The cooler days of fall are just around the corner. Here are some reminders that go hand-in-hand with your unit’s construction equipment as the temperature starts to drop.
Different Length Slave Cables
Slave cables are handy to use when your vehicle has dead batteries and you need to get it back in operation.
Here’s a list of different length cables and their NSNs. Do an analysis of where slaving might occur and order the lengths that will best meet operational needs:
| Cable Length |
NSN 6150- |
| 6 feet |
01-390-7058 |
| 12 feet |
01-222-7943 |
| 20 feet |
01-022-6004 |
| 35 feet |
01-248-9555 |
| 50 feet |
01-310-1829 |
CAT CCE Ether Valve
Newer CAT construction equipment like the 120M road grader, 924H wheel loader, D7R II dozer, and 621B scraper all use the same ether start aid valve, NSN 4820-01-551-9292.
Inside the valve is a filter that gets plugged with debris, damaged, gets lost or just plain disappears. Don’t look for it in the TMs because it’s not there!
The good news is you can order just the filter with NSN 2910-01-658-4647. The cost is under ten bucks. That’s a lot cheaper than buying a new valve that costs over $100!
Don’t Use Ether Spray
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Don’t use ether spray to start your vehicle!
Different types of construction vehicles have built-in starting aids and some don’t. These aids help vehicle engines turn over in cold weather.
If your vehicle is running rough,
don’t think about going back to the work bench and grabbing a can of ether spray to start up your vehicle’s engine. Using ether spray can crack a piston, bend rods and ruin heads.
Keep your hands off the spray and get help from a mechanic instead.