WD-45 repower

I'd like to repower my WD-45. Currently using stock gas motor for mower (7ft), 25ft spring harrow and 7 wheel hay rake. She could use a bit more lugging power with the hills I have. I have chevy straight 6 230, 250 and 261 motors available along with a mid 80's chevy 4 cylinder 2.5, multiple datsun/nissan 4 cylinder motors and a 4 cylinder 2.4 liter ford from a courier truck. I like the idea of 2.5 liter chevy 4 cylinder as the most likely contender and the chevy 6 cylinders as a 2nd option. I'm looking for a bolt in option if possible. Any one out there done this before?
 
Not much is going to lug better than the stock motor. Certainly not an import 4 banger. Maybe one of the long stroke straight 6's, but the power band isn't going to match the WD45's needs at all. You need something that makes max torque at or under 1400 rpm as that is the rated speed of the WD 45 engine. Putting a 6 cyl in a WD can be done, but takes a lot of work. You'd be better of massaging more power out of the 226 you have.
AaronSEIA
 
I've already updated the ignition system to a 12 volt breakerless ignition with a 40,000 volt coil and widened the spark plug gap. Completed rings, bearings, gaskets 3 years ago. didn't overhaul since the cylinders/pistons were still in spec. since most 6 cylinder chevy's develop max torque at or around 1600 I figured it should be too hard to maximize torque at the expense of upper rpm hp since that's not needed and add some power.
 
or how about a 4 cylinder diesel from a late 60's, early 70's 220 mercedes benz. I have a few of those laying around also.
 
I am with Aaron on this. I would just go back into that 226 and find that power. I rebuilt one for a guy a while back using a set of 4 1/8 D17 pistons and sleeves. That old girl would put out 67 HP on the dyno with a D17 governer.. The power is there, you just have to find it and its all in the compression. I think it would also be easier than farming in a Chevy 6.
 
It's pretty obvious by the different power plants you have proposed using, you really don't care what it looks like when you get done. I have something for you that will work and give you a pretty big boost in the HP category and actually operate like a tractor, because it will still use the existing tractor governor. Remove the existing carburetor and air cleaner assembly. Purchase a Bendix brand carb from a 190XT or "G" Gleaner combine. Cut off the neck on the intake manifold and weld/attach a larger neck to accept the larger carb. Care will have to be taken to position the carb so it clears the engine block. It can be done. I did one 25 yrs ago on a Pulling tractor. You'll have to modify the carb throttle plate lever/linkage to match the tractor engines governor linkage, but that's easy to do. You might want to add a simple electric fuel pump. That again is easy to do. Rig up a dry air cleaner assembly to match the carb size and I guarantee you'll have more HP and it will still operate like a farm tractor. If this project is beyond your wrenching capabilities, you probably have no business cross-breeding a different engine into it.
 
Yes, those 2.4L and 2.5L engines may be rated at more HP than the Allis 226 [3.7L] engine. BUT, in order to have useable power, you would need some kind of reduction gearing between the engine and clutch shaft to have anything close in 'lugging' power. The large displacement, long stroke engine in the WD-45 is hard to beat. You would be sorely disappointed with those small engines, I'm afraid. And the larger chevy engines will not fit very well.
The other approaches are better.
 
I know a engine swap always looks so easy, but a 4 cyl foreign or chev would be going backwards, the only thing i would consider is that 4 cylinder Perkins diesel, or get some D-17 Lp pistons and valves//seats,and then put on a bigger air cleaner like the DR Allis says. It will tear the tires off then.
 
You have a good motor. In my opinion the engine of an Allis Chalmers tractor is the best part of the tractor, You could get some improvements by modifying the engine but that tractor has one of the best weight to horsepower ratios of ant tractor of the era. If it will not lift the front end or spin tires in third gear you may want to consider tuning the engine or raising the compression with Power Crater pistons. You may want to install a D17 carburetor and governor spring
 
On second thought if you want to wake it up at high cost you may want to install a 2 cylinder Detroit, I never saw it done but have thought if money was no problem. Perhaps have no value doing farm work.
 

Be unique and put an early GM V-8 Diesel (350) in that AC..that is 5.7 Liters and would still be fuel-efficient..

Ron.
 
(quoted from post at 19:44:46 06/17/15) I'd like to repower my WD-45. Currently using stock gas motor for mower (7ft), 25ft spring harrow and 7 wheel hay rake. She could use a bit more lugging power with the hills I have. I have chevy straight 6 230, 250 and 261 motors available along with a mid 80's chevy 4 cylinder 2.5, multiple datsun/nissan 4 cylinder motors and a 4 cylinder 2.4 liter ford from a courier truck. I like the idea of 2.5 liter chevy 4 cylinder as the most likely contender and the chevy 6 cylinders as a 2nd option. I'm looking for a bolt in option if possible. Any one out there done this before?

I'd put the 4 cylinder diesel from a 6000 series in it.
 

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