D4 7U Water Hazard?

Release the compression release and bar it over slowly by hand a few turns to insure that there is not a cylinder hydro locked.

I want to close off this thread by letting readers know how things turned out. I have an operator's manual covering the year of my 1949 D4 7U. It includes both pony motor start and electric start models. Description of the pony motor use has a picture that shows a compression release lever. This does not exist on my electric start model, and I couldn't locate another compression release control. So I went ahead and "bumped" the engine with a quick turn and release of the starter switch, each followed by some time to let cylinders on the compression cycle to leak down in case water was present. This gave no indication of trapped water, so I eventually went ahead and cranked the engine with the throttle in start position. But by then the batteries that had been sitting for a few months did not have enough power left to start the tractor. A few days later, after recharging the batteries, the tractor started and I let it run long enough to warm up the engine. Now I am waiting for the ground to dry out some more before taking the tractor out for exercise so that the steering clutches don't get stuck again. For others, and for me if this happens again, who may be concerned about water getting down the stack, can anyone describe if or where there is a compression release control on an early model (1949 in my case) D4 7U electric start diesel motor?

JRMunn

Look at the back of the cylinder head. When converting to direct start the compression release lever and control rod are often removed but the short lever at the back of the head may still be there.

Look at the back of the cylinder head. When converting to direct start the compression release lever and control rod are often removed but the short lever at the back of the head may still be there.