Save or Scrap? CAT Towmotor sitting for years. Will it Run??

2023 ж. 18 Қар.
940 977 Рет қаралды

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  • The small forklift getting lifted by the bigger one is like a mother cat bringing her kittens back😂😂😂

    @hotasianstepsister3039@hotasianstepsister30396 ай бұрын
    • Underrated comment had me dying

      @backroadsliving7740@backroadsliving77406 ай бұрын
    • YEP 👍 Great comment!

      @dans_Learning_Curve@dans_Learning_Curve6 ай бұрын
    • That's a girly comment! LOL!

      @kevinchamberlain7928@kevinchamberlain79286 ай бұрын
    • @@kevinchamberlain7928 It is ,because it is not forklift but wheel loader ....wtf.

      @TheSRBgamer63@TheSRBgamer636 ай бұрын
    • @@TheSRBgamer63 you understood what she meant perfectly. don't be a pedant and condescending because you think women aren't interested in engineering/mechanics/old iron. I see dudes using slightly incorrect terminology all the time; I doubt you call them out. This is KZhead, not a professional workshop.

      @hayleyxyz@hayleyxyz6 ай бұрын
  • The Towmotor co est 1919 were the inventors of forklifts, their early models didn’t have forks and would just tow carts from place to place 👍🍻

    @drunkdunc8738@drunkdunc87386 ай бұрын
    • That’s interesting. I’ve worked in the LTL freight industry and have heard fork trucks referred to as tow motors by people who’ve got many years under their belts.

      @ksw501@ksw5016 ай бұрын
    • Ha, always heard the term “Towmotor” for “forklift”, now it makes sense! Thanks

      @divadyrdnal@divadyrdnal6 ай бұрын
    • Beat me to it. Cat bought that company and of course the rights to the name.

      @fourhillsfarm@fourhillsfarm6 ай бұрын
    • Distributor may be turning under load ,harmonics off be blessed Matt

      @grahammctygue724@grahammctygue7246 ай бұрын
    • Pretty sure Clark was the first.

      @ColtonBlumhagen@ColtonBlumhagen6 ай бұрын
  • "Got a screwdriver..., woop yeah things are angry down here...., the lights really did dim, heh heh heh!" That gave me a hearty chuckle as well, especially since you called it beforehand.

    @leviwhite9@leviwhite96 ай бұрын
  • That started single handily carried this entire video. These are always great to watch cause I like looking at old machines run

    @collinlindsey3471@collinlindsey34716 ай бұрын
  • You should know by now, if a forklift (or in this case a Towmotor) is not leaking, there's nothing left to leak!

    @andrewmain3572@andrewmain35726 ай бұрын
    • If there ain't no oil under the engine, it's because there ain't no oil in the engine?!

      @whitesapphire5865@whitesapphire58656 ай бұрын
    • Just like old Harleys, if it ain't leaking, it's out of oil.

      @mudbunny6388@mudbunny63886 ай бұрын
    • One last thing you might do is check your muffler for being plugged

      @johnosborn2704@johnosborn27046 ай бұрын
    • @@mudbunny6388 And British cars, of lore.

      @mountainjeff@mountainjeff6 ай бұрын
    • @@johnosborn2704 I thought the same. Could be packed full of rodent condos-that would maybe explain the blow-by too (backpressure)... And then if clearing it helped with backpressure it could even theoretically help with the oil leak

      @colestowing8695@colestowing86956 ай бұрын
  • Don't give up on the Towmotor just yet Matt. At work we have a mid 70's 15,000lb capacity Towmotor with a Continental flat 6 that had a similar lost spark issue. Our company purchased the machine from a salvage yard where it lived outdoors exposed to the elements for many years. It took some digging, but my friend (who's name is also Matt) found the problem. There are bakelight/plastic pieces that isolate the points assembly/parts from the breaker plate and distributor body. The bakelight/plastic pieces had disintegrated and were causing the engine to randomly lose spark. My friend found some non-conductive material at our shop and made new isolators for the distributor. That solved the problem and the Towmotor has run fine ever since. The distributor in that machine was rusty like the one on your machine due to being stored outside for a long time. My friend thinks that's what caused the isolator pieces to become brittle and fail. It's worth checking out.. Distributor refurb kits are still available as are new/used distributor assemblies. Those old Towmotors are great machines once they're sorted. #DieselCreek

    @tardis454@tardis4546 ай бұрын
    • I think by the time he reads your comment it will already be a scrap metal...also...that doesnt solve the oil leaking problem

      @kirdot2011@kirdot20116 ай бұрын
    • Gold star mark. You gave the solution to the ignition mystery problem, good work.

      @davidnull5590@davidnull55906 ай бұрын
    • even if he fixes the spark problem, its still dumping oil like niagara falls.

