JDcrawlers Messageboard

You may want to try repolarizing the generator to see if it gets the generator charging again. This can be done by starting the engine and with a wire, monentarily jump across the "BAT" and "GEN" terminals on the voltage regulator. Do not be surprised if you get a large spark when you do this. Then ...

You are learning some of the hidden problems with rebuilding these crawlers. My 440ICD was from Long Island, NY so was also near salt water. I had a very difficult time getting the final drives off and ended up cutting some bolts on one final drive. When working on the undercarriage, I ending up bre...

I like to keep things original, but it is up to you. Positive ground parts are still available, but you may pay more. In a previous posting I listed part number for Stewart Warner positive ground gauges. I also purchased a new voltage regulator for my 440 which could be used either positive or negat...

Nice discussion. Some minor corrections. The change to negative ground was not at the same time as the change to 12V. The 440 ICD is 12V positive ground. Silver is notorious for electromigration ("metal migration" when bias is applied). While being the best conductor, silver is almost never used for...

Did you try polarizing the generator? I may "fix" the generator.

Yes, my crawler is 40 miles away from my house. I like the fuel heater idea. That would work well. As for a block heater running off a generator, I think that it would take some time for a block heater to heat up the engine due to the thermal mass of the engine. Much quicker to just use a little eth...

Block heater would be great except they want to charge me $10,000 to run power into my property. I think I will stay with my 1953 Onan generator. It will last a while since it only has 400 hours on it, but would be kind of expensive to run for just a block heater. I plan on shutting down the crawler...

Finally posted some pictures of my 440ICD. Was still finishing it up when I took these pictures.

http://public.fotki.com/jcsfc/440_crawler/

Found the blower plug and a little squirt into the blower and it stared right up. It was in the 30's last weekend so looks like I should be able to get it started all winter.

There are many aftermarket gauges available from tractor restoration shops. Stewart Warner also makes many gauges that work. I posted some SW part numbers a few months ago. I needed a positive ground temperature gauge and sending unit and they still make them.

Thanks to everyone. I just put in the oil bath filter so I will keep that in-place and will check to see if my machine has the plug. If not, I will try to get the ether through like Lavoy suggested.

I could always drill and tap a plug if this becomes a problem.

It is getting cold in NY and I still am using my 440 clearing some land. Any tricks to get that 2-53 to start when cold? With the oil bath air cleaner I assume getting ether into the machine is not that simple without taking off the blower hoses? Got is started last weekend, but just barely, and it ...

I will take a camera this weekend when I head up to where my 440 is. However, with the hood on, I do not think you can get a good look at the shutoff mechanism. It is not that visible when the machine is all together.

Those things are heavy. You will probably pay more in shipping then it would cost to make one. Pretty much a flat metal plate with the sides bent up at a 90 degree angle as attachment points on the final drives.

If Lavoy does not have one, try Zimmerman Tractor or CrawlerHeaven.

This may be obvious, but take the tension off the tracks before trying to take it apart. I second Lavoy's comments if this has not been apart for a while. I beat the heck out of my master links and could not get them apart until taking out the rosebud torch and adding a little thermal persuasion. Af...