If anyone is interested, a youtuber named Squatch253 did a complete top to bottom rebuild of one of these on his channel. Also does other classic heavy machinery videos. Give him a go, he deserves some more subs!
That makes three of us. The two channels approach stuff in different ways. Matt is more into rescues of old equipment then get it running and use it even if not perfect. Toby (Squatch) seems more into focusing on one piece of old equipment at a time and rebuilding it to factory new specs.
I am constantly amazed at the ability of ANY engine to run well again after 30+ years of disuse and exposure to the weather! (And have great respect for the guys who can nurse them back to life.)
Squatch 253 just completed a nut-and-bolt restoraion of a first generation D2 adding many factory options, such as the bumper, belly pan and wide tracks. He used as many Cat NOS parts as possible, good used parts from his and other stashes and MADE PARTS if he couldn't find them otherwise. This included the bumper and belly pan. Squatch 253 is a true craftsman and i highly recommend his channel.
I don't know if I should be thanking you for your excellent recommendation, or cursing you for making it even harder for me to get my classwork done. :P
So I literally have ZERO experience with anything like this. I have no idea how an engine/motor works. Im a 26 ur old stay at home mom that still has my dad take my car to get any type of maintenance.. I do however obsess over engineering and chemistry content. I literally only watch TH-cam to fall asleep at night. But I came across your channel last night and I stayed up until 3am glued to my screen. Watching you bring these old things back to life has absolutely consumed me for the last 24 hours. It’s so beautiful. I don’t understand why I’m so intrigued but I cannot look away.
Interesting history to share: The Caterpillar D2 was manufactured from 1938 through 1957 by Caterpillar Inc. in their factory in Peoria, Illinois, USA. The base frame of this model of tractor is a crawler, and it is equipped with five forward gears and one reverse gear.[2] The D2's weight ranges from about 7,420 to 8,536 pounds (3,366 to 3,872 kilograms), depending upon the year it was manufactured.[1] Caterpillar began producing this model (among others) in response to the "New Deal" programs that were initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt to stimulate America's economy. A total of 26,454 D2's were made over the nineteen years they were in production.[1]
My grandpa had bought a caterpillar years ago originally as a project for me and him to work on together. He sold it a few years later to fund a hunting trip when I was 16 or so. I'm 22 now, and I still wish he hadn't sold it and accepted my parents' offer to pay for part of the trip.
That sucks. I just started work on an old backhoe myself. It's an early 60s Nuffield 342(3cyl british tractor) with an early HYMAS(Norwegian design. HYdraulisk MASkin firma, 'Hydraulic MAchine company' ) backhoe installed. Weird stuff... The front axle is missing the outer parts, and instead there's some sort of truck axle bolted on, to make it slightly wider and fit larger tires(we think that was done by the HYMAS guys). The Backhoe has it's own frame that's bolted onto the tractor, and hydraulics is by a pump bolted to the front and driven by the crankshaft. It's definitely not made to be removed in a hurry. The boom on the backhoe is a heavy iron pipe, not a boxed section. The tractor lacks original hydraulics, the arms, towhook or even a PTO, and we think it was built that way originally. Fun thing... My father started his career as a machine operator with a similar HYMAS, but possibly on a different tractor base(he can't remember) He sold it back in the 70s when he upgraded to a tracked Hydraulic Digger, but when he came across this one some time after 2000, it brought back memories and hge bought it to restore and possibly do a bit of 'large scale gardening' at home. Then he got ill(double bypass surgery, cancer and we don't know all) and he no longer has the health to do anything to it. I hope to get it started this summer, so he can teach me how to dig with it. (He's 86, so who knows how many years he has got left) Anyway, the backhoe is at my parents home, so I get to spend some time with him, talking about the old days and what he experienced here and there while wrenching. That's the most important part of these projects.
@@Frank-Thoresen I feel like the way you made your comment tells me you have bought a lot of caterpillars and you know what’s bad and what’s good to work on 😂
Hey Matt. Yes those little D2s are cool but you are probably better off letting your friend have it. I don't know how you get as much done as you do right now. Always cool when we save some good old American iron. Thanks for posting.
Go ahead Matt…make me feel old. Born in 1992! Our oldest daughter was born in 1993! That being said it’s awesome young folks like yourself are doing what you’re doing! Gives me hope for this country!
@@verteup Back when the path to success of a company was everyone contributing to sell the consumer the best possible product, not a few execs blowing up stock prices to get the maximum annual bonus pay.
In 1977 my father attempted to start his own excavation business prior to retirement as a tool & die mechanic, so he bought an old D2 dozer - nearly identical to this one - a dump truck, trailer and a backhoe. None of us had any experience doing any of that but we put in septic tanks, drain fields and foundation work. I ran that little D2 which didn't have an electric start for the pony motor, so we had to start it with a piece of pull rope from inside the cab. The only problem was, he let my brother run the business and that doomed it from the very beginning. I operated the equipment which only hastened its demise. I eventually went back to college after everything was sold and became a Registered Nurse instead for which I was very much more competent. I did love that little D2, however, so hearing this one start back up again brought back a lot of memories for me. It was a great little machine.
