Cat D7 3T #16602

I am looking for an electric starter for the pony motor on my 3T.
Operated one with this option in the mid 1980's so I know there are some out there. Thanks for any ideas!

I'm not positive, but I think a 17A series pony starter will work also. Might check into that. I could be wrong. I was one other time about something.LOL.

The D73T #16602 use a startor 6b9157 and housing 6b9158

Thanks for the part numbers! If I am able to secure these parts is it a simple bolt on to one of the cover plates back of the pony motor itself? Any other info would be a big help.

Thanks,
goldminer7759

I believe it should bolt up, I don't think there is a problem with the flywheel, or starter drive. I keep spares for my D7's, and believe I have a starter motor on the shelf, not sure about any housings, but the Delco electric starter motor number may be helpful in case you can't source both as a unit from a salvage yard. I'll see if theres a tag on it, should be, or I can wade through the snow and look on one of the tractors. I would believe you should be able to source these parts, they were common, all the military 4T's and 3T's that were government purchase order tractors had electric start on the starting engines. I'd take a photo and post it, but still have not been able to load images from my new phone onto the PC.

Hector mentioned part numbers out of the parts catalogs, and those match what my parts catalog shows for S/N 3T1-3T19999 inclusive.

17A, has a different starting engine than the 3T, which has the earlier version that was used on many old caterpillar tractors, including D8 1H's, 2U's and other older tractors, such as the D6 2H, 5R with the 3 cylinder engine, Forty Diesel if I recall, RD8, and the Seventy Five if I recall, good chance to find parts, but you would have to check the parts catalog to see if the 17A used the same one, I am not sure, don't have a 17A parts catalog.

Billy,
Thank you for the additional information! What part of NY are you? Just curious as my father-in-law is in the Buffalo area.

I'm just east of Troy, I've yet to get a part number off the starter will try and post back today.

I dug out a spare Delco-Remy starter motor. This is a more modern one, nomenclature is stamped into the cast housing and reads as follows:

1107399 6 M 12

DELCO-REMY U.S.A

3 A


The gear in the housing is straight cut, it should bolt right in place after the cover is removed. Gear will mesh with clutch flywheel.

Use care when fastening and tightening the starter housing to the clutch housing, the flange edges on the starter housing can break the corners off at the bolt holes. The starter is heavy, might be best to bolt housing first, tighten down. Given the age of these things, I'd also recommend using an appropriate tap, thread chaser on the holes, always good measure, that ant anti-seize. The spring loaded switch on the starter motor operated by a lever, will seize if left in the elements, best to try and keep under cover if possible, lubed etc.

Thanks so much! I think I have located the parts at F P Smith in California. Used housing and new starter. Again I thank you for all your efforts on this!
My father in law lives in Boston, NY and has several farm tractors he has restored. The last time we visited in the summer six of us went on a picnic and we all drove different tractors to his picnic spot!

Thank you again for all the info!!!!!

No problem, figured someone would have what you needed, nice to have but with good spark, clean fuel, (fuel tanks of this age often times have coffee grind size rust bits that clog filters/sediment bowls) they should easily start with the hand crank. One other tip is keeping the starting engine oil clean, check for gas contamination, gas thinned oil. You can put a petcock on the carb bowl, and short section of hose to drain the bowl after the diesel fires to be sure nothing can thin the crankcase oil in the starting engine. I inadvertently left the fuel on one time and it overflowed the crankcase. Now obviously, by design, that zenith carb should not do that, but with the age and I am not too sure how it will allow gas to leak down, I always warn people about it. At minimum close the fuel off, let it run dry/shut off, takes a little while, given the amount of fuel just in the bowl, or small amounts over time, gas thinned oil will cause a failure, so I just drained mine off immediately after shutting the fuel off. Also be aware the diesel needs to spin to circulate coolant to the starting engine, and keep an eye on over speeding the starting engine when the diesel fires, you can hold your hand on the governor or throttle linkage, choke it off, if for some reason the pinion latches don't disengage at the right time, they can be easily adjusted with a turn of a screw, refer to the serviceman's reference book for that one. A few tips to keep that "pony" running without problems, keep the magneto in good working order, they will fire in the coldest of weather.