What's new
What's new

Need help ign. timing 70's cat forklift

Rob F.

Diamond
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Location
California, Central Coast
HELP :wall:

I have an older caterpillar V40B forklift with a Continental F163 flathead engine in it (propane). It is a Towmotor Caterpillar aprox 1974-76? if I remember, will double check I am setting up to give it a tune up and valve adjustment. I have not done this on this machine since getting it a year or so ago. After spending a long time looking for timing marks in the standard places i need to ask for help.
How do you time this engine, I can not find anything that resembles anything like marks or pointer.
The engine is very clean so no issues with inches thick oil dust crud to hide/preserve things. The "front" of the engine where the pulleys are has the hyd pump straight off the end of the crankshaft- NO drive pulley there at all, seems to be gear driven pulley or a camshaft driven pulley that runs the accessories. On the other end is an adapter plate that has NO window fo the standard flywheel timing set up. The only holes in this cast plate are for the starter motor and a small cover plate tucked up right behind the oil pan, looks like bolt access to get the flywheel off.
I have looked on line at the caterpillar manuals for similar machines but they just have standard generic info about crank pulley or flywheel window, I have neither.
Does anyone here have experience with such a beast? I can show pics but worry they will not be much help. The guys at the cat dealer were not even born when this was new.

Thank you
Rob
 
That engine should have a pointer in a window with the mark on the fly wheel.If you can't find the mark you can time it with a vacuum gauge, How you say? Set your point gap, connect your vacuum gauge to the manifold, start it, slowly advance the timing, watch the gauge, when it gets to the highest # back the timing up 1 in of mercury, the timing is now set. It is a good idea to mark the distributor and the engine block so you know where you started. Once you get it timed just maintain the point gap, the timing will never move.
 
Flywheel is held on by bolts from the rear..

So the cover is for timing..

I found a F163 download manual, somewhere on the web..

Check your PM for info...
 
I've got the same problem with a Cat 510P. I've got a manual, but getting to that little window, if it's even there, is challenging to say the least. I set the rotor to point close to the right direction, then swivel the distributor while it's running to get the max speed; then retard it a little.
 
For whoever is interested..

Set timing with timing light, to DC mark at 400rpm...(unless engine sheet says otherwise... Manual says some special applications, will be set to some number BTDC.....) Any faster rpm will skew timing.

A mirror and timing light will usually get you there.. Crick in neck, is optional...

Manual does state to clean flywheel marks, and mark with paint or such...

And the above posted methods for getting timing will be close enough.

Not exactly an 18k rpm, F1 engine here...
 
Thanks for the timing tips guys. I spent a little time on it today and found out it is low on power due to no compression in #1 AND #3 cyls. Iam hoping it is valves being so far out of adjustment they are not closing. I ordered the in/ex gasket the other day so I could do the valve adjustment. This engine needs to have the intake-exhaust manifold removed to be able to get the valve cover off. I snapped a few pics while I was out there as well to try and show there is no provision for standard timing marks at either end of the motor. These close ups show the flywheel end of the motor.
Rob

cat engine overview starter side.jpgcat flywheel end carb side.jpgcat flywheel end top.jpgcat flywheel end under starter .jpgcat ID sticker.jpg
 
Fan and accessories are engine driven but I do not know how. The drive pulley could be driven by gears in the hydraulic pump adaptor housing or off the camshaft end. Should know more when I take the valve cover off. I will look closer in the am for any marks on the pulley.I will need to use it to unload some steel plate monday as well.
Not having the proper manual from Caterpillar makes it frustrating, I have tried to find one but no luck yet. The continental manual does not account for the caterpillar specific attachments on the motor that remove or hide the "normal" timing marks.
Rob
 
I would also get a head gasket..

The flatheads tend to be hard on valves. Unleaded gas and upward facing valve stems... far away from oil splash.

If compression is low... I doubt it is simply valve adjustment, they are burned or cracked..

We rebuilt the 6 cylinder Continental in neighbors Clark Planeloader (1946)

Cylinders were so worn, it made a huge cloud of blue smoke. A 1970's cheapie rering job, did not fix the worn bores...

Most likely the fan is driven off the accessory drive on left front of engine.
 
I know this is a old thread, I bought a 79 CL40 skidsteer with a 1976 Caterpillar V40B engine in it. It needs the throttle to governor to carburetor rods and the " L " shaped bellcrank carburetor component. I called Cat dealers and forklift junkyard but they must have a S/N to look up anything . If i had a picture of the pivot with measurements , it would easily fabricated. I would greatly appreciate it if anybody could help.
Thanks ,Joe
[email protected]
 
Hi Rob, just wondering if your v 40 has a split dual hydraulic reservoir?
I bought a v 50 that pumps fluid from one side to the other draining one side, overflowing the other and cant find info anywhere.. trying to find a down load or used manual for it...
 
I sold that Cat V40B forklift and got one with a 3 stage mast and sideshift to replace it. In hindsight I should have put a taller mast on the old Cat.
Pretty sure it had oil res on one side and fuel tank on the other.
 








 
Back
Top