Gday mate, word of advice on this (we have owned one of these for 50 years and pony motor starts it perfectly everytime.) When you have the diesel motor rolling over with the pony engaged & whilst waiting for oil pressure to build - make sure the diesel fuel is shut off completely. When you have oil pressure and happy push the decompression lever in - ensure diesel fuel lever is still shut off. In this configuration let the pony roll the diesel motor over under compression but without diesel fuel. What this does is builds heat in the diesel motor by friction & the heat from the pilot motor exhaust circulates through diesel motor manifolds creating heat. The pony wont over heat too as its getting cooling from main motor water. After a few minutes, or when you're happy she's warm shut off fuel to pilot motor and after about 30 seconds or so just before the pilot conks out throw the diesel lever to open the fuel and whallah, she'll run beautifully & the pilot motor will conk out. Its important to run pilot out of fuel. We have a full set of books for the D 4 and this is the correct procedure to start. It's a very gentle and kind way to start a cold diesel, building heat up slowly. I thionk ours is 1952 or 3 model. cheers!! good luck!!
In many years past, when I ran into the problem with the steering clutches being frozen, I would make sure that the bottoms of the clutch compartments were sealed up and then pour five or ten gallons of parts solvent into them. I always made sure to submerge the clutches. I would then let them sit for an hour or two and then start running the crawler back and forth. This always took some time, but this procedure always worked. Kudos to your buddy. There is no doubt that he has been around crawlers before. He knows his business.
You can’t save them all Matt, let somebody else have some fun every once in awhile-it’ll come back to you when your buddy finds something he knows is in your wheelhouse. Thanks for the video!
I have been around several D2 in my career of managing highway and bridge construction projects. I never saw them used except for walking sod to firmly press it to the ground. But they were perfect for that. On my large projects, they were too small for actually push dirt. Enjoyed seeing another old one brought back to life. Thanks.
There’s a channel called Pacific Northwest Hillbilly, who just finished a full restoration on a caterpillar D4-7U. I actually found his channel, because of yours, Matt. It was one of TH-cam’s recommendation that claimed, Diesel Creek’s , viewers also watch his channel. Hope everyone has a great weekend.🙏🏻🇺🇸🙏🏻
Great guy. He has some good jokes as well. I especially like the one on how to tell the difference between 2 different adjustable wrenches (crescent style).
"...and a 1000 other projects." That right there is why you shouldn't be upset about handing this one off. Plus, you get to share the journey with us as your buddy works on it, so win-win as a viewer.
Thanks, Diesel Creek, for saving these old classics! The excitement you share as you cross each milestone of repair makes me feel like a kid again. They may be old but not obsolete! Thanks again!
Matt, I swear you can start ANYTHING. Never ceases to amaze me that you can take something that to most of us looks like a nice payday at the scrap yard and get it going. Nice job.
I'm 82 now and the first Cat I ran at 12 years old was a D2 Cat, and ran Heavy Equipment for over 60 years, good luck with the restoration and getting this classic back running again
It is a gem indeed matt. Very easy to work on once ya get the tub top plate off. Desirable unit to the right person WITH the blade setup and winch. Not many came with the winch actually.
Several things here. LaPlante Choate (silent e) built a lot of early Cat attachments. Not as many as LeTourneau though who had a plant in Peoria. I have heard from one source that the Cat branded blades for the D-2 were build by LaPlante. If a machine has been setting that long, it might be well to check the spring in the relief valve below the fuel transfer pump. Water collecting there will rust the spring and make the engine hard or impossible to start. There are small plates on the steering clutch compartments accessed by removing the foot plates. Making sure the drain plugs are in place, fill these compartments with kerosene. Run the machine back and forth WITHOUT trying to steer to wash the compartments. This is the Cat recommended procedure. Same with the master clutch. Kerosene was cheaper back in the day. That machine is probably just a few years younger than me. It could be parted out for substantial $$, but is probably worth replacing the tracks. Do hope to see part two. Hope it's not stuffing that engine into the 212.
Despite all the video angles, I still couldn't see where the OBD II connection port is on that dozer. It was hard starting because they didn't see all the Error codes! He'll have to get a new iPhone and get the latest app for CAT Central App to contact tech support (have VISA card ready) and fix the codes.
This was wonderful. When I was a kid in VT I ran a T-bar at Pico Peak Ski area. The power plant was a huge old Cat with a pony. Many many a mornings I fired the pony up. Once the pony was warm I would engage the drive and then let it turn over until the exhaust manifold was warm. Once exhaust on the cat was warm you threw the compression lever and bingo a huge belch of black smoke and the Cat came to life. That Cat ran for many many decades, probably 40 years or so.
Nice little dozer, even has a winch and it works. Purrs like a kitten, looks like the tracks freed up pretty easy. That would be a nice tractor for pulling logs out of a woods. I think I’d keep the blade together with the tractor though. Thanks for sharing, see you next week.
Aint that the truth Matt built to be reliable not replaceable we live in a Throw it away don't repair it society nowadays Matt its a shame I repair Everything still Also im a Mechanic so its as a Automotive Repair Shop 26:30 @Diesel Creek
Still one of my favorite TH-cam channels... even if it's watching a friend get an old D2 going again, it's still a lot of fun to see it moving (and seeing Matt's reaction!). I'm sure that one day Matt'll find his own D2, and we'll cheer him on as he makes it part of the stable at Diesel Creek! Love those "big boy" toys!
