small victories

RalphWD45

Well-known Member
We have been having some warmer days lately, like 50 to 60 deg days, and no rain. I dragged two old Allis's home around thanksgiving, and left them sit in the back lot. I got them both for $800., which was scrap price then, it's lower now. One was an old WD45, that would roll over with the hand crank, no battery, no oil pressure guage, no bolts holding the hood or radiator and grill on. being as I was getting itchie sitting around, I decided to work on the 45, being as the engine was free. After cleaning the points, changing the toggle switch, that served as an ignition switch, 2 new battery cables, putting a new kit in the carb, cleaning the gas tank, and sediment bowl, and a $100. battery, I tried firing it up today. It took a lot of spinning the starter, but finally fired up on one or two cylinders, sounded like a JD! Eventually was running pretty good on 3 cylinders, but there is at least one valve laying out, and maybe more. Now I know why the sheet metal was boltless. I guess he didn't carry thru with a valve grind, and sold the tractor. Next the head comes off, and goes to the shop. But I GOT TO HEAR IT RUN!
 
Before pulling the head I would check valve tappet gap and also look for a bent push rod. No reason to pull the head till you check those things first. Plus maybe check compression
 

Old, I always have trouble with the plate over the rear water outlet between the head bolts leaking when I replace the head on these..
Have you ever thought of replacing the upper water manifold with one from an earlier WD (with 2 water inlets), to eliminate that rear blocking plate..??
Which ones would fit..?
Looks like it would be an improvement..

Ron.
 
Some engines, maybe D17? use a heavy cast iron piece there, with a hole tapped for temp. sender.
That's been an answer for me, if my memory is working!
 
No. WD45 and later only used the one head outlet. Rear casting just covered opening in head(and provided a spot for the temp. sender probe on the D17.)

It requires longer head bolts. And I just plugged off the center threaded hole.
 
The single outlet water manifold showed up with the "tall" head which was introduced on the WD with Ser #289000.
I have my Dad's '51 WD and it has the single outlet.
Starting with the WD-45 the thermostat housing had a "by-pass" hose like more modern automobiles.

 
It makes sense that the single outlet came along with the tall head.

As far as the bypass hose coming along later- it amazes me as I find out more and more how incrementally and constantly AC made changes.

Wouldn't you think by the time they got to the D15II that they would leave well enough alone? No! A friend and I both have one, with several little differences.
 

That rear blocking plate is still a bugger to get sealed sometimes...
Seems that taking coolant from both outlets would be a better idea anyway..
Most V-8 engines take coolant from the engine block at the rear of the block (Larger transfer opening in the Head gasket) which would be a similar flow to the WD-45 block with the dual inlet manifold..
 
Yeah old, I think you are right! If I take the cautious approach, I could save time and money maybe. It's a good thing that the cattle took up my day, today, or I would probably have drove it inside, and started on it. I do know the PTO spins, and both the hand clutch and foot clutch works ok, and I backed it up 10 ft. and then shifted to 1st, and pulled foreward, but I am willing to bet, that the tranny, and the finals, will be full of water, they always are.
 

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