Caterpillar D8-8R Built in Illinois USA in 1941 then shipped over to England to join 79th armoured Div 819 Dozer Squadron. This actual machine took part in Normandy and D-Day events. Filmed on 19th July 2008 at Barton under Needwood Steam Rally ( near Lichfield Staffs ) What you are watching is the start process needed before the Big Cats diesel engine can be started. The petrol driven starter motor ( donkey engine ) is fired up first. This generates heat which inturn is used to warm up the big diesel engine prior to starting. The action of the starter motor also builds up the oil pressure in the big diesel engine. When the required oil pressure has been reached you will see the guy activate the start mechanism on the diesel engine. Once she has fired up the primary petrol engine is shut down leaving the Big Cat Diesel engine purring away….Sweet
@Bevoin1970 It’s fair to say I like ALL big equipment. Spent some years OTR driver, first assigned truck was a 318 Detroit/13 speed, also run 250 to 350 Cummins & 300 to 365 Cats. If it’s got wheels or tracks, give me a little while and I’ll make it do some work.
@304raven “Hello” old fart, meet another old fart, “Me”
– its fair to say you like dozers then. . ? LOL
@Bevoin1970 If you haven’t figured it out, I’m an “old fart”. Cut my teeth on a 6cyl. Cat stationary generator, 1956. I’ve operated D7/scraper, D6 on rubber, D8/scraper & dozer, D7 automatic dozer, TD15 automatic dozer, TD9 front loader w/ Drott 4 way bucket, large Tournadozer(skid steer), Cat14 grader, Galion grader, various rubber tired front end loaders & backhoes, hoistintg cranes, clamshell, backhoe, dragline, etc. while in USNR Seabees. .
@304raven Thanks for the in depth info, reckon I could steal it now I know how to start it. . . ha ha ( Joking people )
IIRC, pony is approx. 24HP. It has a 2 speed gearbox, cluitch, and pinion engage lever. Diesel also has a co0mpression control for none, 1/2 or full compression. Start pony, low gear, zero comp. , engage pinion and clutch, roll diesel until oil pressure comes up, then bring in 1/2 comp,until pony picks up load, then full comp. All this is building cylinder heat, plus pony exhaust is preheating intake air. Now crack diesel throttle & wait for start, Pinion kicks out auitomatically, now kill pony.
@MrJohn1966elliott Thanks great story
It used for clear trees makes way World War II Airfeilds in Mayalaisa islands, Pacfic any islands
@mihanurgos yes she sure was. . . . Thank you
Great machine!!!
@Jthumper No idea on the technical sides of the connections. I know it was a crowd puller on the day.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
so the donkey must be connected to the diesel via a CV belt or something? as a direct gear drive would cause the donkey to seriously lug
great video, thanks for shareing
@Bevoin1970 wow what a beast
@the124Lscania I dont suppose they had electric starts in those days, with enough power to crank over a large diesel engine such as this. However saying that, the heat generated by the petrol engine is used to warm up the diesel engine before she fires into life. You couldn’t do that with an electric starter. . . Technology was very limited back in the 1940’s
does it have a little motor to start up the main engine? is that how they made diesels back then?
to bad its not owned by a American
@thetruckdoctor I think the owner of this CAT thought the same, when he was cranking it over with a crowd of people stood around him watching his every move. . .
)
Damn, didn’t think the pony motor was even gonna start lol!
I a’mmm the Great Mighty Poo. . .
@JGMagoo That would not be my 1st choice on my things to do list
@RockinGuy1994 Powered by a 115 horsepower six-cylinder naturally aspirated Caterpillar model D13000 diesel engine they weighed approximately 16. 5 tons (depending on equipment) and had a six-speed manual transmission.
Not very good for getaways
sweet diesel sound. .
@hwoods01 what i ment, when someone talks bout WWII , they always mention the B-17,P-51,P-38,B-29,and all the other great machines of WWII,but something had to clear the land, knock down the hills,fill in the low spots,and level the land, so they could take off and land,and build the roads,and the bridges,so the shermans,and the jeeps and trucks could where they needed to
@dalekrueger . . . unlike all those people machine gunned to death lying on the beaches: They get WAY too much credit. . Hooray for the unsung D8 heros of D-Day!! (yes, this is sarcasm)
TAKE THAT annoying fair ground music!!!
Awesome machine too!
small, 2 cylinder engines where called pony motors that did the starting. . at the time cat or john deere had no electric starters strong enough to start big engines in colder climate. . the little engines where hateful little things to keep running right. . a lot of the blame was put on them as they didnt run long enough when they where used. . . actually carbs where junk on them. .