Caterpillar RD6/D6 Pony Motor Reinstallation, Startup, and Drive

Reinstalling the starting engine and rebuilt clutch and pinion drive onto the RD6, and doing a test run of the repairs.

[@BruceBoschek]

Thank you very much for sharing this There is a special place in my heart for the D6. On Sept 2, 1945, my parents were listening to their battery powered Sears and Roebucks radio in our cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin and when it was announced that the war was officially over they grabbed me by the arms (I was almost 4 years old) in between them and ran all the way to the end of our road to tell Mr. Jericho, who was operating a D6 on the dirt road. His son survived the battle at Normandy and was still fighting and now that the war was over he could come home. Frank Jericho switched off the D6 and ran all the way into town, about 6 miles and we heard that he didn't get sober for over a week. I remember that D6 so well because Frank would put me at his side and let me ride along as he took down the hill to make the road more passable. That was more than 70 years ago and I still remember the smell of that machine and the sound of the engine. Those are some of the very first memories I have.

[@coniow]

@@squatch253 Veterans of most wars generally do not like to talk of their experiences, unless it is with others who have gone through the mill. Fewer questions, less painful explanations, and plenty that is 'understood' without words. In the UK it was realised that the survivors of the First War were getting fewer and fewer, and that they were dying off and taking 'their history' with them. One of the last was Harry Patch, who lived to 111 years. He was persuaded in his last years to talk to an author, who wrote a biography based on his words, published just after Harry passed, if memory serves. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Patch In his last years he was persuaded to visit a number of schools to tell the children about life in the trenches, and the war. Painful at first, cathartic in the end. And, as they all say, "Don't call me a hero. I am not a Hero. The Hero's are the ones who did not make it home." "Respect." kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqCWZJiMlr6XhsU

[@alcopower5710]

Con Cahill .......reading the comments that you two left really made my day. This is what America is all about......not all this rioting and killing and burning stuff down.

[@robertfuls7737]

9 pin PM9 km mop on nhi u.c CRT res awe s

[@ajw6715]

My father had 2 Cat 15's. After he passed my mother sold them to a friend of mine. One had a a stuck engine. When my friend rolled it back off the trailer he popped the clutch and it turned over. He had it running with in 1 and a 1/2 hours. He had a man offer him $4000 for it on his way home with it. He would sell it. He uses it on his farm now.

[@deathvalleyalex9485]

Wow it is a real pleasure to watch these old iron lawn ornaments come back to life . Thank you for sharing the adventure .

[@1crazynordlander]

The luxury to have a diesel engine spin over for an extended period of time so you can get the oil to all the moving parts and heat up the combustion chamber before you shoot the juicy into it. Beautiful machine...a work of art.

[@marcfournier823]

There is nothing like a slow drive around the acreage. Thanks for the video.

[@ibsoarin]

In 1947, my 90 year old Father finished High School and before starting College worked as a Mechanic's Assistant on the Ladwig Pipeline Company. The company contracted to lay pipeline between Miles and Ballinger, TX. Growing up in the Great Depression, his Father, a U.S. Navy Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class, taught him mechanical skills that Dad applied to all of the heavy equipment used on the pipeline. Of all of the WWII surplus equipment he serviced, he remembers a Caterpillar D6 bulldozer which still had its US Navy paint and insignia. Since the D6 was in good shape, he only had to service rather than repair the pony motor. After the startup routine each morning, the dozer operators did not shut down the diesel engine until the end of the day. They left the diesel engine running so that they did not have to go through the start up routine during the workday. The diesel engine was left idling on the job site until the dozer was needed. To this day, he describes himself as a bulldozer with a pony starting motor. Each morning, coffee is his pony motor. Thereafter, he feels like a dozer, ready to work. Even in his retirement the diesel may be idling but he is ready to rev up and go to work at any time. Thank you for this video. I am going to forward it for Dad to view and recall his younger days.

[@gradyyokeley9930]

You have done a excellent job on rebuilding that whizzer, that's a nickname for a Cat starting engine. Fine job

[@cosmiccolonel]

What a wonderful mechanical symphony, sounds just superb……

[@joemoore7276]

There is a man that knows how to start an old Cat!