      @leaderz0rz@leaderz0rz6 ай бұрын
    • It’s also still a clutch machine

      @vaderdudenator1@vaderdudenator16 ай бұрын
    • I get it isn't worth it for him. I hope he makes an attempt to sell it before scrapping it. After all if everyone scrapped everything that was "worth more as scrap" this channel would have a lot less videos. I fully understand it isn't worth Matt's time to fix this. How ever there may be some one else who has the time and is willing to do the engine rebuild. Even if he swaps the mast and forks from the AC. It is a Cat and there are a lot of Cat collectors out there. I fear it has already been cut up but I would love for Matt to offer it for scrap +25% and find a taker. Hey, a can dream can't he?

      @1978garfield@1978garfield6 ай бұрын
  • 0:34 we can see here as the mother gently picks up her offspring. Truly a sight to behold.

    @slothbones9677@slothbones96776 ай бұрын
  • That opening shot was like a mama lion carrying her cub out of danger! 😄

    @general0ne@general0ne3 ай бұрын
  • Semi supervillains logo on the door was a nice touch

    @sagewolf8528@sagewolf85286 ай бұрын
  • The sound of your Armytruck in the intro is so cool, i had to rewind to watch the intro again

    @Speedycat@Speedycat6 ай бұрын
    • Drove a lot a Army miles in an old Duce like that one. The horn has a sound of it's own plus love the Turbo sound too.

      @user-kv7jj6gt4f@user-kv7jj6gt4f6 ай бұрын
  • Matt these videos are getting better with each one I don’t know what I would do without your channel. Amazing!

    @michaelmckay9827@michaelmckay98276 ай бұрын
  • This brought back many fond memories of the first forklift I ever operated, a 1950's Towmotor. The shop's chosen forklift mechanic knew of it's history before the shop owned it. It began life in the high rise construction industry. Back then it was raised floor by floor with a crane to move construction material around as the high rise buildings were constructed.

    @hydro2wheel@hydro2wheel6 ай бұрын
  • You show some video editing skillz 🤣 Nice 👍🏻 The semi supervillains on the garage door

    @jas-FPV@jas-FPV6 ай бұрын
    • Epic graphic on door fix ND SELL SWap down the road

      @user-ht1xu4gv2u@user-ht1xu4gv2u6 ай бұрын
  • That starter is a real trooper.

    @jimburgess9205@jimburgess92056 ай бұрын
    • Guaranteed if it was the summer that starter would've been smokin'... And not in a good way!

      @jimmycricket5366@jimmycricket53666 ай бұрын
    • It was in my prayers

      @masterbates7016@masterbates70166 ай бұрын
    • I'm suprised it didn't let the magic smoke out. ok it did let magic smoke out.

      @alanprather8399@alanprather83996 ай бұрын
    • Starter needs to be pulled before scrapping and given a place of honor somewhere in the shop for service above and beyond.

      @garysprandel1817@garysprandel18176 ай бұрын
    • When your engine has no compression, your starters not working very hard 😂

      @Theweldingmillennial@Theweldingmillennial6 ай бұрын
  • My Dad worked in a pallet factory that was just across the road from our house when I was small child in the 80s. 6 year old me, would love to go and stand by the fence and watch my Dad drive around in one of these things moving large stacks of pallets. It wasn't until I was in my late teens that I knew that these were called Fork Lifts. I had always called them Stacker Trucks. Just hearing the sound of this running brings back some fond memories.

    @tbddevelops@tbddevelops6 ай бұрын
  • I'd check the rim dimensions and see if you could transfer those pneumatic tires over to Allis (with maybe a little wheel opening trimming. Other than that, good decision Matt!

    @budlvr@budlvr6 ай бұрын
    • That'd probably screw the 5000lb load limit.

      @MattOGormanSmith@MattOGormanSmith6 ай бұрын
  • @Diesel Creek - Towmotor was a fairly popular brand back in the day. The company was founded in Euclid, Ohio in 1919, during the early days of forklifts, right when Hyster and Yale were getting started too. The company operated until 1965, when it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of another forklift manufacturer (Caterpillar Tractor), and production ceased sometime in the 1980s. Why share these pictures? Well, Towmotor is an interesting part of our industry history. See, the Towmotor marketing people were pretty savvy. They promoted their forklift as a "one man gang" capable of doing the work of 30 men (aka a gang) using hand trucks. That idea, of a one man gang really seemed to light up the imagination of forklift owners and operators. Soon people were referring to ALL forklifts as “towmotors” regardless of the brand. This was pretty great for Towmotor, but less so for all the other brands. It’s a classic example of a genericized trademark.

    @sjgerber@sjgerber6 ай бұрын
    • Thanks for the info!

      @DieselCreek@DieselCreek6 ай бұрын
    • I can still see the old Caterpillar Towmotor plant on Tyler Blvd. in Mentor, Ohio :)

      @seanspring8991@seanspring89916 ай бұрын
    • Like using the name xerox for photocopy process.

      @nsbhagwat@nsbhagwat6 ай бұрын
    • Ive always wondered why guys call them towmotors! I'm like its a forklift not a towmotor...the hell is a towmotor? Now that makes sense.

      @TheStevedie@TheStevedie6 ай бұрын
    • I have always referred to forklifts as towmotors.when I worked for an industrial service we were contracted to a aluminum foundry. The main use of our forklift was towing trailers with big diesel welders on them. I would take them all over to where they were going to be needs. We had 4 welders and I also done the upkeep on all of the equipment.( Welders, forklift, man lifts and telehandler.

