banjodunn
Veteran Member
G'day Cat used to use small petrol ( sorry gas) engines to start their diesels you would start the small engine and it would supply oil pressure and warm the coolant up in the main engine, then you would throw a dog clutch to crank the main engine, these engines where renown for their long life as they always started with full oil pressure and warm water. International used to have a petrol start diesel in their early crawlers, these would start on petrol by opening the valve slightly and lowering compression and when they had warmed up slightly you would switch a fuel tap and throw a lever to allow the valves to close properly thus running it on diesel, good in theory but a huge PITA when the linkages where worn and you either did not throw the valve open or let it close properly.
Jon
Jon