My apologies cc, by the term transfer pump i do mean the filter tower, the filter tower has nothing in it but the two plates that bolt on the top, i did hear today there are meant to be steel rods and filters in there, will have to hunt down some parts by the sounds of it. Sounds as though its not ideal running it without filters in the tower.

The filter retainer rods aren't anything complicated. Just a disk to seal the bottom opening of the filter, a rod to run up through the filter, the flat plate with the holes in it, a spring and finally a washer and some sort of nut or locking mechanism on top. The stock CAT rods were a composite material and most of the old ones are very brittle. Very easy to pop the top off attempting to get the retaining pin out or break the bottom disk off where it threads on the square rod.

The square rod is important to allow the clean fuel to flow past the rod and into the top section of the tower above the filter plate. A slightly smaller round rod would work much the same I think or simply grind the round rod square where it goes through the filter plate.

I'm thinking about 4' of hardware store threaded rod, 12 nylock nuts, some fender washers and springs and you would be good to go. We used to have a hardware store with all that stuff (and more), but now it would take several stops around town to find it all.

Thanks neil/cc, ive ordered parts book + manual, due to arrive mid july. Might see if i can find a d47u in the area and take a peek at the primary filter set up

help pz need the adjustment spec on a oil clutch on a d7

Quick update, managed to track down a 2nd hand complete filter assembly, got the starter motor refurbished, waiting on some genuine filters from oem. Cant wait to fire the old girl up!