My neighbor has what I think is an early 50's AC model D road grader with what I think looks like a WD45 type gas engine. Two
questions here; Until last week I never used it before. First thing I do is always check fluids and I noticed the radiator and
engine was half empty of antifreeze. I know that the guy who usually uses it was fighting with some kind of "running hot"
issue because he put a home made coolant catch tank off the radiator fitting at the cap. Started thinking about it and noticed
that the water pump had a threaded plug at the top and a small hose (also plugged) coming off the (rather remote in my
opinion) thermostat housing. All I could figure is the water pump must stay air locked and the thermostat also must not be
able to get circulated water enough to tell it when to open. I put a hose fitting in place of the water pump plug and ran a
heater hose to the thermostat housing with a restrictor (a 3/32" bleed hole) in between figuring the air would be allowed out
of the pump and the thermostat would now get circulation. Started it and it ran and graded great without a trace of getting
hot or spewing fluid. So my first question is; Is this the way it is supposed to be because I've seen others with the water
pump fitting plugged off?
Question two; The manual steering box in it is all but completely shot. I was thinking about adapting an automotive power
steering box and wondering if I could simply power it by using (splicing into) the return line from the blade height control
valve body? Anybody done such a thing?
questions here; Until last week I never used it before. First thing I do is always check fluids and I noticed the radiator and
engine was half empty of antifreeze. I know that the guy who usually uses it was fighting with some kind of "running hot"
issue because he put a home made coolant catch tank off the radiator fitting at the cap. Started thinking about it and noticed
that the water pump had a threaded plug at the top and a small hose (also plugged) coming off the (rather remote in my
opinion) thermostat housing. All I could figure is the water pump must stay air locked and the thermostat also must not be
able to get circulated water enough to tell it when to open. I put a hose fitting in place of the water pump plug and ran a
heater hose to the thermostat housing with a restrictor (a 3/32" bleed hole) in between figuring the air would be allowed out
of the pump and the thermostat would now get circulation. Started it and it ran and graded great without a trace of getting
hot or spewing fluid. So my first question is; Is this the way it is supposed to be because I've seen others with the water
pump fitting plugged off?
Question two; The manual steering box in it is all but completely shot. I was thinking about adapting an automotive power
steering box and wondering if I could simply power it by using (splicing into) the return line from the blade height control
valve body? Anybody done such a thing?