Good score for $500. So many old machines go for scrap. It is only enthusiasts like you and Mike that save a few. You take a chance with your own money. Nice when you have a win.
You may not own it, but you gained another layer of respect for passing on a project to a friend. What a thoughtful thing to do. That will be returned several fold from others. Be well, be safe!
Matt, this one brings a smile to my heart. My grandfather had one of these siting in a shed for years until a family member hauled it off. I wish we’d have kept it because it would certainly still be with me. Thanks for doing what you do to keep these old girls alive and kicking. A lot of us are living vicariously through you until we can get our own iron. Edited to add: “Built to be reliable, not replaceable” might be my new favorite saying for this old iron. I might borrow that, with credit of course.
People always wonder why I own older vehicles and equipment and that is the reason why modern new stuff is throw away stuff probably even comes with a best by date on them now
My old man started making kids in ‘75 and stopped in ‘96. 8 boys, no girls. Unfortunately I was the only perfect one of the bunch. Coincidentally, my name is Matt and I was also born in ‘92 😅
Matt the most work I can see is the track bushings. Some pins need to be turned maybe, sprockets look bad too. Matt you let a good one get away but you will find more.
Great filming ! Thanks Matt made my day , great knowledge on the old cats saving stuff for future , some how compulsive watching , , well looking forward to the next episode !
Matt. While you did not get this machine yourself, you did get a video out of it and another one. This is a super fair trade off I would say! Super stoked to see another good machine up and running and going some place new! This is why many of us like your channel.
Greatest thing about track machines is the tracks are a great Work Bench 😂 Matt I know what your problem is guys it aint got no gas in it 😂17:37 @Diesel Creek
For $500 you can't really lose, nicely done fellas, I'm really glad to see these old machines being rescued and given a second chance, or third lol, but these are pieces of history and it's really cool to see you guys get them up n running, well done!!
Back in 1982 we used to make our own home-brew chain lube comprised of diesel fuel and graphite. It was pretty messy but the diesel would evaporate and leave the graphite behind as a sliding lubricant. We used graphite sold to lube planter plates, which came in half gallon jugs. If memory serves we could mix a couple jugs of graphite to 2 gallons of diesel fuel. We used a small pump-up garden sprayer to apply the mixture. Perhaps this concoction would be useful in lubing stuck tracks and other seized up parts you encounter. Great video as always!
We use to wire the cutch controls back before storing our old D6 and pour diesel on them so they wouldn’t stick and lock up but we have had to replace the clutches before it still runs and drives fine
I really didn’t think this thing would run and was flabbergasted when you got it to move under its own power. Mike is diesel whisperer. Thanks for sharing.
@@dans_Learning_Curve They get the big engine turning, they turn on the fuel then close the valves. The engine fires once and disconnects the drive(it isn't a Bendix). The proper procedure is to rotate the big engine with valves closed to preheat slightly, then turn fuel on.
Perhaps some day you can add a equipment "spa shed" with a sand blaster and painting equipment to make your restorations really shine. It is great to see you helping out a friend with something you regret getting for yourself. However this provided you with the opportunity to help someone else. You are a good man Matt.
I simply can`t get enough of these videos. A relative of mine owned one of those tractors in Costa Rica. Next time I go down there I`ll check if it`s still parked in the same spot and at least take a few pictures and maybe share them with you. Thanks for sharing, Matt!
look on the bright side Matt you may not have gotten it but think of the joy you gave your buddy telling him about it storing it and helping him to get it running, I'd say that is satisfaction enough to know you did a good deed.
Undercarriage parts for a D2 are impossible to find. Last time I tried to repair one (20 years ago), you could convert everything to D3 stuff, but it costs way more than the machine would ever be worth. Probably the most valuable parts on there are the pony motor and the winch. Nice job getting it running.
The parts to disconnect the pony motor is stuck. Normally you start the pony, warm it up ,clutch in the engine with the compression release open, get the engine turning over, oil pressure up and when the stars align drop the release and see it run. Shut off the pony by turning the fuel off and get to work.
We call these pony motors "putt motors" up north in Canada. I have a D4 from around 1939 with after market canopy and hydraulic blade. In winter, the putt motor is used to warm up the diesel before starting, as both motors share the same coolant system. Bought mine for $2000 in the late 80s. Still works well.
great Matt. I watch all your stuff & really enjoy it . I am almost 70 years old but have wandered the world & fixed stuff from one pole to the other so like you i am a spanner junky . I live in Berlin germany & do not see much junk anymore as i was gentrified out off my workshop some years ago. For this reason watching you gives me a lot of fun & satisfaction . By the way I am a Brit expat . Thanks for staying the original you are . Ekzo. greetings from over the pond .
G'day mate, we own one of these have for 50 years. Process to start is this as per the book - Start pony which you've done no worries. - Once pony warm, engage main engine - diesel fuel off & decompression lever pulled out = deco on. - After engine has rolled over for a little while with decompression still pulled out, push in the deco lever to create compression on main engine. You can then let the Pony roll the big motor over in this configuration for quite some time - still no diesel fuel though. (Engine oil pressure should be up now too.) - in this configuration the pony motor is generating warmth into diesel motor via friction & exhaust gases running through main diesel manifold. Its a very kind and gentle way to start a diesel. heating the diesel motor prior to starting is part of the process. - When your happy main motor has fuel pressure & heat you can shut off fuel to pilot motor and just before pilot conks out rotate & open the diesel fuel to main engine, She'll start perfectly every time. - Pilot will stop as fuel is expired, This is important. - This method is straight from the book and is how it should be done, don't open diesel fuel lever tool early. Good luck...