      @wayneblack7265@wayneblack72656 ай бұрын
  • Watching these videos is like checking in with a friend who is into stuff you know nothing about. Just interesting and positive.

    @mm9773@mm97736 ай бұрын
  • The GM starter sell node back in the day , the contact disc could be flipped over giving you a new surface on the disk . Its been a long time back but it seams like the copper stud bolt contacts could be rotated 180 in the bakelight insulator. Thanks for making the video. 👍

    @scatpackdriver2535@scatpackdriver25356 ай бұрын
  • I don't think I can recall the last time you threw the white towel into the ring, but you definitely gave it far more attention that it probably deserved. I'm sure that the outcome of this revival was not at all what you were hoping for, but this was still a great video.

    @PaganWizard@PaganWizard6 ай бұрын
    • Agreed, I can't as well, but, even with these occasions, you can still see Matt's skill shine - hell, he got it running after all, right? :) Matt, imho, scrap it

      @MikeT-TheRetiredColonel@MikeT-TheRetiredColonel5 ай бұрын
    • 1:10:46 I disagree something is not working and you need to find it. I think you should dig this forklift back into the shop and see what the reader replies have said😮

      @paulsilva3346@paulsilva33465 ай бұрын
  • Much respect for calling attention to you doing something dangerous. Which of us hasn’t been in a hurry and done something stupid only to realize it afterward? It takes a lot of integrity and humility to own and highlight it for others.

    @mattnickeson9049@mattnickeson90496 ай бұрын
    • Was thinking the same thing. Well done Matt. My grandpa always said it takes a man to admit when he's wrong. It still does.

      @TjC2102@TjC21026 ай бұрын
    • Well done matt

      @nigelgrant9693@nigelgrant96936 ай бұрын
    • Very good

      @dougyaroch3380@dougyaroch33806 ай бұрын
  • It's amazing how serviceable the older equipment is the newest stuff not so much

    @scottyb2727@scottyb27276 ай бұрын
  • The moment I realized it had a clutch, I said, "Nope. Send it on down the road" LOL

    @ctvxl@ctvxl6 ай бұрын
  • One of your best ones for a while mate, so satisfying when they start😊

    @brunokhelloul4277@brunokhelloul42776 ай бұрын
    • Glad you think so!

      @DieselCreek@DieselCreek6 ай бұрын
  • Win a few, lose a few, play a few in the rain. The video was well edited and entertaining. Thanks! 👍👍👍

    @wileycoyotesr8623@wileycoyotesr86236 ай бұрын
  • I would actually be disappointed if Matt didn’t use the impact on the spark plugs 😂. Thanks man 👍

    @richardaustinaustin1890@richardaustinaustin18906 ай бұрын
    • But wait, there's more! The oil plug too! Surprised he didn't try to adjust the carb with it.

      @msmith2016@msmith20166 ай бұрын
    • I was just glad that his bragging laughs did not get him anywhere this time lol 👍

      @realemonful@realemonful6 ай бұрын
    • What's the correct torque setting for those spark plugs? Matt: "Yes".

      @hmallett@hmallett6 ай бұрын
    • @@hmallett Obviously the goal is to hold the spark plug still and find an impact driver big enough to rotate the engine under it.

      @msmith2016@msmith20166 ай бұрын
  • There was some comments here about not to give up on this one and not to scrap it.. But for real this forklift has so many issues as you said and maybe the worst problems you havent found yet so I do agree on scrapping this. It just doesnt seem to be worth the time and money to get it fixed & that clutch aint really a smooth one to use. Thanks for the awesome video and take care Matt ❤🇫🇮

    @Balderoni_@Balderoni_6 ай бұрын
    • I used a diesel powered Lancer Boss forklift in the mid 1970s. It had large pneumatic tyres, two gears (one forward and one reverse) connected by a torque converter. The only fault was its open battery that self discharged if left wet after use in the rain.

      @davidelliott5843@davidelliott58435 ай бұрын
  • Napa must smile broadly every time you walk in. Funding their kid’s college plans.

    @silverbackag9790@silverbackag97906 ай бұрын
  • Nothing like starting the day with breakfast and a diesel creek video.

    @hilham89@hilham896 ай бұрын
  • An air filter would help starting by causing more vaccum to suck the propane in. Similar to a choke on a gas engine

    @royhedrick8099@royhedrick80996 ай бұрын
    • Definitely. Smaller the engine the fussier they are with air and fuel. I had a Honda spree scooter and without air filter it wouldn't run.

      @masterbates7016@masterbates70166 ай бұрын
  • Old trick with those delco solenoids is to slacken the top contact nut. push the stud in. rotate 180 degrees and retighten and you get fresh contact for the solenoid to contact with.

    @Swirlybum@Swirlybum6 ай бұрын
  • My dad said back during the Civil War they used them to tow aircraft around in the hangers, Lee said, let's call those things "towmotors" and the name stuck. Makes sense to me@

    @squirtdaddy3428@squirtdaddy34286 ай бұрын
    • Think you dad was pulling your leg a little bit, EVERYONE knows it was Grant that said that, NOT Lee.