[@pthomson9736]

The "A" Team... So perfect a choice

[@npalen]

Wow! Does my heart good to hear those three cylinders barking. Takes me back 65+ years. Thanks for sharing.

[@meduffer]

I love it when a plan comes together! Makes me feel like having a cigar.

[@mst5632]

But Bickle, you didn’t do anyth...oh never mind. Enjoy your cigar! ;-)

[@_P0tat07_]

God I love watching those exhaust flaps bob up and down. If I gotta be real honest, the exhaust flaps excite me just as much as the engines themselves. I don’t exactly know why I like them so much, just do, loved hem since I was a kid.

[@4x4RescueThunderBay]

Well Son of a gun, Good show! I had an opportunity to buy a RD6, the machine needed the pup motor repaired and i just wasn't confident enough about it... you just made the job look like it was no problem at all!

[@crzy11000]

I was taught not to wrap your fingers around the crank when cranking as it will break your fingers if there is a backfire. You are to bend your fingers first joint against your finger and put the crank in against the backs of your fingers. If the engine backfires the crank just slips out and no broken bones. It may be different for a pony motor though? They also do a similar strategy when cranking over a prop on a plane. When you make your living with your hands you must protect those assets. Great videos by the way . I applaud you preservation of the past. Can you imagine if the old timers had put more of there hard won knowledge on video for us to watch now.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

That's perfect advice yes, very true! .. you can do it 50 times .. then the next one bites! :( .. but on the pony motor? ... you will just avoid a sore thumb maybe :)

[@crzy11000]

@@MikeBaxterABC I was thinking the same about the pony motor but some people watching won't differentiate between them and the bigger motor. Showing people how to start an engine is different than just starting an engine by yourself.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

@@crzy11000 My dad had a 1970's LandRover, and it had an emergency cranky that could start it! :)

[@crzy11000]

@@MikeBaxterABC I learned about it from my grandpas Case tractor. Did you ever see the movie where the guy winches his landrover off the ground into the tree by accident when trying to get across a river I think. It was in Africa in the 70's I think. Those old winches sure could pull. It is the gods must be crazy kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXaqYZd-ZtSBbc0 This is a link to a trailer of the movie which shows the scene.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

@@crzy11000 I've heard of that movie before but have never seen it ... putting it on my "to watch list" right now! :) .. I'll find it on plucker i'm sure :)

[@regsparkes6507]

As if there was any doubt! What a wonderful running tractor, and that nice engine sound, most enjoyable! That was a 'sweet' job and well done too. Thanks for this video, again.

[@regsparkes6507]

I'd like to see the RD6 in that lugging under full load, mode.

[@markscheidlmeier6523]

Amazing work on a wonderful piece of equipment!

[@isbcornbinder]

You are clearly a skilled mechanic.

[@glenharrison123]

Mate,that was awesome! I love seeing these old machines start and run,nice work.

[@daviddahl4148]

I love the sound of those old tractors, kind of reminds me of the old 2 cylinder John Deere diesels, with there slow rpms and lugging power.

[@henryford4856]

Love those old pony motors! I ran a D8 that had one,no matter how cold it got,that old girl would start! But it had an electric starter on it

[@jamesdiehl8690]

I just love it when a plan comes together!

[@deathvalleyalex9485]

Amazing what an old cat can do when given a little love . Way cool thank you for sharing . Watching the 1113 build also .

[@haydenc2742]

"I pitty the fool that don't watch your video's" :D So awesome! Keep em coming!!!!

[@marksbikeexports5123]

Usually i loath muzac on these sort of vids, but , somehow to this 52yr old, its quite appropriate ;) Great work.

[@shahrinabubakar9999]

Keep it alive for another 100 years..mybe my great grand son can watch it

[@stewartalbert3523]

I'm 78 years old . When i was a kid i saw cats in cold weather being turned over by the pony , operator sitting in pickup waiting for it to warm up enough to start.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

FINE Job, even with the music! I always liked pony motor starts on the 4's and 6's but the 8-H was the best with one cylinder coming in at a time! Fine running tractor there too, Pal! Give yourself a pat on the back for everything and Cat needs to send you a check!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

YOu know Cat all right. They have the stuff but you sure pay through the snout for it. They'd probably throw us both out if I went. YOu for hanging out with me and me for just being there to start with. I guess we're better off than we could be. Bouncing off a sidewalk hurts! Take care, Buddy!