I have one which was my grandpas farm tractor. Sat 30 years in a paddock and didn't run. All it needed was the pony motor rebuild and now I am doing the Steering clutches. I named mine CAThy
If anyone is interested, a youtuber named Squatch253 did a complete top to bottom rebuild of one of these on his channel. Also does other classic heavy machinery videos. Give him a go, he deserves some more subs!
I watch all of squatch’s videos!
Same
Just love this old iron
That makes three of us. The two channels approach stuff in different ways. Matt is more into rescues of old equipment then get it running and use it even if not perfect. Toby (Squatch) seems more into focusing on one piece of old equipment at a time and rebuilding it to factory new specs.
@@Jake_J_M me too. he has amazing teaching skills, and I don't even own old stuff, just appreciate because I'm old.
Toby is DA MAN on early D2 for sure... Squatch253 channel👍👍
I am constantly amazed at the ability of ANY engine to run well again after 30+ years of disuse and exposure to the weather! (And have great respect for the guys who can nurse them back to life.)
Yup. Eps hate u for all that smoke
Squatch 253 just completed a nut-and-bolt restoraion of a first generation D2 adding many factory options, such as the bumper, belly pan and wide tracks. He used as many Cat NOS parts as possible, good used parts from his and other stashes and MADE PARTS if he couldn't find them otherwise. This included the bumper and belly pan. Squatch 253 is a true craftsman and i highly recommend his channel.
I don't know if I should be thanking you for your excellent recommendation, or cursing you for making it even harder for me to get my classwork done. :P
Aw quit whining! Lol
And we've yet to see the cab on the D2
@@lordcaptainvonthrust3rd
He has the cab stored on the container with the x253 and 5j1113 waiting I think for next winter to install it
@@AlejandroGarcia-tk7hv I'm looking forward to more progress on X-231 👍
So I literally have ZERO experience with anything like this. I have no idea how an engine/motor works. Im a 26 ur old stay at home mom that still has my dad take my car to get any type of maintenance.. I do however obsess over engineering and chemistry content. I literally only watch TH-cam to fall asleep at night. But I came across your channel last night and I stayed up until 3am glued to my screen. Watching you bring these old things back to life has absolutely consumed me for the last 24 hours. It’s so beautiful. I don’t understand why I’m so intrigued but I cannot look away.
Awesome!! Stick around you might find yourself looking for old dozers when your driving down the road! 😂👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Matt's unbounded joy when one of these old relics fires up--even if not his relic--never ceases to put a smile on my face.
You need to press the brake pedals....the levers only disengage the clutches
I'm the same way with any ICE engine and electric motors with cranky controllers.
Interesting history to share: The Caterpillar D2 was manufactured from 1938 through 1957 by Caterpillar Inc. in their factory in Peoria, Illinois, USA. The base frame of this model of tractor is a crawler, and it is equipped with five forward gears and one reverse gear.[2] The D2's weight ranges from about 7,420 to 8,536 pounds (3,366 to 3,872 kilograms), depending upon the year it was manufactured.[1] Caterpillar began producing this model (among others) in response to the "New Deal" programs that were initiated by President Franklin Roosevelt to stimulate America's economy. A total of 26,454 D2's were made over the nineteen years they were in production.[1]
My grandpa had bought a caterpillar years ago originally as a project for me and him to work on together. He sold it a few years later to fund a hunting trip when I was 16 or so. I'm 22 now, and I still wish he hadn't sold it and accepted my parents' offer to pay for part of the trip.
You can always find a Caterpillar project. You just need to know what to buy and what not to buy.
That sucks. I just started work on an old backhoe myself. It's an early 60s Nuffield 342(3cyl british tractor) with an early HYMAS(Norwegian design. HYdraulisk MASkin firma, 'Hydraulic MAchine company' ) backhoe installed.
Weird stuff... The front axle is missing the outer parts, and instead there's some sort of truck axle bolted on, to make it slightly wider and fit larger tires(we think that was done by the HYMAS guys). The Backhoe has it's own frame that's bolted onto the tractor, and hydraulics is by a pump bolted to the front and driven by the crankshaft. It's definitely not made to be removed in a hurry. The boom on the backhoe is a heavy iron pipe, not a boxed section. The tractor lacks original hydraulics, the arms, towhook or even a PTO, and we think it was built that way originally. Fun thing...
My father started his career as a machine operator with a similar HYMAS, but possibly on a different tractor base(he can't remember) He sold it back in the 70s when he upgraded to a tracked Hydraulic Digger, but when he came across this one some time after 2000, it brought back memories and hge bought it to restore and possibly do a bit of 'large scale gardening' at home. Then he got ill(double bypass surgery, cancer and we don't know all) and he no longer has the health to do anything to it. I hope to get it started this summer, so he can teach me how to dig with it. (He's 86, so who knows how many years he has got left)
Anyway, the backhoe is at my parents home, so I get to spend some time with him, talking about the old days and what he experienced here and there while wrenching. That's the most important part of these projects.