      @billsheffield4572@billsheffield45726 ай бұрын
  • You should get that roof cage for the small wheel loader and as much steel as you can get from the lift stages, you can use that Also you can yank the side shift cylinder and the hydraulic valve Battery obviously, maybe keep the counterweight for a tractor weight and the cooler grill as Yard ornament, a cast that says Caterpillar is neat

    @prinzeugenvansovoyen732@prinzeugenvansovoyen7326 ай бұрын
  • My nextdoor neighbors are both retired from Towmotor. They have one and use it as their mail box. He made a mini pallet on the forks and perched on it is the mail box. Pretty cute and a big middle finger to the P.O.A.

    @guntotingtexan@guntotingtexan6 ай бұрын
    • Absolutely love that

      @jblob5764@jblob57646 ай бұрын
  • "If you want to save them all then you become a crazy cat lady" -- Matt 😂😂

    @AdamVest@AdamVest6 ай бұрын
  • Towmotor still has a lasting legacy at Cat. Before TM, Cat part numbers were the 1A-0001 format, or type A. TM brought the 123-4567, or type T, format.

    @irchrisb@irchrisb6 ай бұрын
  • I was a maintenance repairman at a metal Refinery for a very long time starting in the early 70s and we had about two dozen Tow Motor brand forklifts some dating back to the 1940s all powered by little Continental 4 cylinders. I'll tell you what, they were virtually indestructible.

    @tarstakars@tarstakars6 ай бұрын
    • Back when Made in America meant it was quality! Good old days!!!

      @MrNobodyAkaCraft@MrNobodyAkaCraft6 ай бұрын
    • Those old Continental engines are pretty damn good. Doesn't Matt's Deuce (and a half) have a Continental? steve

      @steveskouson9620@steveskouson96206 ай бұрын
  • Matt’s dance whenever something fires up for the first time cracks me up ever single time. Keep up the awesome content man! 👍🏻

    @jacobspence5288@jacobspence52886 ай бұрын
    • Glad you enjoy it!

      @DieselCreek@DieselCreek6 ай бұрын
    • @@DieselCreek Not dance Matt only happiness LOL

      @mikechmarnakis2103@mikechmarnakis21036 ай бұрын
  • O’Reillys used to sell a universal drop in four-cylinder electronic ignition upgrade to replace the points on forklifts. You might check on that. I’ve worked on a few forklifts over the years and I can tell you one thing. Even with a good running engine, if the starter is hung in to the fly wheel ring gear, it takes a tremendous amount of current to turn over that engine. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people try to start a forklift that the battery was low on. they crank the engine over just slightly, and then the starter hangs in. even with a jump pack and a charged battery they won’t crank over. There was a couple in particular that I worked on all the time and the guys never could figure out how I could get them started after they had tried multiple times. The trick was really simple. I reached in and turned the fan blade which turned the engine over until I heard that tale tell click of the starter disengaging. Then I would hop on and fire it right up. That starter needs to get the momentum going before it engages the teeth on the fly wheel in order to have the torque needed to crank even a freshly ran engine. Another thing about the propane forklifts is your usually running a two stage regulator for the propane. The first stage takes liquid propane out of the tank at high pressure and evaporates it into a gas. The second stage of the regulator takes the pressure down even more to feed into the carburetor. To prevent the first high-pressure stage from freezing up as the liquid propane evaporates into a gas the engine coolant is pumped through the body of it. So, if your antifreeze/coolant is low or not circulating properly the high pressure regulator will freeze up starving the engine for fuel. There was one that was basically worn out, but it was at a small business where I knew the guys, they had already spent a bunch of money with a forklift repair technician who replaced all kinds of stuff, then wanted to do a head job on it, etc. so they called me and asked if I could take a look at it. Like yours in the video it would barely run had no power didn’t wanna stay running. What I finally decided was somehow, the timing had changed just enough that it was firing too late on all the cylinders. So I simply moved the spark plug wires, reverse rotation of the distributor, one tower on the cap. It fired up, and then I was able to adjust the timing using the distributor adjustment. they were ecstatic. When they offered to pay me I told them don’t worry about it. Just remember that next time I need something done. They used that old machine for probably another year before it started having other issues.

    @blue68chevelle@blue68chevelle6 ай бұрын
  • So happy to see you again hope you’re doing well and your family too mate all the best

    @joerodrigues3816@joerodrigues38166 ай бұрын
  • Love the Semi-Supervillains ad placement!

    @Revilo0o@Revilo0o6 ай бұрын
  • Checking compression early on in an unknown engine like this is a good idea.

    @joelwatson3045@joelwatson30456 ай бұрын
    • That would not make as interesting a video, lol.

      @LarryYaw@LarryYaw6 ай бұрын
  • I’d love to go do stuff like this under my pole barn but back surgery has got me down but matt always got a good video to bring my morale back up thanks Matt and keep on wrenching

    @jessedotson3308@jessedotson33086 ай бұрын
  • An idiot in a gas station did just what you did and the battery blew up, started a fire, the entire gas station burnt to the ground and my uncle who worked beside this guy in the next repair bay got 167 stitches all over his body, all thanks to that guy's negligence. Not a scratch on the idiot. It's dam serious, good that you pointed it out. Cheers.

