Hey guys, this is my first post on here, thanks for letting me join the group ! I recently picked up an old 9U series D6, it runs good but it needs some love that im going to give it over the winter... It has a pull start pup motor, that seems to run ok when you get it going - the previous owner was an old fellow and he rigged up a cheap bolt on motor that would spin a belt connected to the pup motor instead of pull starting it by hand. Im hoping to get rid of that setup and put an electric starter on the pup motor, as well as a direct electric starter on the diesel. From the little bit that ive looked into it a person can bore a hole and drill/tap for a starter on the front of the flywheel housing, thus being able to keep the pup motor in place and intact. Ive been told that 24 volt is the way to go vs 12 volt due to cranking power, but i was kind of wondering about that, all of the big trucks are 12 volt these days and those are far bigger engines then the one in that D6.....?! My plan was to also put a webasto on it to counter the fact that it does not have glowplugs, turn the heater on 15 minutes prior to starting it to warm the coolant. Can a person get precups that are set up for glowplugs on these old engines ? Does anyone have any opinions on what the best kit is for the direct start kit and the best way to drill those holes and where i can get a 12 volt starter for the pup ?

Ive heard this is the best source for info on these old machines. Im looking foreward to hearing from you guys

Thanks

Need to know the s/n of the tractor. Available glow plug chambers only fit later units as they are a larger diameter than earlier chambers.

We went with 12 volt and a pair of HD group 31 truck batteries. We also retained the running pony motors for those very cold start days. Best of both worlds. Didnt go to the added expense of adding glow plugs for preheating. I am fortunate that if I had to start on a cold day with the DE, my motors are in good enough shape that only a very small "whiff" of starting fluid is needed.
The electric start set up for a D6 are fairly easy to obtain around here.
Please share your location and serial number of your tractor for additional assistance.
Thanks for using the ACMOC BB. JM.

ill try to remember to get the serial number in the next day or so but i think its an older one so im prob SOL haha

Im located in central Aberta, Canada so it can get really cold up here lol, but im kind of hoping that the diesel fired coolant heater will negate the need for glow plugs. The proheat that I have on my Peterbilt will have the coolant up to near operating temp in under a half hour in -35 degree celsius and it holds double the coolant this D6 does. Ill grab the serial number tomorrow.

It would seem you should be alright with the coolant heater. King of Obsolete in far northeast Canada has used direct start on his 9u D6's without glow plugs for years. I believe his go to is a trap over the top and a torpedo heater. As he gets away from electric power with his ice road freighting, he uses what works in his conditions.


But all the diesels have there own personality. I have one the rods where reconditioned and lost a few thousands of length and with new pistons, rings, and sleeves it started harder than with major oil consumption before rebuild.


No matter what the serial number you need to measure the diameter of the per combustion chamber to know if you can add glow plugs. The early and latter model heads are interchangeable. The Cat 318 diesel head is as tuff as they come, but still needs work at times so may have been changed.

For anyone wondering, the serial number is 9U10440. Does anyone have experience on the 12v vs 24v starters ?

The larger chamber heads didn't start until 9U11705 - up.
Anything before will also require you bore the flywheel housing to mount direct start.
12v works fine if you up the wire size and run two batteries in parallel to maximize amperage, has to have 24v if you run glow plugs as that's all that is available for the glow plug chambers.

yep your right the hole isnt there for direct electric start. the one electric start kit had a jig for boring the hole and the 3 threaded mount holes for the starter. Whats the best way to go about boring those holes ? Im not to worried about the glowplugs with having the coolant heater on it...

thanks for the help

Get yourself a carbide tipped hole saw, no lube required as your going into cast iron.
Some have removed the engine side cover to gain clearance for drilling and taping the lower inside bolt. Depends on what you have in the way of drilling equipment.