@@Frank-Thoresen I feel like the way you made your comment tells me you have bought a lot of caterpillars and you know what’s bad and what’s good to work on 😂
@@cabbagememes2852 Thank you for noticing that. If you have done some projects you will always get some experience.
Hey Matt. Yes those little D2s are cool but you are probably better off letting your friend have it. I don't know how you get as much done as you do right now. Always cool when we save some good old American iron. Thanks for posting.
Go ahead Matt…make me feel old. Born in 1992! Our oldest daughter was born in 1993! That being said it’s awesome young folks like yourself are doing what you’re doing! Gives me hope for this country!
Lol my youngest was born in 90 ... wheres my walker ? My wheelchair?
Seeing these old machines come back to life is always amazing. They really did some beautiful work on machines back in the day.
They put very high quality parts in these old cats. No expense was spared in the production of quality.
@@verteup Back when the path to success of a company was everyone contributing to sell the consumer the best possible product, not a few execs blowing up stock prices to get the maximum annual bonus pay.
That’s pretty dam impressive for sitting that long
In 1977 my father attempted to start his own excavation business prior to retirement as a tool & die mechanic, so he bought an old D2 dozer - nearly identical to this one - a dump truck, trailer and a backhoe. None of us had any experience doing any of that but we put in septic tanks, drain fields and foundation work. I ran that little D2 which didn't have an electric start for the pony motor, so we had to start it with a piece of pull rope from inside the cab. The only problem was, he let my brother run the business and that doomed it from the very beginning. I operated the equipment which only hastened its demise. I eventually went back to college after everything was sold and became a Registered Nurse instead for which I was very much more competent. I did love that little D2, however, so hearing this one start back up again brought back a lot of memories for me. It was a great little machine.
The Caterpillar D2 was manufactured from 1938 to 1957 in their factory in Peoria IL, and under 40,000 were made in total.
Gday mate, word of advice on this (we have owned one of these for 50 years and pony motor starts it perfectly everytime.) When you have the diesel motor rolling over with the pony engaged & whilst waiting for oil pressure to build - make sure the diesel fuel is shut off completely. When you have oil pressure and happy push the decompression lever in - ensure diesel fuel lever is still shut off. In this configuration let the pony roll the diesel motor over under compression but without diesel fuel. What this does is builds heat in the diesel motor by friction & the heat from the pilot motor exhaust circulates through diesel motor manifolds creating heat. The pony wont over heat too as its getting cooling from main motor water. After a few minutes, or when you're happy she's warm shut off fuel to pilot motor and after about 30 seconds or so just before the pilot conks out throw the diesel lever to open the fuel and whallah, she'll run beautifully & the pilot motor will conk out. Its important to run pilot out of fuel. We have a full set of books for the D 4 and this is the correct procedure to start. It's a very gentle and kind way to start a cold diesel, building heat up slowly. I thionk ours is 1952 or 3 model. cheers!! good luck!!
1992 isn’t that long ago…..30 years??? Nahhhh no way
Oh crap I feel old now
Me too.
Hah! Born in '65, I were. I'm positively *Vintage,* me . . . 😂
My children are older than he is!
I am 81 model and now feel incredibly unaccomplished hearing Matt is 31!?!?!?! I always thought he was mid 40’s! 😂
Heck. I'm so old, it was all rock when I got here. I had to break the rock down to dirt, by hand, just grow food!
In many years past, when I ran into the problem with the steering clutches being frozen, I would make sure that the bottoms of the clutch compartments were sealed up and then pour five or ten gallons of parts solvent into them. I always made sure to submerge the clutches. I would then let them sit for an hour or two and then start running the crawler back and forth. This always took some time, but this procedure always worked.
Kudos to your buddy. There is no doubt that he has been around crawlers before. He knows his business.
You can’t save them all Matt, let somebody else have some fun every once in awhile-it’ll come back to you when your buddy finds something he knows is in your wheelhouse. Thanks for the video!
Absolutely agree. I came here to say the same thing.
He saves them from going to the scrap yard, and gives them a new purpose.
WHEEL HOUSE ? it ain't a ship, guy
@michael fraser a lot of old timers at least where I'm from call the top half of cranes a wheelhouse. Don't ask me why
It's junk people!!!
I have been around several D2 in my career of managing highway and bridge construction projects. I never saw them used except for walking sod to firmly press it to the ground. But they were perfect for that. On my large projects, they were too small for actually push dirt. Enjoyed seeing another old one brought back to life. Thanks.
You just didn't have the right operator. In the right hands they're a hell of a machine.
There’s a channel called Pacific Northwest Hillbilly, who just finished a full restoration on a caterpillar D4-7U. I actually found his channel, because of yours, Matt. It was one of TH-cam’s recommendation that claimed, Diesel Creek’s , viewers also watch his channel.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.🙏🏻🇺🇸🙏🏻
Great guy. He has some good jokes as well. I especially like the one on how to tell the difference between 2 different adjustable wrenches (crescent style).
Love to watch his channel too! He’s somewhere between Squatch and Diesel Creek. 🤭
"Built to be reliable, not to be replaceable" is now my motto when referring to the quality of this old stuff. Great work as always, Matt!
tshirt idea right there
"...and a 1000 other projects." That right there is why you shouldn't be upset about handing this one off. Plus, you get to share the journey with us as your buddy works on it, so win-win as a viewer.