    @rockcrusher4636@rockcrusher46366 ай бұрын
  • Seeing Matt's happy face through the smoke bring a smile to my face. A wise man said; happiness is enjoying the simple things in life. 🙃

    @oddvardmyrnes9040@oddvardmyrnes90406 ай бұрын
  • Awww, such a cute beginning! Momma CAT picks up it's kitten by the scruff of the neck

    @oliverwilson6162@oliverwilson61626 ай бұрын
  • "Al Gore machine".... I see what you did there. 😆😆😆

    @TheNortonio@TheNortonio5 ай бұрын
  • I kept expecting to hear attenboroughs voice saying "here we see a mother forklift carrying her kitten to a safer location"

    @johnmcgregor3671@johnmcgregor36716 ай бұрын
  • 6:37 Matt: “Where’s the dipstick?” Me, immediately: “He’s holding the camera.”😂

    @JAAulde@JAAulde6 ай бұрын
  • I was a machinery hauler for 38 years. There was a machinery mover/rigger in cleveland that would load/unload from time to time that had Townotor lift trucks from the 1930S/1940s that solid built they would repair rebuild as needed. These guys were old school they would drive these townotors on and off their straight trucks on blocked wood planks. They were one of the best riggers I ever worked with.

    @briancasey4917@briancasey49176 ай бұрын
    • Was it Norris Brothers?

      @PatsPurposefulPutzing@PatsPurposefulPutzing6 ай бұрын
    • @@PatsPurposefulPutzing bet it was…

      @marktye322@marktye3226 ай бұрын
    • ​@@PatsPurposefulPutzinglol lol km km

      @loreneeverette1624@loreneeverette16244 ай бұрын
  • As a self trained street mechanic , I picked up about 10 old forklifts over the years . The small towmotors(precat) had many issues , but usually the same . Blown head gaskets between 2 cylinders , Worn steering joints , but joints could be adjusted for wear ( remove counterwieght for ease of access ) and very worn reverse/forward gears barely catching . Still I loved my small Towmotor lifts . They would start everytime and were extremely maneuverable in very cramped places . I had a 391 and a "LT35" plus other makes .They were very handy in a metal shop and tons of fun . Best tool ever . Enjoy your videos they bring back many fond and not so fond memories .

    @oddwad6290@oddwad62905 ай бұрын
    • I just picked up a V30B yesterday. It will be a project.

      @johnstinnett1571@johnstinnett15712 ай бұрын
  • Best background action, carton of delight 😆

    @pjoter71@pjoter716 ай бұрын
  • She probably needs a new pressure regulator for proper LPG carburation. Makes them tough to start. Nice find, Matt. Good for parts. Thanks for sharing.😉

    @ez1913@ez19136 ай бұрын
  • TOWMOTOR CORPORATION was founded in 1919 and introduced the first forklift industrial truck in 1933. On November 10, 1965, Towmotor officially became a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Tractor Company of Peoria, Illinois

    @Easterndmondbk@Easterndmondbk6 ай бұрын
    • Also the first machine with that name was a forkless unit designed to push and pull carts in industrial settings.

      @jasonwolfanger4181@jasonwolfanger41816 ай бұрын
  • OMG! Those letters look like the stickers on the garage door! But they’re not!🤩🤩🤩🤩

    @evan_kumar@evan_kumar6 ай бұрын
  • Lmfao at the Size of Fat Allis's tires on the forklift picking up the baby forklift the tires are almost as big as the entire baby cat forklift 😂😂 to hilarious Matt 0:40 @Diesel Creek

    @AntonioClaudioMichael@AntonioClaudioMichael3 ай бұрын
  • The reason I enjoy your channel is you remind me of my uncle, who was heavy diesel mechanic RIP R.G.. He would buy equipment at auctions typically not running and from people who had them for decades refurbished them and sold them. People would say he turned junk into gold.

    @Bigdaddyslasher@Bigdaddyslasher6 ай бұрын
    • Turning junk (some would say s**t) into gold is an absolute classic and very honest way to add value = make money. I had a fabulous business doing just that with specialized computer terminals in the 80's and 90's. Nowadays there seems to be very, very few opportunities to do that, with the exception of houses and older cars. And the older cars are usually over the top Hollywood or exaggerated eg; somebody puts 1200 hours into a 1961 Ford Fairlane rustbucket wreck and they sell it for $56,000. Right, happens every day. What I'm saying is, you don't see too many people using 25++ year old anything these days.

      @alanpecherer5705@alanpecherer57056 ай бұрын
    • @alanpecherer5705 I watched him turn junk into cash until the day he died. He had the knowledge and skills with tools to do it. He built custom bolt action rifles in his machine shop because his hobby was long-range competition shooting. He didn't have a son but a daughter, and she wanted nothing to do with his business. When he died, she got it all and sold it all the same week. She only loved the money amd still does.

