Allis WD45 - Running Rough

Ken Christopherson

Well-known Member
Hello all!

First time for me working on an Allis, spent most my time in the Case/IH/JD forums. I know the same basic principles apply though, so here goes nothing.

A friend called me up saying his father in law has a WD45 that has been running good for years, but has gotten progressively worse.. Wants me to take a look at it. I'm suspecting right off the bat that he probably needs a good fuel system cleaning & carburetor overhaul. Here are some things I will check during my research (he lives about an hour away so I want to be sure I can check everything in one trip).:

Timing (checked the procedure online and found this description):

"In order to get it timed roughly and get the engine started, put the TDC mark in the middle of the inspection hole with #1 cylinder at top of compression stroke. May have to take #1 spark plug out and hold your thimb over the hole while someone else turns it over with the crank to determine when it's coming up on the compression stroke. After TDC mark is in hole, take cap off distributor so you can see the points. Loosen the bolts holding the two clamps that hold the distributor, then grab the outside of the distributor and turn it back and forth a little (the motor doesn't turn over) and watch the points. Clamp it in place at the spot where the points are just starting to open. Now put the rotor back on and where it's pointed will be where you want to hook up #1 spark plug wire. Put the cap back on, and hook up the wires. Remember the firing order is 1243 clockwise around the distributor. Now, start the tractor. It is best to use a timing light and while the engine is running wide open, loosen those clamps again and turn the distributor so that the Fire mark appears in the hole while using the timing light. Also, you can just do it by ear and get pretty close. Turn the distributor back and forth while the engine is running wide open. You'll hear it labor when too far advanced and also too far retarded. Set it about halfway in between where the engine runs nice and free. Make sure you have the point gap set correctly, too."

Point Gap Setting:
Distributor: .020?
Magneto (Fairbanks Morse J4A/J4B): .020?

Valve Clearance:
.014? Cold / .012? Hot

Carburetor Settings:
Idle: 1 ? turns out
Load: 1 3/8 turns out

Also will check/clean the fuel flow at all points (tank to bowl, bowl to line, line to carb).

If anyone can think of any other areas to check, please let me know. I'll be headed out tomorrow morning to get started on it. Thanks for the help fellas! If I am not mistaken, this tractor has a firing order different from other brands? 1-2-4-3, correct?
 
I'm wondering why you assume it's a fuel issue? Maybe you know more about the situation than we do. To me, someone's idea of an engine running rough could be most anything.

I agree with the timing procedure. #1 on compression @ TDC with the points just breaking is a good spot on most engines with a distributor. Not mentioned is making sure the advance works, and that turning the dist. the correct direction as the points break is critical. In this case, that's counter clockwise, as the rotor turns clockwise.

Let us know how you make out.
Best of luck.
 
I guess for me that is the easiest place to start. Partially plugged fuel lines/passages, poor adjustment of the points (or dirty), valve adjustment, and checking the timing are all fairly simple procedures to do without starting to replace parts.
 
One thing I didn't mention, and just remembered, is that, believe it or not, AC engines can be very fussy about their spark plugs. Years ago, we never ran Champions in them. You could run a WD45 all winter, start plowing in the spring, and develop a skip. Plugs could look just fine. But it would take new ones to fix it. I've got Autolites in mine now.
 

I might add.... if the tractor is doing real "Work", just ONE drop of water in the sediment Bowl will cause a miss..

The Carb on the WD-45 is really all too simple... About all needed to tell if it needs cleaned is turn on the fuel and remove the "Power" screw from the bottom-front of the carb and see if you get a Good flow there...
That passage can accumulate sediment that can reduce fuel flow a good deal.. and really can be flushed out with a very small wire prod while the fuel is flowing..

I would make sure this tractor is timed pretty accurately.... these deserve it..!
 
I'd check for water in the fuel system,add some Seafoam to the gas to start off,check to make sure the dist.is still bolted tight.I once bought a WF the owner said it just kept running
worse and worse until he quit using it found out the rocker assembly was slowly getting looser and looser tightened it back up and it ran perfectly.
 
Please explain how a drop of water will cause a miss? Before ethanol I have seen the bowl half full of water & the engine was running fine. That is what the bowl is for.
 
I think he has already added a bit of SeaFoam into the fuel system. I'll know more tomorrow morning when I head out to his place. I know from personal experience that having valves within spec is important. a slappy rocker is a happy rocker, as long as it isn't TOO slappy. Thanks for the heads up.
 
Bob,

Thanks for the heads up on the plugs. I am also a firm believer in Autolites. I run them in all of my old tractors. They just seem to last longer/run better than Champions. The WD45 calls for the AL 295's I believe.
 
I have a friend with an AR John Deere.. Took it out last summer to the show (we drive them about 10 miles to the show).. Seemed like every corner, bump or hill he would hit, the tractor would spit and sputter (nearly to a stall)... Couldn't figure it out for the life of us. Got to the show and pulled the bowl off of the DLTX carb, only to find it was half full of water, and half of gas. It was a wonder it even ran, but it did. Cleaned it out and it ran like a top. Sometimes you just never know what you will find.
 
Teddy52food, strangely enough, my '51WD with Zenith carb would do the same thing in winter. In fact, it would pop so loud that the coyotes in the neighboring woodlot would take off running across the open field south of the house. I kept wondering why I would see coyotes running so often when I climbed on the tractor, until one day I realizied that they thought the popping was hunters comin' for em'.
 
If you have one of those Lazer temp guns, point it at the exaust for each cylinder and see if one is not firing. Might be weak valve springs.
 
Send me an e-mail and I'll send you the manual for that mag so you will have a better idea how to work on it cost is your time.
I would also change the plugs to the NGK3112 plugs. I have found those work better then any other plug out there now days with the crap gas we have
 
Old,

I'm not even sure at this point if it has a mag or distributor ignition, but I will send you an e-mail just in case. I appreciate it!
 
Yes, this is true. I just thought it was odd that it had accumulated this much water in the carb. I assume it came in through the air intake stack somehow.
 


Any doubters, I CAN assure you that IF you were WORKING them like WE were, they would get a MISS with the presence of just ONE drop in the sediment bowl...

If you doubt it, just snap that trusty old AC 4x14" plow on and see if it devellops a miss..

WHY ? How the Hel? would I know..!!

All I can say is that always cured the problem..
 

Seems I didn't see anyone say you MUST either Static-Time it OR use a Timing Light..

You will not get the timing near close enough "by Ear"...I have tried that and been surprised too many times..

You just do NOT want any pre-ignition...it KILLS Bearings AND Rings....yep, it can break rings in a Heart Beat ...
 

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