I know of a couple of diesel engines that used gas to start. Most
interesting is an International four cylinder that my grandfather used to
pull a "peckerwood" sawmill. It had a small gas tank on top that held maybe
2 gallons of gas. There was an electric starter and a magneto for ignition.
A lever near the front was rotated to the starting position and you turned
on the gas petcock. Depending on the outside temperature you might run for
a few seconds to 10 minutes on gas before switching to diesel. When ready
to try to run on diesel, you pulled the gas/diesel lever (which apparently
covered the spark plugs to prevent fouling from the diesel) and moved the
throttle up a little. If the morning was cold and you didn't wait long
enough, the engine would fail to run or would sputter and cough but slowly
lose revs. Switching back to gas would let it warm some more. Once it was
ready to run on diesel, you made the switch and it would pick up revs. Most
mornings it would blow quite a number of smoke rings into the cold air as
the switch was made. My brother and I loved seeing them spinning up and
expanding. I believe that engine is a 1948 or 1949 International. I used
to know the model. Maybe it was Lnn where nn was some number.... Shutting
down you reversed the procedure to ensure that the plugs were clean enough
to crank the next day. Never let it run out of diesel, or you'd have to
clean the plugs before cranking!
The other engine was on a caterpiller D6 dozier, maybe a 1959... Small one
or two cylinder gas engine was cranked first with electric starter or pull
rope. A lever was used to release compression on the six cylinder diesel
and a clutch was used to start the diesel spinning. Once it was spinning
sufficiently, the compression lever was returned to normal and the engine
would spin over till it cranked. On cold mornings it took a while for the
gas engine to get warm enough to handle the load of cranking the diesel.
Dad usually just parked it on a steep incline and rolled it off. This was
prior to hydraulic clutches and transmissions.
Both these engines still ran the last time we messed with them.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob KNOTTS" <raknotts@qwest.net>
To: "Steve Hanberg" <steve@OldSub.com>; "mark" <ccpanel@jps.net>; "OleTrucks
mailing List" <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 12:37 AM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] old 54 GMC firetruck
> In the back of my mind, it seems to me way back when somebody, I don't
> remember who, made a "Semi-diesel", which started on gas, and when it was
> warm, was then switched to diesel. If you look real close, under any
packed
> grease and crud, you will probably find the engine manufacturers name.
Very
> interesting!! Bob K in PHX, AZ.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Hanberg" <steve@OldSub.com>
> To: "mark" <ccpanel@jps.net>; "OleTrucks mailing List"
> <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 10:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [oletrucks] old 54 GMC firetruck
>
>
> > I don't know the answer, but I'm betting its not something you'd expect
to
> > find in a GMC pickup or small truck. Since it has a distributor I
presume
> > its not a diesel, so I'm thinking its not GM. I'm eager to see the
> > pictures.
> >
> > I once bought a 50 GMC that had a flathead six under the hood. It was a
> > Dodge....
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "mark" <ccpanel@jps.net>
> > To: <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 8:40 PM
> > Subject: [oletrucks] old 54 GMC firetruck
> >
> >
> > im gonna get some pics up but before i get to it-i gotta know-what motor
> > would be in a 54/5 GMC firetruck? the motor is backwards-the
> intake/exhaust
> > are on the pass side and dist/starter/plugs are on drivers side. has
> holley
> > carb and a HUGE! intake/exhaust. its a big motor-could it be a 302? or
is
> it
> > like an IH or other motor? help! theres one at the local scrap metal
uyard
> > and im just waiting for it to die. its TOTALLY complete minus a door
> handle
> > and maybe a foot switch. it has wipers over the windshield and the
> > hood/front fenders are diff but the grill is like the pre-49 GMC
grill-fat
> > sides, reg middle.
> > mark
> >
> > im looking for a 47-57 GMC/chevy suburban either hot rod or project-just
> > needs mostly complete body-no cancer and doent even have to have frame.
> >
> > http://customclassics.org
> >
> > northern california
> > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
> > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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