Recently picked up a 1951 cat d2 tool bar dozer. I’m just trying to get it running before I go any further with it. The problem I’m having is the starter pinion is stuck and won’t engage into the flywheel I tried to free it up but it’s rusted solid. I’m not in the process of taking the assembly off of the dozer but it just won’t come out. The pony motor is off of the dozer and the fuel pump governor cover is taken off as well it just won’t come out. I’ve read some posts about having to put the pinion engaged but I can’t get it engaged to get any more room. Do I need to pull the whole governor housing off if so how does it come off because my manuals aren’t showing me much.

Hi and welcome, if the pinion is stuck then it would be easier to remove the governor housing, be careful and clean the area around the housing good. You will have to disconnect the rack linkage from the injection pump housing. Be careful with the flyweight assembly also. What part of Ohio are you from?

"Rome wrote:

Hi and welcome, if the pinion is stuck then it would be easier to remove the governor housing, be careful and clean the area around the housing good. You will have to disconnect the rack linkage from the injection pump housing. Be careful with the flyweight assembly also. What part of Ohio are you from?

Im from close to Akron. Is the governor just held on by the six bolts around the outside is there any on the inside that I have to take the assembly apart on the inside? I’d like to not have to completely take it apart.

Ok, yea all should be around the outside. You can find some manuals on ebay for your tractor or check with Cat, the form # for the D311 engine service manual is FEO030524-02

Thank you very much for the reply I have all the manuals except for the engine manual I’m going to try and and pick one of those up.

Your welcome, let us know the outcome.

The pinion housing can get quite stuck. If you have a small round cover with two bolts top left trans housing, you might be able to get a bar in there for a gentle encouraging push. If you have to, remove the engine and check out everything that can go wrong in that compartment : clutch brake, clutch disc, shifter interlock parts, input shaft seal, vertical clutch control shaft, etc.

I forgot one of the bolts on the governor housing so once that bold was out the housing came off very easily. I tried going in through the little hole and prying on it but it wouldn’t budge I see why once I got it off it’s a big ball of rust. I’ll have to take it all apart and clean everything up real well to get it all free.

Yea, you have to check every square inch sometimes to find all the nuts and bolts, lol, and have patience. Half the time those pinions never have any oil in them because of being neglected or the seal leaks.

Sounds to me like the clutch housing may have water in it also?
Assuming the OP means that end of the pinion is a ball of rust?