D-2 thermostat removal

[dead axle]

Do any of you happen to know if there is a special cat service tool to remove the thermostat on a D-2? I tried several years ago to pull mine and it wouldn't budge. I didn't force it for fear of breaking something.

[edb]

Hi dead axle,
here is a scan from the tool book of the tooling in question.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Eddie B

[dead axle]

Thanks Eddie that helps a bunch!

[SJ]

Yes that is the tool that Cat sells & I,ve used one 100s of times but maybe you could try a slide hammer with the hook on it and catch first one notch and then go over to the other side & hit that one a little but go easy so it more or less comes out fairly even.I never tried this operation but it crossed my mind that it might do the trick to get the retainer out.This retainer is not the thermostat but just holds the thermostat down in the housing.

[gwhdiesel75]

That little puller is really neat! I wonder what they cost? GWH

[SJ]

GWH, from Cat I,m sure it would be big bucks and the one at the shop was made out of cast iron.Maybe his dealer would lend him their puller as we used to lend tools at times to customers.I,d try the slide hammer if you have one handy if the dealer won,t lend theirs.

[bcwayne]

Someone had posted pictures of their homemade puller a couple of years ago... unfortunately I didn"t save the info in a place where I can find it. Perhaps they will post it again.
It consisted of a short piece of pipe or tubing slightly larger diameter than the retainer, two bolts with the heads ground to fit in the retainer recesses, a plate across the top of the tube with holes drilled for the the bolts to pass through, and nuts on the bolts, which when tightened draws out the retainer. It seems there was another component that caused the bolt heads to stay engaged in the retainer slots, but I don"t remember what it was. Perhaps someone else does.
I have successfully used the slide hammer method to remove the retainers in the past.

[John from Fresno]

I have used the slide hammer with excellent success. Mine has two or three jaws. So I use the two jaw setup. I always heat the surrounding cast up a bit. You might have to bend in the thermostat where is the notches are on the retainer to get the slide ahmmer hooks in. But there thermostat should be replaced anyway.

John

[ccjersey]

I made up the "puller" you described from a collection of bits that were in the shop. The 3/8 bolts had one side of the head ground off so they could engage the notches in the retainer and stand up straight. The ground off sides bear against the thermostat so they are trapped in the notches. The 3/8 holes in the plate on top keep them vertical so they stay engaged as you tighten.

[D4Jim]

It is elementary but make certain you install the notches in the retainer "down" into the housing or you will never get it back out again the next time!! :mad: Not my problem but when a neighbor changed the thermostat in his 6U, someone before him had installed the retainer upside down. He ended up cutting it out with a die grinder.

[Old Magnet]

Never did say what serial number the D2 is.
The later models didn't use the retainer ring.....and could weld themselves in quite nicely to where you couldn't remove them without destroying them. I went to great lengths on a D6 to salvage this same type, removed the housing so's I could poke it out through one of the flange openings...but buggered it up anyway. Just consider them expendable (but pricey now):) :)

[SJ]

Your right OM later tractors didn,t use the ring but I had forgotten they did away with it in later SNs. I looked in a later D4 6U book & in that higher book SN the ring was not used anymore.My library of books is pretty limited.

[jdkoller]

Can these retainer rings be purchased anywhere other than cat? ($83)

[Mike Meyer]

Call Judy at Florin Tractor in Sacramento, she has most bits I need at the right price

[John from Fresno]

You should be able to go to a machine shop and they can make you one out of brass. Did you mess yours up or you just don't have one.

John

[jdkoller]

I messed it up removing it.

[jbernd56]

Can these retainer rings be purchased anywhere other than cat? ($83)

Am working on a D42T. Busted the ring and screwed up the regulator getting it out. :censored: :mad2: Just checked Friday morning at Foley Tractor in Wichita KS. Parts guy says he has one in Morton. $53.00. Am going to check with machine shop and see if they can make one cheaper. Weller Tractor Salvage in Great Bend KS. doesn't think he can locate one. A new style thermostat has replaced the old style "regulator" but I think it will do the same job.

[jdkoller]

Cat wants $83. Dana at FTP says: "We have in stock new: 1 -8B9828 $40.00"

Works for me.

[ccjersey]

I think the regulator can be replaced with a larger diameter thermostat that fits in the center of the gasket and the flange thickness is less than the thickness of the gasket.

In other words, use a thick gasket and then compress it so it retains/seals the thermostat flange between the two parts of the housing.

Seems like NAPA had a listing for the thermostat on our 212 grader (looked up either a D2 or a D311 engine). I didn't put the thermostat back underneath the retainer, I may have put the retainer in the housing and put the thermostat on top of it, can't remember anymore.

[jdkoller]

I was curious if the new style regulator would fit and make the retainer unnecessary however, after researching further, it appears that you have to change the housing to make the late style regulator work.