paulk
Member
Brand new member here, so hoping for some help. I bought a house and 120 acres in Michigan and on the property was a 1974 Insley 875 excavator with a 4 cylinder detroit diesel. The PO had dug a pond with it but it hadn't been used for a couple of years. I charged and installed the battery to see if it would crank over, but it appears locked up. I looked down the exhaust where the flap didnt sit too well and saw water in the muffler. I pulled the exhaust manifold the valve cover and 4 small rectangular covers off the side of the engine. One of the cylinders had the exhaust valves open and there is some rust in there that I can see. The side cover appears to be an air intake thing..? I can see what looks to be the piston top at about half way up some small slots that appear to be in the cylinder liner...? again, pardon my ignorance.
I dont see any water or rust in the other 3 cylinders. I sprayed a bunch of WD40 down the exhaust valve area, which runs down to the top of the piston, out the small slots and then into the cavity that is where you see through the square covers and drains out a small tube at the bottom of the motor. I am hoping that since the engine was in this position, that since the water had a place to drain that I may be able to free it up with penetrating oil. I read that this is a positive earth unit, so that is how I hooked the battery up (praying that was right.) Any thoughts or input / suggestions are greatly appreciated. I will post pics soon. Thanks!
I dont see any water or rust in the other 3 cylinders. I sprayed a bunch of WD40 down the exhaust valve area, which runs down to the top of the piston, out the small slots and then into the cavity that is where you see through the square covers and drains out a small tube at the bottom of the motor. I am hoping that since the engine was in this position, that since the water had a place to drain that I may be able to free it up with penetrating oil. I read that this is a positive earth unit, so that is how I hooked the battery up (praying that was right.) Any thoughts or input / suggestions are greatly appreciated. I will post pics soon. Thanks!
Last edited: