression release

[@learningtheoldschoolinthen258]

Looks like you need to wash it bud.

[@brianpulliam47]

Nah I won't be doing all that

[@lulutileguy]

that cat make a nice toy make road to cottage play equipment operator

[@polpottsetung.i6928]

OSHA, come take a look at this. hehe

[@winstonsmith3433]

6:24 finger orgrish almost...

[@r.t.1942]

Almost not worth doing

[@billl605]

Even with a check list that thing would be a bitch to start.

[@robertboyd3863]

@@billl605 Very simple after you do it a few times , pull a rope , move a lever

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

No it's a donkey engine

[@fordnut4914]

No wonder they did away with this set up to much hassle to just start the machine.

[@billl605]

@@douganderson7002 Everything's a hassle where its cold. Been there.

[@markkyy59]

International dozer had spark plugs on each cylinder start on petrol with compression release then put high compression turn petrol off to run on diesel petrol warmed engine up Smaller electric starter motor needed for petrol

[@CM-bm9xl]

WHAT?

[@jakewalter3729]

O I

[@smiddytheman]

It's a donkey engine.

[@joedillon5417]

Its not a donkey engine!!! It is a pony motor

[@billl605]

@@joedillon5417 I'll never get my ruminants straight, sighh.

[@johnkrim8377]

Joe Dillon , It's a pony motor that you have to start , a donkey engine is an engine designed to start automatically to keep pressure up as in a fire protection sprinkler system . If pressure dropped below a set point the fire alarms would always be going off causing havoc.

[@robertboyd3863]

Wrong

[@BeamerTheFox]

lol I had no idea they pumped the same water, that must make cold starts a lot better, just let the pony sing for like ten minutes then try an start the main.. pre warmed lol

[@badcommentbot8349]

rocket science myfriend. lol

[@thepoodlebitesthepoodleche1914]

Good video thanks!