My late uncle bought his D-2 new back in 1950-1.
My cousin still uses it regularly on the Finger Lakes farm New York. Great crawler 👍👍
Hi Matt, I can't believe you're only 30-31. You have accomplished a huge amount in your young life. Keep up the good work!
Just getting warmed up! 😎
@@DieselCreek... Who knows, u might warm up even more when yer buddy offers u the dozer later down the road! 🤞
Same feeling! Same age as my oldest kid (yes here are also some old beards!) Do not know what keeps me watching these but I love it!
@@DieselCreek 👍
I was about to say the same thing! Finally we all know the age of this guy :D
Thanks for the lesson. I am amazed how this equipment sits in the weather, and the charm of your hands bring it back to life. Later.
Lots of knowledge of old iron for a 31 year old Matt.
Very impressive. Love this channel my man.
"1992 that was the year I was born!" .....damn I feel old now LOL
92, why do Americans always look older than they are
@@PiazzaWoodWorks - We don't take care of ourselves.
His age and seeing what he can do, has done already and does, is the most amazing part of this episode/channel.👍
@@michael140169 just getting started my friend!!
Thanks, Diesel Creek, for saving these old classics! The excitement you share as you cross each milestone of repair makes me feel like a kid again. They may be old but not obsolete! Thanks again!
Matt, I swear you can start ANYTHING. Never ceases to amaze me that you can take something that to most of us looks like a nice payday at the scrap yard and get it going. Nice job.
I'm 82 now and the first Cat I ran at 12 years old was a D2 Cat, and ran Heavy Equipment for over 60 years, good luck with the restoration and getting this classic back running again
Sometimes helping a buddy is more worth then keeping things your self. You never know when they might return you a favour.😁🧑🏭
Thumbs up for the steering clutch repair. Would be great to see that. Nice old machine, and nice to see it getting some love.
Cool seeing you here watching other youtubers, love your videos.
It is a gem indeed matt. Very easy to work on once ya get the tub top plate off. Desirable unit to the right person WITH the blade setup and winch. Not many came with the winch actually.
Several things here. LaPlante Choate (silent e) built a lot of early Cat attachments. Not as many as LeTourneau though who had a plant in Peoria. I have heard from one source that the Cat branded blades for the D-2 were build by LaPlante.
If a machine has been setting that long, it might be well to check the spring in the relief valve below the fuel transfer pump. Water collecting there will rust the spring and make the engine hard or impossible to start.
There are small plates on the steering clutch compartments accessed by removing the foot plates. Making sure the drain plugs are in place, fill these compartments with kerosene. Run the machine back and forth WITHOUT trying to steer to wash the compartments. This is the Cat recommended procedure. Same with the master clutch. Kerosene was cheaper back in the day.
That machine is probably just a few years younger than me. It could be parted out for substantial $$, but is probably worth replacing the tracks. Do hope to see part two. Hope it's not stuffing that engine into the 212.
Both of those engines sound pretty good. I've definitely learned something about these pony setups, thanks Matt
mat i'm 73 and live in DIXON, IL. In 1979-1982 i worked at WEST TX. EQUIPMENT, in LUBBOCK, TX CATERPILLAR
, old memories, love your programs.
You don't know a gentleman by the name of Steve Corley, do you?
Matt, you are living my dream from many years ago. I get so much joy from what you present in your videos. Thank you so very much.
Good old gas Pony motor TO start the diesel Cool old Setups don't see them much anymore Matt 7:15 @Diesel Creek
A testament to the simplicity of old machinery !
Despite all the video angles, I still couldn't see where the OBD II connection port is on that dozer. It was hard starting because they didn't see all the Error codes! He'll have to get a new iPhone and get the latest app for CAT Central App to contact tech support (have VISA card ready) and fix the codes.
@@BlackPill-pu4vi HAHAHAHAHAAH!!!
This was wonderful. When I was a kid in VT I ran a T-bar at Pico Peak Ski area. The power plant was a huge old Cat with a pony. Many many a mornings I fired the pony up. Once the pony was warm I would engage the drive and then let it turn over until the exhaust manifold was warm. Once exhaust on the cat was warm you threw the compression lever and bingo a huge belch of black smoke and the Cat came to life.
That Cat ran for many many decades, probably 40 years or so.
Nice little dozer, even has a winch and it works. Purrs like a kitten, looks like the tracks freed up pretty easy. That would be a nice tractor for pulling logs out of a woods. I think I’d keep the blade together with the tractor though. Thanks for sharing, see you next week.
Aint that the truth Matt built to be reliable not replaceable we live in a Throw it away don't repair it society nowadays Matt its a shame I repair Everything still Also im a Mechanic so its as a Automotive Repair Shop 26:30 @Diesel Creek
would love to see a part 2 its great seeing equipment we ran years ago come back to life just goes to show how well they were built back then
i bought 3 that had been sitting for 45 years,,,,pulled them 40 ft in third gear and they started right up
Still one of my favorite TH-cam channels... even if it's watching a friend get an old D2 going again, it's still a lot of fun to see it moving (and seeing Matt's reaction!). I'm sure that one day Matt'll find his own D2, and we'll cheer him on as he makes it part of the stable at Diesel Creek! Love those "big boy" toys!