      @Bigdaddyslasher@Bigdaddyslasher6 ай бұрын
    • Bet you miss him

      @barrytipton1179@barrytipton11796 ай бұрын
    • @barrytipton1179 Every day, he was my buddy, and I learned a lot from him, and we hunted together for years. He was my mom's baby brother at 6" 11" tall LOL

      @Bigdaddyslasher@Bigdaddyslasher6 ай бұрын
  • On November 10, 1965, Towmotor officially became a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Tractor Company of Peoria, Illinois.

    @inasnap7133@inasnap71336 ай бұрын
    • I think they closed up shop in Peoria and now in Texas

      @danh2134@danh21346 ай бұрын
  • I would have a hard time admitting defeat without learning for next time what is causing it to lose spark, seems the machine may be at the end of its rope but I'd want to figure that out. The switch could easily be failed to the point of acting as a resistor and heating up to a fail point, I've only seen it once and been laughed at for suggesting it in the past but that one time $6 saves a machine😊 as far as the oil leaking, i would let it run a bit with the new oil, not sure how the Continentals do it but i have a clapped out one thing starts dumping oil out of every seal in the engine shortly before i think an oil change is due every time and it self heals about half an hour of run time after the oil change (even with all the externals resealed). It's bizarre but not a big deal once you figure it out. Having driven forklift for several years, the transmission seems like a deal breaker more than Anything else.

    @Benandkateoffgrid@Benandkateoffgrid6 ай бұрын
  • Cat is definitely worth keeping over the allis chalmers. Many forklifts from that era are manual, very easy to run and excellent for offroad fork lifts since it can help you get unstuck, when you do. Plus its got side shift.

    @xmbobcat01x@xmbobcat01x6 ай бұрын
  • For those that might be wondering, the fuel gauge was designed for a gasoline engine, and the forklift was converted to propane, so the gas tank is completely empty for safety reasons.

    @Farm_fab@Farm_fab6 ай бұрын
    • Saw the gauge and fuel cap on the side. Probably an early conversation before duel fuel carbs?

      @dans_Learning_Curve@dans_Learning_Curve6 ай бұрын
    • Today's LOADING DOCKS are 90% no smoking areas, so fuels won't ignite as readily as say----1970's.

      @toddavis8603@toddavis86036 ай бұрын
    • Watch our US friends head explode when an engine runs on GAS lol

      @safcforme@safcforme6 ай бұрын
    • I work for a forklift repair shop, I get a call once a month or so from customers that say their fuel gauge doesn't work, I have to explain this every time

      @codyselcamino@codyselcamino6 ай бұрын
    • . The name "Tow Motor" comes from the Towmotor Corporation, which was founded back in 1919. The original Towmotor machine did not have forks on the front. Rather, it was an industrial tractor that was made to push and pull carts from one point in a warehouse to another.

      @billtefft4315@billtefft43156 ай бұрын
  • Good episode Matt. I think you are making a good decision to send it down the road, maybe parting it out to friends, reference the engine to your "Continental" friend. But you might want to think twice about the starter. That thing hung in there like a Champ. Maybe it will work in another application, ya never know 😅. Looking forward to your next adventure. 👍🇺🇲💪

    @jackbraithwaite8345@jackbraithwaite83456 ай бұрын
  • And the ambiguity award for 2023...................goes to Diesel Creek's, Matt, for this beauty:- 11.51 "I've seen batteries explode and take people out, and I've tried bringing a couple back, using a welder." Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

    @memyself7413@memyself74136 ай бұрын
  • I love these long videos reviving the dead even if it's just to give them their last breath. It is interesting to see these machines, fun to see you complain about them and educational to learn the procedures to follow when finding yourself in those dead ends that can blow the fuses of more than one... and in the end, it was just a weak switch making ground contact. It's good to see it reach a successful end (the start-up) even if it's not the best of results, but not to see how the towel is thrown in... so I hope to continue watching many of these videos in the future! greetings from Argentina!!

    @Dinggo0@Dinggo06 ай бұрын
  • We once had a Towmotor branded forklift at a company I worked at in the 80's. It was an old one and had a learning curve but was amazingly reliable.

    @tbirdracefan@tbirdracefan6 ай бұрын
  • I enjoy watching thanks for your time putting it all together. I am retired 72 years years old in Arkansas.

    @keyman42@keyman42Ай бұрын
  • I’ve never seen you not able to save one of these relics. Oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Heroic effort!!

    @4Him4u2@4Him4u26 ай бұрын
  • As you say can't win them all. Was curious how the power was comeing along. Hopefully by now all hooked up and good to go

    @Stevestractoradventures@Stevestractoradventures6 ай бұрын
  • Love the battery explanation, said alike to someone who may have seen one or two blow up accidentally on purpose. Good to know 😂💪🏼

    @andrewg2322@andrewg23226 ай бұрын
    • Had battery acid from my stupidity explode I to my eyes. I flushed my eyes constantly and still could not see for 10 minutes. Probably needless to say, I wear glasses now.

      @robertandjodijackola4901@robertandjodijackola49016 ай бұрын
    • Thought the same thing as he was arcing the starter. I’m glad he mentioned “don’t do this “ to the masses!

