Old dozers - and a question

[Knocker of rock]

These are parked next to US 97, north of Wenatchee Washington. Two old IH's, and a Cletrac. My question, the IH's are straight fours, and have a big fuel injection assembly on the left side. On the right side of the engine, they have a carburetor, distributor and plugs. So it looks like it can run on both diesel and gasoline. Is that right? How does the huge difference in compression affect things?

 

[heavylift]

I ran a few that started on gas, then switched to diesel. I think they where Internationals. Maybe a td 14 or something along those lines.

 

[maddog]

Cousin had one that would run on gas in winter then once it was going he'd switch to diesel.

 

[shopguy]

They warm up on gas and then you switch them to diesel, they have a set of valves in the head that opens by a lever to a (chamber in the head) to make more cylinder area when running on gas .Was Cletrac Oliver ?:beatsme

 

[maddog]

Shopguy; I had an oliver cletrac 1947-48 if I remember correct believe it was an OC3.

 

[shopguy]

I thought they were oliver, thanks

 

[John C.]

Look like TD9s.

 

[580bruce]

Drove by there today too!

 

[Knocker of rock]

Thanks all! I think they are the earliest TD-9, with the 335-4, and crank start.

http://tractors.wikia.com/wiki/International_TD-9B_series

 

[51kw]

Looks like a TD-40, Cletrac and a TD-9. The TD-9 has electric start. The IH is switched over to gas which opens a 3rd valve in the head. When this valve is opened it opens a chamber which has the sparkplug in it. It also lowers the compression, turns on the magneto and opens a valve in the intake which lets air be drawn thru the carb. When it is warmed enough the lever is moved the other way which closes the valves in the intake and the head. As soon as you move that lever you open throttle and start giving it diesel. If it is warm enough it will start to run on diesel. Good syatem except you had to be very religious about cooling them before shutdown or they would crack the head.

 

[chevy43]

I love my TD9. I start it with the hand crank every time. I don't even have a battery in the tractor even though it has a electric start too. One less battery to worry about...

 

[HATCHEQUIP]

KING OF OBSOLETE would like to have um I bet

 

[lantraxco]

Fun old iron. These old IH's were a pain if the operator forgot to switch back to gas till the exhaust cleared up good. The heavy diesel and carbon remaining in the cylinders made them almost impossible to light the next morning!

Not sure of the model, but according to my Dad (who is now 82) my grandfather had one of those Cletracs, started on gas and then ran on "Stove oil" by simply changing a fuel valve to the carburetor. Same problem, if you forgot to switch back to gas before shutting the motor off, they were essentially oil fouled the next morning. Cheers

 

[HATCHEQUIP]

yes and you didn't want to stall it or it was time to pull and clean fouled plugs