History of Caterpillar Engines | Diesel History Episode One - Part 1 (Pre-WWII)

Hello! This is the first episode of our new series Diesel History! This short film is about Caterpillar Engines. Since CAT has been producing diesel engines for almost 90 years, we decided to split this into two videos. The first video (this one) covers the history of CAT engines pre-WWII, and our second video will cover CAT history after the war. Tune in next week for part 2!

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Credits:

Music by: Bill Weaver Music - Diesel Life

Video: Caterpillar Heritage Services
British Council

[richardc]

Year's ago I worked for a hard rock contractor who always ran old iron. 1 of those was a 1958 D9H
No ROPS or FOPS, no hydraulic either. It was a "cable dozer" that used a 2 cylinder gasoline Pony motor that was used to start the main engine, it's starter was the size a Ford V8 gas engine starter.
You started it, then once it was running you engaged it to the main engines flywheel, letting it spin the big diesel engine as you slowly fed it fuel. It would then chug to life and kick the pony motor out.
On cold mornings you would spin the big Cat engine for 2 to 3 minutes so it could build enough heat it the cylinders by compressing just the air ( which is how they run- compression ignition) before putting fuel to the injectors.

[nickcox]

Good video I'm a very proud owner of a ex us cat generator fitted with a cat D315 power plant same as fitted in the D4 this power plant is still working in its arignal working clothes and the generator is all caterpillar
All new parts for service and repair still can be perched from finning cat UK this just shows how good these old caterpillars are and still out doing a 12hr days work at the vintage shows today
Brilliant classic cats will always live on

[jesustrevizo]

These videos should be at least an hour long or longer. So much history. Awesome channel.💯👍

[cletracc]

The RD models stood for Rosen. Art Rosen a Caterpillar engineer in the 30's and 40's was the designer of the D9900 engine that was the first diesel placed in a Cat track type tractor, in honor of his work tractors were designated with the RD cast in radiator tops from1935-1937.

[pinolyzerproductionsinc.]

6:49 you don’t need a CAT with those guys on the job site

[jbj]

May early model cars with old flathead engines could put out 60hp, but they couldn't run a ten ton tractor. Let's hear about the TORQUE these engines were producing. Thank you for these videos.

[primoroy]

This video got me hooked on your channel. Thanks! 👍

[toms]

That was great. So great, I had to keep stopping it, go back to hear what you had just said.

[northmanlogging]

8:50 ish that would be the skagit yarder set up at the Deming log show grounds in the background... (ironically it has a cummins motor in it...)

[Mondo]

My dad was Army Corps of Engineers building airstrips in the Pacific during WW2. He was a big fan of Caterpillar equipment (dozers, graders, etc).
I was a US Merchant Marine engineer and found Caterpillar emergency generators on ships going back to WW2. They were even seen on later (1980's-90's) German ships I worked on.

[dougcrossen]

I am surprised you didn't mention the Caterpillar Semi Truck pre WWII they only made 4 trucks, I wish I could remember what motor it had. I worked on one of them back when I was in College (1979) getting a degree in Heavy Equipment Mechanics. It was the largest Semi Truck of it's time, dwarfing all other trucks.

[brucesorensen]

Great video I like learning about the history of trucks and the diesel engine

[aldworth]

You need to include gardner engines in a history of diesel engines, it was once the world's most exported diesel engine and a real workhorse.

[J-]

Do one on Allis-Chalmers(They bought BUDA) they did put a few in trucks, they called them "Big Al"

[grigorirasputin]

Yal are awesome. I'm always happy to see new videos from you.

[seanwalsh]

Just did a company analysis on Caterpillar, very interesting history!

[WHJeffB]

Excellent and informative video! You must have scoured YouTube for some time to accumulate footage featured here. I recognize quite a bit of the vintage footage, as well as the short video of the Diesel 60 being started up. That engine was listed for sale some time back by an equipment dealer in NY, and this video showed that it started easily and ran well. The tractor is now fully restored (there's a video out there of it at a show).


Quick note... Haven't watched #2 yet, but the the D13000 replaced the D11000 in the later RD8 and D8. The D11000 in RD8's is pretty rare, at least in surviving machines. I've only seen one or two on YouTube, with the majority of D11000's as part of a genset (diesel generator), at least in surviving units. There's a few iterations of D11000's as well, which can be identified by the type/position of the air cleaner/intake, as well as the intake and exhaust manifold type/configuration.



The D17000, as well as being a marine engine (new to me), was produced as an OEM diesel for locomotives, draglines, excavators, gensets, etc... A few industrious individuals have retrofitted them into D7's and D8 in modern times and I've read that some dealerships "back in the day" offered that service to customers, though I've never seen any photographic evidence of it done. There are several videos of "modern" D17000 retrofits here on YouTube. Makes for a "beast" of a tractor!


Again... Great video!

[TATEXPRESSINC]

Definitely gonna subscribe to your channel

[Mojave]

RD stands for Rosen Diesel. Rosen developmented the Cat diesel engine.

[philipingram]

The first Cat Diesel tractor is at UC Davis with the engine out of it - should be reassembled and shown as it is a historical unit