      @wrenchingwithrob6001@wrenchingwithrob60016 ай бұрын
    • I was at Wal-Mart and heard the boom and the scream caused when somebody hooked jumper cables to the battery. NOT something I'd like to experience.

      @v65dreamer@v65dreamer6 ай бұрын
  • I no joke just happened to start scrolling KZhead for a good video to watch while I am doing some other work and out loud said “yes! Never mind my next hour is booked” to which my wife said why, and I showed her you had released a new video. Can’t wait.

    @ski3rcraz10@ski3rcraz106 ай бұрын
  • Matt, your PSA about charging batteries reminds me of the time I helped my father in law work on his fork lift. We threw the same type charger to the battery, he was working the throttle, I was working the starter sparks were flying and I knew about the hydrogen production in the back of my mind so I was nervous the whole time. Of course he wasn’t fazed a bit and we made it through. Great times!

    @rorvn107@rorvn1076 ай бұрын
  • Caterpillar bought the tow motor company in 1965 or 66 to get into the forklift business . Towmotor the one man gang !

    @donstaggers5298@donstaggers52986 ай бұрын
  • Thanks Matt for mentioning the power company being there. I was wondering where you were at on that. Hope you get your heat and stuff going soon.

    @KE4GBW@KE4GBW6 ай бұрын
  • I had to chuckle at the intro... when big machinery is used to move around little machinery. Come here little fella. Lol

    @360plussynthetics@360plussynthetics6 ай бұрын
  • My father worked for GMC for 40 years; they always called them tow motors!

    @tekvax01@tekvax016 ай бұрын
  • I was 15 and taking automotive classes at the local trade school. We had a CAT forklift that had the exact same issues. Compression, spark, timing, fuel, firing order, etc was always good. Never did get that engine out to see if it had jumped time internally. I need to check in on it 😂

    @MapleHillMunitions@MapleHillMunitions6 ай бұрын
    • Thats what I was thinking...

      @DividedWeFall1000@DividedWeFall10006 ай бұрын
  • My mate stuck a 4 cylinder Toyota motor in his which he runs on gas. Magnificent little forklift. 🇦🇺😁👍🏻

    @michaelpage7691@michaelpage76916 ай бұрын
  • You have no idea how much I enjoy your videos. And I also enjoy the special relationship that you have with Sam. You two are always there for each other. Very few people would tackle some of the projects that you get involved in. I can’t wait to see the video with you replacing the engine in Big Alice with your $500 buy of a lifetime. One other thing - you deserve a medal for bringing that road grader back to life. The end result was amazing.

    @tomrunge2016@tomrunge20165 ай бұрын
  • I think it was nice to see you give it a shot at this , though not sure what I want to see done to it now since I’m still more interested to see what happens to the backhoe and the crawler loader, for its actual name, that had the backhoe attachment you dug out of the bushes earlier this year.

    @chcknmr@chcknmr6 ай бұрын
  • Used to be able to rotate the contacts 180 degrees in the solenoid and it worked fine.

    @davidwelling9471@davidwelling94716 ай бұрын
  • Matt, you have great skills and you regularly put them to use with outstanding results, might add your camera work is exceptional and deserves comment...thxs for doing what you do

    @tomdale1313@tomdale13136 ай бұрын
  • Matt you are a true mechanic and not just a parts changer i like the way you figured out what the problem was with that starter an repaired it TRUE MECHANIC!!!

    @dieseldoctor2221@dieseldoctor22213 ай бұрын
    • Coil and condser is. Bad

      @MichaelBridges-ks2hu@MichaelBridges-ks2hu3 ай бұрын
    • That starter is. All start

      @MichaelBridges-ks2hu@MichaelBridges-ks2hu3 ай бұрын
  • I bought my first forklift back in 1983, a 1951 4K Towmotor. Still have it and it still works great. 4 of my 6 forklifts are manual trans, great for rigging and also general use. Check the oil level it might be over filled. That forklift has much use left in it.

    @funone8716@funone87166 ай бұрын
  • Matt, I found this information: many companies built variations, Towmotor's "one man gangs" were so popular that all industrial forklift trucks were generally referred to as "towmotors." Since they were considered essential cost-saving equipment, one Towmotor performed the work of thirty men with hand trucks...

    @michaelpowers5143@michaelpowers51436 ай бұрын
  • These videos are reminding me of the old garage days!! I love it

    @ni_wink84@ni_wink846 ай бұрын
  • You did all the right stuff. As to loss of spark, i've known a bad earth strap to be the causation. If she were mine, i'd rip out that engine because she obviously needs rings and a regrind of the valves and i'd fit a diesel unit. If time and price is a factor in your area, then strip her for parts and scrap what's left. Nice to watch you do exactly what i would have done before making these awkward decisions. 👍

    @cpyart@cpyartАй бұрын
  • One of my first jobs was in the stationary engine shop of a heavy equipment dealer. I worked with a crusty old German fellow whose accent made him barely understandable. He had a lot of odd terms for stuff that I hadn't heard before; including calling the forklift a "Towmotor." Finally one day I'd had enough and I exclaimed, "It's a forklift! Everyone calls it a forklift except you! Why do you call it a Towmotor?" He scowled at me and pointed, "Because that's what it is. Look, it says so right there." I looked where he had pointed, and barely legible under the rusty, scabbed paint, was the impressed moniker, TOWMOTOR. I haven't heard a forklift called that again until today.