[@MikeBaxterABC]

My click made it 1000 likes! ... AWESOME video .. NEVER saw such detailed record of how the pony motor works! .. thank you for preserving our past! .. I personally am not an operator .. but my father and both my brothers are and my grandfather and great grand father as well ... my great grand father ran a chain drive Mac Truck .. when every one else was still using horses! :)

[@charlescartwright6367]

Sooo much easier when not in a snow bank. Nice job and sounds great..

[@johnblecker4206]

That rebuilt Pony sounds good and smooth to me the idle seems on the high side but it just started.

[@jaybailey8044]

looking forward for the next project

[@bf3750]

I love those old machines.

[@shaneharrison4775]

That theme music is awesome love it when a plan comes together

[@sidecar147]

great vid ………..that's quite a craft working on a dozer with a white t shirt...….and not getting a spot on it

[@fordnut4914]

I was waiting for Murdock too come out the woods.😁

[@brentmiller3951]

It definitely brought me back to my childhood

[@jankotze1959]

Very professional video, just like a factory video would be of put the pony engine in, thanks for a great video

[@scania357]

A pleasure to watch and listen to. Thank you

[@slhasebroock]

Success! Nice job and thank you for taking us along!

[@Mjc103]

The A Team theme song is top shelf editing, well played my friend!!!

[@simonframpton7090]

Now you've done all that work dont leave it out in the snow this winter put it in the barn .😊😇

[@steve20118]

Best starter installation background music EVER!

[@GOBRADON502]

The gayest music ever 😝

[@billlee4838]

Great and very informative series of videos. You got me fired up to fire up my 8R D8.

[@robertmason2747]

Thanks for another great vid - great theme music too . Appreciate the no nonsense , straight delivery! Keep it up

[@peteacher52]

As usual, an interesting and informative series. You'd make an excellent Polytech instructor in diesel maintenance. Col, NZ.

[@cletrac12c72]

Very good job Squatch! just a few notes though, pull the starting crank from over the top, return pony to idle after diesel starts and let engine run out of gas instead of turning shut off switch. Maybe you do other times, I forget myself sometimes. lol

[@jameslindley8318]

A 1 Job by The A Team !! -Nice, Great to see

[@richardwelkiv8325]

" I just love it when a plan...Oops I mean an engine comes together ".

[@waltermattson5566]

I like the music and the rest of the video. It reminded me of a D8 my neighbor had and a Cat thirty my uncle had.

[@robertkollasch2473]

Bout to do a pony on a d7 nice video.

[@tutekohe1361]

Great result Squatch 👍It runs really nicely. Its a beautiful tractor, I am really envious!

[@anttiroppola4414]

Many years since heard that sound! :)

[@dancraver3815]

My dad was a field service mechanic for beckwith machinery murraysville 50s 60s 70s 80s I drove some cats in my time

[@glennk1931]

Job well done sir! Love the sound of that engine.

[@peterscandlyn]

Excellent. All round!

[@ablam8]

My Father had an Int' TD6 with a gas starter motor. That was 65 years ago. We didn't get a crank, so had to use a battery to start the pony.

[@windstarpro]

It doesn't matter what you put that song to, it's always good!

[@Big.Ron1]

Sweet! I love that old equipment.

[@jamesdiehl8690]

I ain't gettin' in no plane Colonel!

[@codyallankennedy1236]

Love the a team theme song for music makes it amazing

[@codyallankennedy1236]

your very welcome i like to learn how to drive one my friends dad has a big dozer and hasnt got a chance to fix it its like a d6 or something like its really big great video too

[@richardm1631]

Some of the older cat need some TLC to work. I think it work better than new one sometimes

[@hotrodsrx]

Nice work.

[@richardlarouche8548]

Who says they didn’t have ATV’s in 1938, actually they had really good ones! 😀

[@anguskangus8222]

Beautiful machine, excellent work.

[@arussianasset3948]

I'm goin out on a limb here, are you the "A" team? I love it when a plan comes together! I really enjoy listening to old iron running. Could you make a video of the RD6 driving over a Prius?

[@PaulCTownsend]

Good job also a white T-shirt not a spot on it I'm impressed.

[@timslager5966]

Great job on the rebuild and thanks for the ride!

