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1744 diesel

Ajay1118

Member
I was up at my lake house in the mountain this weekend with my 1744 it didn't like cold starting at minus 23 Celsius ? Was wondering if anybody has put a hot box on theirs it doesn't require hydro and runs on the diesel fuel and is self ignited and can be programmed ? I have ordered one to try it ! Any pros n cons to this set up thanxs
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Why not buy a 2KW Honda generator. Plug in block hearter. Clean power for all kinds of goodies. Take your hot gun with you, warms parts, hands, even cook hot dogs with it
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
I wish I would have bought the Honda but went with the Generac 2kW inverter and then realized it was more difficult to cold start than the Detroit. I also had a magnetic pan heater on the Allison transmission while on the generator. I haven’t had it out anywhere that I couldn’t plug in the block heater. With it plugged in, it starts right away without ether. My Tucker had a factory manual ether inject but had been removed before I bought it. Last year I installed a push button ether injection system from Kat’s which sprays the ether through a nozzle screwed into the factory location in the blower inlet. It still requires a bunch of stater time to get it running.
 

Ajay1118

Member
I have solar system to plug it in at lake house it it was hard on the inverter . I have ether injection also from factory but I’d like not use it ! If possible I believe it’s hard on the engine! Where I go I do over night winter camping and wanted something that required no electricity to start ! Thanxs for your info I really appreciate it cheers !
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
I don’t think you need to worry about ether in the 2 stroke Detroit if not over done, I believe Detroit even recommends it for cold weather. With the fuel shutoff cable pulled, I crank it over for 15 seconds and then wait for 15 seconds then repeat to get heat into the cylinders. Push the fuel shutoff back in and give the ether inject a 2 second squirt and then crank it over. I keep the starter cranking for 2-3 seconds after it fires on the ether to give it time to start burning fuel.
 

Ajay1118

Member
Thanks rob I didn’t know proper procedure with the ether Thanxs I m gonna print that off . I’m going to try and get a manual for the 1744 !!! Thanxs for your information if there’s anything else u think I should know plz tell me it will b much appreciated Thanxs
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
I went out this morning to follow my own instructions that worked around 30F but it had been as low as 5F this morning. Needless to say I had to double all of the cranking times and then repeat!

If you do a search on Detroit 453T you will find tons of info on the Web. Somewhere I found a Detroit service manual from the military.

The motor that Tucker used is an industrial fan to flywheel configuration that was not put in highway use vehicles. I believe all of these 453T configurations were built in Brazil and can be verified by a different serial number series than the highway engines.

Here is a link to a bus company that has a bunch of good Detroit info.

http://tejascoach.com

There is a guy on YouTube in Northern California that has some good video of him putting highly modified motor into an old GMC and another in a Diamond T.

https://youtu.be/wzMNnvPK8pQ

Rob


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Ajay1118

Member
Thanxs Rob I ll check those links out !!! I can’t thank u enough !!! As I’m new to the tucker Sno cat and I’m not that familiar with them but love my 1744 ! I can’t stop smiling lol !!
I pull a transport out of a snow bank last Thursday with it effortlessly! I should have got pics !!! Thanks for all the info appreciate it if there’s any thing else u think I should do don’t hesitate to tell me !!! I ll let u know how the hot box works for me !! Cheers
 

loggah

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
One of the best things you can do for better winter starting ,is use synthetic engine oil. The engine will spin over just like summer. I used to run it in my skidders and it really made a difference. I also would be gentle with starting fluid. I lost a piston years ago on my 3-53 detroit engine in my Timberjack skidder from just a small amount of either. the top of the piston broke comepletely off at the top ring from to dry a cylinder wall. it still ran but sure did rattle !!! Don
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
I know snow cat use doesn’t compare to to driving 500 miles a day or operating 8 hours a day in a boat or equipment for which the Detroit was designed so 15w-40 may not be a problem. The only conventional oil that I found that meets the specifications is Delo 100 40wt. I tried to find 30wt but is no longer available but 40 and 50wt is available at O’reilly’s. I’m sure with our limited recreational use over the lifetime of the motor the recommendations for oil specifications may not apply.

“Less than optimum engine life must be expected when using 15w-40 oils. Multi-vis oils tend to break down due to mechanical and thermal stress which results in a loss of viscosity and premature engine wear. Multi-vis oils do help cranking when temperatures are below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). However, once the engine starts, the major advantage of the multi-vis oils is exhausted. When the engine reaches operating temperature, the internal engine temperatures and pressures vary little from an engine operating in much warmer climates. This is when the 2 cycle engine benefits from the superior protection of a 40 wt.

Starting aids such as automatic ether systems and /or on-board auxiliary heaters provide more reliable starting without sacrificing engine life.”
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
the dello 100 has a high zinc additive you can by zinc additive at the auto parts store In the military we ran 0-30 oea stands for oil engine arctic , in everything we had no problems with them. Unless you are running a big engine like a 12 v oe 16v or emd I wouldn't worry so much about the low zinc content in a lot of ways the modern oils are better at lubricating especially the synthetics. in Iraq all the engines used 15w40 even the big road oilers we never had a failure because of the oil, the gensets would however shut down for low oil pressure when the temp hit 115 degrees and the oil just couldn't cool. If it were me I would be using rotella 5w40 synthetic I use it in everything except aircooled vw engines. Also a small soft plug heater and Honda generator should be all you need and an electronic zero start injection system is all you should need. My cat has started the last 2 years this way with no problems. watch out some of the auto injector cans can depressurize over time. I have bought 2 this year so far if you use the spray can be careful a little at a time detroits can hydro lock with to much either and bend rods effectively dropping compression this is where the saying my engine id addicted to either comes from. I have disassembled a lot of road oilers from up on the slop that were tired runners all had banana rods
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Thanks Don, I was hoping you would chime in with real world experience and set me straight. The other difference listed with the Delo 100 is low ash content compared to newer conventional oils. Next season I will see about finding the 0w30 or the Rotella.

Rob
 

Ajay1118

Member
Thanxs I ll make sure they put a pro heat in !!! It’s going in this week !! Can I ask I a question regarding the drive cogs I want to replace them . What do u have to do to remove em ! In bolt the tracks ??? Thanxs
 

Mill666er

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Are you sure they need to be replaced? Have you checked with Tucker to see if yours still are available? Which style are they, pointed or square tooth?

To get them off you just break the tracks and remove drive sprocket ‘wheel’ from the hub. You will need jack up the carrier to also remove the bogie wheel that is captured by the inner and outer sprockets and wheel guides on the grousers.
 

Ajay1118

Member
Hi rob they are pointed and I talked to tucker they are still available and I ordered 4 and six of the drive sprockets . Yes the rear passenger drive sprockets are missing all the rubber and the cylinder has a crack ! I ve ordered a manual from them as well I’m hoping to get it to tucker this May or June to have it fully restored ! With extras back up cameras forward cameras , extra lighting etc . Thanxs I ll get on that this week . Cheers
 
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