    @dryroasted5599@dryroasted55996 ай бұрын
  • I worked in a couple of factories many years ago. All forklifts, forktrucks were called Towmotors, regardless of brand. Some of them were actually Towmotor brand.

    @jodydoakes8754@jodydoakes87546 ай бұрын
    • Like many people call a reciprocating saw a Sawzal (Milwaukee) regardless of manufacturer. 😂

      @alcopower5710@alcopower57106 ай бұрын
    • And there was Kleenex in the office.... LOL 🤣

      @MrNobodyAkaCraft@MrNobodyAkaCraft6 ай бұрын
  • Well between you and Scrappy this week, you could call this adventures in propane.

    @richardmead9225@richardmead92256 ай бұрын
  • Imagine if one sat with a split distributor cap and a broken seat, in my opinion it would not be pleasant😁😁😂😂

    @AsitShouldBe@AsitShouldBe6 ай бұрын
  • Awesome! I always love seeing some local Bethlehem steel equipment still kicking around.

    @tractorjunkco9431@tractorjunkco94316 ай бұрын
  • Even when your just working on a forklift my wife has to knock on the bathroom door to make sure I’m not dead lol. I always enjoy your videos Matt. Thanks for doing what you do

    @danlee9592@danlee95926 ай бұрын
    • Lol, I always watch in the bath with the Mrs wondering if I’ve drowned 😅

      @Polk811@Polk8116 ай бұрын
    • Lmao my housemate did the same to me as i was in there for so long he thought i died on the brasco.😂😂

      @cammos@cammos6 ай бұрын
  • Matt The booms may switch from one to the other. Also you may be able to swap the tires and rims giving you pumatic tyers for driving outside.

    @ypop417@ypop4176 ай бұрын
    • I was about to post that about the tires and wheels myself.

      @jstar1000@jstar10006 ай бұрын
    • Same here I am glad that I read this before commenting, however the Cat was rated for 2200 lbs and the Allis Chalmers for 5000 lbs. You will have to be sure that you can keep the original 5000 LB rated hydraulic cylinders and that the Cat carriage can handled that load. Also I would suggest that you invest in a Depstech bore scope, you will be able to pull the spark plugs and see what kind of shape the cylinders and valves are in, along w/ many other helpful uses. I love mine, helps me see what is going on before I get started.

      @wrangler6977@wrangler69776 ай бұрын
    • @@wrangler6977 I believed the ratings decrease is due to the addition of the side shift and or height increase. Both have impact on the capacity.

      @ypop417@ypop4176 ай бұрын
  • You need to keep that starter Matt 😂. That was a heart breaker. Suffered the same myself, went to do a will it start on a Case 1394 with the engine full of water. Got her rolling but no way would it fire. So much cranking that I carried 2 starters so I could swap out rather than waiting to cool. 3 videos, a set of rings, 1 piston and 4 exhaust valves later I got it to finally fire up. Just like that old CAT I'm looking forward to it heading for the shredder 😅😅. Somethings just don't want to be saved. Keep up the good work 👏

    @davesworkshop2714@davesworkshop27146 ай бұрын
  • I worked on those yrs ago i was a cat mechanic ,if its not smokin it will run a nother 20 yrs , oil leaks are common from the rear seal the seal holder is aluminum and must be replaced as they warp.

    @ernestrhoades5147@ernestrhoades51475 ай бұрын
  • As you are planning on using the forks off the Cat for the Allis Chalmers could you move the whole side shift frame over to it to give the Allis Chalmers a side shift?

    @ecclesmilligan8712@ecclesmilligan87126 ай бұрын
    • I was wondering the same thing and if the hydraulic pump could be moved as well since it seems to move a higher volume. Though the faster lift speed could be due to smaller cylinders for the lower lift capacity. But something that might be worth looking into, might not be worth the effort.

      @msgtdan60@msgtdan606 ай бұрын
  • Starting that thing and getting it to consistently run and reliably idle, definitely the hardest motor I've seen you work on. Well done as that needed a lot of patience and diagnostics and it ran for one last time at least. Shame it was dumping oil but at least you can reuse the forks.

    @Edward1312@Edward13126 ай бұрын
  • the moving video overlay on the garage door was a nice effect !

    @bluebirdpod@bluebirdpod6 ай бұрын
  • Those Tow motor Cats were innovative in their day, with a self changing oil system, and a power saving ignition. With a bit of 'Bush" engineering you might be able to fit the booms, & even the wheels to Alice. Don't forget to save that starter motor!. Great video,- thanks.😎

    @melclark1066@melclark10666 ай бұрын
  • I really enjoy watching your videos. Thank you for making them.

    @mikefavreau7658@mikefavreau76586 ай бұрын
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