[@shipwrecked2006]

love it,when a plan comes together

[@Thelakedr]

Love the music takes me back.

[@carlstout4546]

boy i love that sound !!!!

[@KennyKizzleRustyNutzRanch]

The music was great! LOL. I felt like I was about to watch John Wayne ride into the sunset on a valiant steed!

[@KennyKizzleRustyNutzRanch]

Heck, we all have problems! I think mine is definitely vintage-steel related!

[@bubbasue1174]

Very nice. I liked the way you didn't just sling parts around to get them back into place. Tells me you try and take care of your equipment. Now you need to paint the machine to match the starting motor. LOL 😁

[@josephmay8837]

Great video. I would certainly like to own one of these. Great job.

[@Ham68229]

Now ya just need to paint her up... to match the pony motor. Great video, cheers :)

[@bduff007]

Great choice in theme music, it was my favorite show w

[@ericknutson8230]

Great video, totally enjoyed it start to finish!

[@dougdoug2165]

Nice, we had a d6 but it was a narrow model.

[@andrewmiller2868]

I loved the addition of the music 🤣😂🤣.

[@26TptCoy]

Good videos on the reconditioning job, loved them, clear and precise. This one I went into settings and played back at double speed, worked well, you even sound like an aussie, they talk too fast.

[@benterbieten9540]

Great theme music.

[@aarondiver2095]

Love it love it!! My Dad has an RD6 (early '36 model) with the Laplante hydraulic blade that he bought back in 1974 for $1500 bucks. Pushed a lot of dirt with it back in the day, but we haven't fired her up since the mid-90's. We did try to pull start her about 12 years ago but just couldn't quite get her to run on her own. Getting ready to try again to bring life to her. Anything I should pay particular attention to?

[@EL300B]

Great video,you need to do a bunch more like this.

[@echoandy51]

Another nicely refurbished part

[@aubreylionswings8889]

I feel like he could narrate a lot of service manuals and parts catalogues

[@jockellis]

Ok, this was the pony motor I had catch fire when I went against instructions. But after extinguishing the fire we got it to finally fire up.

[@MsJinkerson]

great choice of tune

[@dearanel936]

I just love going for a ride with you it's lots of fun thank you

[@georgelawton9075]

Nice job 😷

[@8068]

Thanks for another excellent video. Caterpillar pony motors - they will make you deaf.

[@michiganfarming1955]

sounds good!! time for a cold one!

[@bearbait2221]

nice old steel tracks are like new ran in topsoil lasts longer

[@TheKuskokid]

When I was in mechanic school I was fiddling with the pony motor on a huge four cylinder engine that was in the shop. It didn't have that tube to protect humans from the demons living inside the sparkplug wires. I made the mistake of brushing up against one while the pony was running! Now, I've been bit by a few coils, an Accel Super Coil amongst others, but nothing has hit me harder than that damned magneto. I almost pee'd myself. Instructor was laughing so hard he almost fell over. I started laughing too after the tingling went away. :) Yikes.

[@larrymeyers6913]

What do you do for a living if i may ask? Do you rebuild the old iron for a living??? Just asking cuz the knowledge you have and you knowing the part numbers is remarkable. Do you sell any that you rebuild or is it just a passion and to add to your collection?

[@crushingvanessa3277]

I'm trying to learn pony motors. Want to put on the AMT D8 model. This is helpful to see how they are put on.

[@petercyr6287]

squach253 I like your redwing boots

[@CarCatCol2023]

Great job as always! 🖒

[@buddyclatone9632]

By far the best filler music ever. Thats not sarcasm

[@rogermarshall8991]

Was that standard track shoes for the RD-6. ??? They look like LGP grousers. Great job. It's great to see the old stuff preserved and maintained.. Thanks for sharing !!!!!

[@rogermarshall8991]

Squatch253 Oh ya big is always better. I saw a outfit in Oregon that has everything from excavator shoes to single bar Caterpillar grousers all palletized and stacked.(new) or excellent used. I believe I have the info stored on my Equipment Trader account. If you are interested I can pass the information your way. Seems to me they were for sale around scrap price. ....

[@erichd9460]

Love the music!

[@hiramjonesjr2648]

Nothing like old iron to do the job

[@peanutbutter2597]

Well done