Looks like 1956 per https://chriscomachinery.com/caterpillar-machinery/#caterpillar-model-d6. If your rocker covers are warped, you can try to reset them by first setting them on a flat surface and looking for which corner is sticking up. Determine how much it's sticking up, then place a block twice that height under the adjacent corner and press evenly across the top so that the high corner touches down on your flat surface, then reassess the warp. If you can't get it to within say 10-20 thousandths, then you can find used replacements no problem. Also check that the flange isn't actually cracked - good excuse to clean the covers off thoroughly, but do clean around the parting line first so that crud doesn't get into the rocker compartment. For your injector, does the injection pump seem to pump a similar (eyeball) volume per squirt? If not, then you might have a stuck pump although that wouldn't tend to change the sound of the engine. If it does pump evenly, and since when you loosen the line, the engine sound changes, I suspect your injection valve is faulty. I believe you can get new nozzles for the valve pretty easily, if they're anything like the D2 nozzles. Someone on here will know.
First things First!
Clean that machine up around the valve covers, fuel pump, filter tower, etc - in short anywhere that dirt and grunge can enter the engine. DIRT IS THE ENEMY when working on machinery.
After you have gotten the "grunge and grime" off you can determine where the leaks are and a suitable fix.
There are many products out there now that will cover large gaps and take temperature too. The advent of silicone type sealants has changed everything as we knew it.
Neil is correct - find out which corner is bent and if the flanges are indeed cracked.
Cracking an injector line at the pump (bleeding the fuel off) will cause a missfire - the injector does not get the fuel. If that is indeed what you are doing and it makes no difference in the engine sound, you have found the cylinder that is the problem child. Try each injector line, one at a time and compare the "squirts" of fuel as you run through them.
They should be pretty even. Keep your skin and eyes protected, that fuel is under high pressure leaving the pump.
Nice looking machine, some TLC and it will be purring!
CTS
"i reject your reality and substitute my own" - adam savage. i suspect my final words maybe "well shit, that didnt work"
instead of perfection some times we just have to accept practicality
Hey thank you everyone for your replies and great info! First thing I’m going to do is get her a good bath and get ready to dive in. I’m not far from general gear in Boise Idaho so I may just zip down there for some other parts and see if they have any valve covers. I found the valve rebuild kits fairly cheap on the web and I might call the old cat store and see what they would charge. However at least now I have a starting point and Ray54 my dad tends to agree with you on the pump. He was telling me from when he was a kid they had a 3T and the then old timer said usually never have a problem with the pump. But if you mess with it make sure you don’t mess the timing and that was in the early 60’s.
Hey thank you everyone for your replies and great info! First thing I’m going to do is get her a good bath and get ready to dive in. I’m not far from general gear in Boise Idaho so I may just zip down there for some other parts and see if they have any valve covers. I found the valve rebuild kits fairly cheap on the web and I might call the old cat store and see what they would charge. However at least now I have a starting point and Ray54 my dad tends to agree with you on the pump. He was telling me from when he was a kid they had a 3T and the then old timer said usually never have a problem with the pump. But if you mess with it make sure you don’t mess the timing and that was in the early 60’s.
Okay new question as the search function on the forums is not my friend apparently. Is there anyway without the engine data plate to figure out what series of the D318 is in it? I wanted to try and find the Manual for it so I had a reference but I’m coming up blank. Thanks again everyone.
Okay new question as the search function on the forums is not my friend apparently. Is there anyway without the engine data plate to figure out what series of the D318 is in it? I wanted to try and find the Manual for it so I had a reference but I’m coming up blank. Thanks again everyone.
Thank you I have been scouring the old eBay getting more specific manuals instead of the 3T ones I have.
"i reject your reality and substitute my own" - adam savage. i suspect my final words maybe "well shit, that didnt work"
instead of perfection some times we just have to accept practicality
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