Make it a WW2 era D2, and paint it up in OD green.
I hear you, if it runs it good to pull when it snows ,ice up roads pulling smi truck's . Besides it's all money. U Tube your the best.
Good score for $500. So many old machines go for scrap. It is only enthusiasts like you and Mike that save a few. You take a chance with your own money. Nice when you have a win.
Very nice👏👏 Im glad to see another machine saved from scrap👍
Im impressed she is moving under its own power and the tracks are moving wow 28:13 @Diesel Creek
I would love to see more on this Matt! Repairing the steering, maybe adding a cable to the winch?
Man I had a Pomeranian that same color that used to go everywhere with me too. Miss her a lot.
Mike is pretty good mechanic. It's in good hands.
Friends helping friends, what a concept. We need more of this. Just like the ole days!
@squatch253 would be proud. He has an ultra detailed rebuild series on a unit like this. He’s got a few beauty vintage Cats.
It's great to see someone saving a piece of history from the scrap pile. Evan if you only get the engine to run is a thrill !
It's afternoon 5 pm in India and watching Matt's new mades my day😂😂😂 love from India 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
3 pm here in Uganda. Enjoying every video from Matt 👍
Chalo koi to Mila mere jesa 😅
I hear nothing but good things about India's own Mahindra tractors, Amrita. All the best from Pittsburgh USA!
11am here in the USA
Watching from Belize. Live in AZ.
Wow that didnt take long at all old girl fired right up 😮 glad to see this old girl might be saved 15:12 @Diesel Creek
Ah... No better rainy Saturday morning than the smell of bacon and a new "Will it Run" video from Matt.
You may not own it, but you gained another layer of respect for passing on a project to a friend. What a thoughtful thing to do. That will be returned several fold from others. Be well, be safe!
Matt, this one brings a smile to my heart. My grandfather had one of these siting in a shed for years until a family member hauled it off. I wish we’d have kept it because it would certainly still be with me. Thanks for doing what you do to keep these old girls alive and kicking. A lot of us are living vicariously through you until we can get our own iron.
Edited to add: “Built to be reliable, not replaceable” might be my new favorite saying for this old iron. I might borrow that, with credit of course.
People always wonder why I own older vehicles and equipment and that is the reason why modern new stuff is throw away stuff probably even comes with a best by date on them now
Damn Matt, 1992. My youngest baby of the family was 1991! You really made me feel old today! AND you passed on a great buy! What a day!
My old man started making kids in ‘75 and stopped in ‘96. 8 boys, no girls. Unfortunately I was the only perfect one of the bunch. Coincidentally, my name is Matt and I was also born in ‘92 😅
You guys are impressive! I don't know jack about squat when it comes to engines, so fun to see it happen on older machines!
Matt the most work I can see is the track bushings. Some pins need to be turned maybe, sprockets look bad too.
Matt you let a good one get away but you will find more.
You can’t kill these old machines. A little love goes a long way. Great video!
If you want to fix another dozer, my grandfather has a 1950s d6, as he remembers, sitting in a barn that hasn't ran in around 30 to 40 years.
Great filming ! Thanks Matt made my day , great knowledge on the old cats saving stuff for future , some how compulsive watching , , well looking forward to the next episode !
Holy smokes at how big the cast iron Lid aka Hydraulic Tank Cap Is 😮 6:10 @Diesel Creel
Good to see a Junior and K-9 Corp involved. There's always hope for the future. Always entertaining and informative. Thanks Matt.
Love watching these old will it run vids especially the old Dozers and Excavator. Great Job Mike and Matt
Matt. While you did not get this machine yourself, you did get a video out of it and another one. This is a super fair trade off I would say! Super stoked to see another good machine up and running and going some place new!
This is why many of us like your channel.
I must say, you have one great diesel mechanic working with you! Great job guys!!!
Great video ,thanks for sharing Matt..from first appearance to running wow! She runs pretty sweet-great job guys stay safe
1
Greatest thing about track machines is the tracks are a great Work Bench 😂 Matt I know what your problem is guys it aint got no gas in it 😂17:37 @Diesel Creek
For $500 you can't really lose, nicely done fellas, I'm really glad to see these old machines being rescued and given a second chance, or third lol, but these are pieces of history and it's really cool to see you guys get them up n running, well done!!
Back in 1982 we used to make our own home-brew chain lube comprised of diesel fuel and graphite. It was pretty messy but the diesel would evaporate and leave the graphite behind as a sliding lubricant. We used graphite sold to lube planter plates, which came in half gallon jugs. If memory serves we could mix a couple jugs of graphite to 2 gallons of diesel fuel. We used a small pump-up garden sprayer to apply the mixture. Perhaps this concoction would be useful in lubing stuck tracks and other seized up parts you encounter.
Great video as always!
Mikes a hell of a mechanic!!!! Great job Mike.
Matt your friend Mike is an ace with pony motors and old cats!!!😀😀😀😀😀
Maybe not a home run but safe at second for sure. Thanks Matt and Mike.
There's something about seeing old equipment running that is emotionally satisfying. A warm fuzzy feeling inside. 🤗🤗🤗
Perfect timing! Just poured my coffee. Thanks for the content Matt.
It’s nice to have the knowledge to repair these engines. Good job as always
You guys are amazing. You resurrect old, old machines and make them walk again.
