Neat Cat power unit

jm. · May 15, 2021

Been around machinery about all my life but picked up something today I have never been around . Neat little 4 cylinder cat power unit serial 63b 2400 . I am guessing late 50s early 60s. Really neat in that it is turboed and water after cooled. But then the thing that is really different is the starting setup . Appears to be you pump up pressure and use an oil starter. NOT air. Tried to post over on AMOC but lost my password .

buzz saw · May 15, 2021

Nice find.
We work on some pumps on petroleum barges that may be set up similair to that as far as starting. On the petro barges they don't want any electrical systems that could spark. On ours the hand pump charges oil against a nitrogen charged cylinder and the nitrogen pushes the oil through a hydraulic motor to spin the engine for starting when you press a foot pedal. After the engine starts there is a hydraulic pump that recharges the cylinder for the next time. The problem is the nitrogen leaks over time and won't hold pressure, therefore the engine spins about two revolutions and then you pump the hand pump some more. You may consider converting to battery/starter/alternator depending on your intended use.

jm. · May 15, 2021

O K you answered two of my questions .I was sure the hand pump was not compressing oil and I bet the nitrogen is long gone. And I saw the small hydraulic pump and wondered what it did ; Thanks .

buzz saw · May 15, 2021

When the system is tight and the nitrogen cylinder is charged and doesn't leak they work great. Really the biggest failure point is the nitrogen is lost over time and then there isn't enough pressure left to spin the engine fast enough to start. It can almost get comical after a fuel system repair trying to bleed the fuel. Seen that system on Cummins and two stroke Detroits.
That what appears to be a Twin Disc brand clutch assembly is nice. That power unit would be handy for just about anything around the farm from driving a sawmill, pump, or whatever. You did good.

jm. · May 15, 2021

I am thinking I can sit it down next to another unit ,throw a belt between the two and use the clutch to see if I can get it started .

Old Magnet · May 16, 2021

That's a D330A (4-1/2 bore) Industrial Engine which started production in 1962. Can't tell exactly what year s/n 2400 would be but the D330C (4-3/4 bore) came out about 1968.

jm. · May 16, 2021

Thank you Magnet, I was guessing early 60s. I just never saw anything exactly like it.

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2021

jm,
Are you planning to power your sawmill with the power unit?

Carlmac 369 · May 16, 2021

Neat unit. What is AMOC?

jm. · May 16, 2021

Got it backwards ,Antique Cat Machinery club ACMOC

jm. · May 16, 2021

No George my mill is a diesel late model wood-mizer.

Carlmac 369 · May 16, 2021

(quoted from post at 11:00:23 05/16/21) Got it backwards ,Antique Cat Machinery club ACMOC

Thanks.

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2021

JM,
What's your plan for the motor?

jm. · May 16, 2021

No plans , just bought it because I thought it was neat and about 60 years old . Like you just more stuff for the kids to sell .

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2021

Find yourself an ice cream maker. Turbo diesel ice cream maker. It would be a one of a kind.

IAfarmguy · May 16, 2021

I know nothing about power units so what would be the size of your unit? Horsepower-wise. Looks good.

jm. · May 16, 2021

My best guess is somewhere around 140 hp. That would be about the most might be less .

Neat Cat power unit

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