Check out Squatch253 if you want see more like it! He's an awesome teacher, and will really get into all the nerdy details.
This one didn’t need a huge amount of resurrecting
Surprised someone from Caterpillar does not pay attention, considering what these guys do Pretty incredible feats with these machines.
@@jakealter5504 Yeah the pony motor really worked well, and once started the diesel seems quite well too.
We use to wire the cutch controls back before storing our old D6 and pour diesel on them so they wouldn’t stick and lock up but we have had to replace the clutches before it still runs and drives fine
I really didn’t think this thing would run and was flabbergasted when you got it to move under its own power. Mike is diesel whisperer. Thanks for sharing.
Heck yeah She started up So awesome to see the old girl diesel engine running that pony motor is Strong Matt 25:03 @Diesel Creek
I'll never get tired of watching old equipment come back to life!
Diesel engines with starter engines!
Well I wish we could get them to do it correctly!
@@johnliebermann4643 ??? Correctly??? What are they doing wrong?
@@dans_Learning_Curve They get the big engine turning, they turn on the fuel then close the valves. The engine fires once and disconnects the drive(it isn't a Bendix). The proper procedure is to rotate the big engine with valves closed to preheat slightly, then turn fuel on.
Perhaps some day you can add a equipment "spa shed" with a sand blaster and painting equipment to make your restorations really shine. It is great to see you helping out a friend with something you regret getting for yourself. However this provided you with the opportunity to help someone else. You are a good man Matt.
I simply can`t get enough of these videos. A relative of mine owned one of those tractors in Costa Rica. Next time I go down there I`ll check if it`s still parked in the same spot and at least take a few pictures and maybe share them with you. Thanks for sharing, Matt!
look on the bright side Matt you may not have gotten it but think of the joy you gave your buddy telling him about it storing it and helping him to get it running, I'd say that is satisfaction enough to know you did a good deed.
You guys never cease to amaze me. I think you could get a rock to run!
Undercarriage parts for a D2 are impossible to find. Last time I tried to repair one (20 years ago), you could convert everything to D3 stuff, but it costs way more than the machine would ever be worth. Probably the most valuable parts on there are the pony motor and the winch. Nice job getting it running.
What a lot of knowledge you guys have about these machines, and I love it to bits when you have one of these old machines running again 😁
Thanks Mat, I thought the pony motor would spin the diesel over and use the compression to warm up the combustion chamber before the fuel was added.
The parts to disconnect the pony motor is stuck. Normally you start the pony, warm it up ,clutch in the engine with the compression release open, get the engine turning over, oil pressure up and when the stars align drop the release and see it run. Shut off the pony by turning the fuel off and get to work.
Great Job Matt and Mike on getting that old Cat Dozer running and driving again.. well done..
We call these pony motors "putt motors" up north in Canada. I have a D4 from around 1939 with after market canopy and hydraulic blade. In winter, the putt motor is used to warm up the diesel before starting, as both motors share the same coolant system. Bought mine for $2000 in the late 80s. Still works well.
No! Bad Matt! 1992 was not 30 years ago, because if it was, I would be old.
It gives me so much pleasure seeing old machines coming back to life .
It was good to see a mechanic with some decent tools, not just some guys with slip jaw pliers and an adjustable wrench.
great Matt. I watch all your stuff & really enjoy it . I am almost 70 years old but have wandered the world & fixed stuff from one pole to the other so like you i am a spanner junky . I live in Berlin germany & do not see much junk anymore as i was gentrified out off my workshop some years ago. For this reason watching you gives me a lot of fun & satisfaction . By the way I am a Brit expat . Thanks for staying the original you are . Ekzo. greetings from over the pond .
May have been stubborn to start, but holy crap, that thing runs sweet as a nut. What a blazing deal for $500
G'day mate, we own one of these have for 50 years. Process to start is this as per the book
- Start pony which you've done no worries.
- Once pony warm, engage main engine - diesel fuel off & decompression lever pulled out = deco on.
- After engine has rolled over for a little while with decompression still pulled out, push in the deco lever to create compression on main engine. You can then let the Pony roll the big motor over in this configuration for quite some time - still no diesel fuel though. (Engine oil pressure should be up now too.)
- in this configuration the pony motor is generating warmth into diesel motor via friction & exhaust gases running through main diesel manifold. Its a very kind and gentle way to start a diesel. heating the diesel motor prior to starting is part of the process.
- When your happy main motor has fuel pressure & heat you can shut off fuel to pilot motor and just before pilot conks out rotate & open the diesel fuel to main engine, She'll start perfectly every time.
- Pilot will stop as fuel is expired, This is important.
- This method is straight from the book and is how it should be done, don't open diesel fuel lever tool early. Good luck...
That's a awesome machine. I'm surprised nobody said the tracks are on backwards lol. Runs good.
That’s awesome. That little boy will never forget that day. Tiny Houston MS
squatch253 has an 80 part youtube series on restoring every part of a d2 if you need references
I have one which was my grandpas farm tractor. Sat 30 years in a paddock and didn't run. All it needed was the pony motor rebuild and now I am doing the Steering clutches. I named mine CAThy
@@navcenter77 nice name. Also that winch would look nice on 5J1113.
Great stuff Matt, your a huge inspiration for me. Hope to have all the cool toys you have one day :) Keep rocking on mate.