Allis Chalmers WC oil pressure?

Case1783alt

New User
My dad and I have just yesterday got a 1941 Allis Chalmers WC running. When my dad checked the oil pressure gauge however, it read no oil pressure. He thought it was just the old gauge, and put in a new gauge. When we started it again, there was no oil pressure. He could feel it with his thumb when he put it over the hole. Could anyone determine why there is no pressure readable on a gauge, or do WC tractors just have a low PSI?
 
The pressure at the gauge port is low, did you use the correct gauge for the application? Most regular 80 lb gauges wont read anything. First thing to do is remove the oil filter. There should be a length of tubing that presses in the center of the housing and protrudes into the element, if it is missing the guage will read zero. The gauge will also read zero while a new element is filling. The engine is fine for most uses with very low pressure at the guage, I think the line between low and normal is about 5 lbs?
 
Well, we did just add a new oil filter, and had ran it only about 5 times for around 10-20 seconds at a time (Dad was testing oil pressure). And, the gauge he tried was around 100PSI. I think we could try the original gauge again.
 
The WC as with many A/C engines use a oil filter back pressure system that build pressure in the filter. If you put on the wrong type filter or the up right pipe that goes into the filter stayed in the old filter you will have very low oil pressure.
 
10 to 12 psi is spec numbers. Anything over 5psi would be good enough. That standpipe has to be in there. The filter should be cotton string inside, not paper.
 
To be honest, the oil filter my dad grabbed was just some Kleenite filter he had sitting on a shelf that hadn't been opened since probably the 80s or 90s. Does anyone know if we should get a new oil filter and if we do, what kind and number?

I know nothing about the filter, other than it is a Kleenite. I might be able to get the number later, but right now I am in school.
 
I use the Wix 57011 filters on all my A/C machines. I did have to go out and look at 4 machines before I found one that I could read the Wix number and that was on the WD45 I have. But that filter will work on a WC or B or C or WD etc.
 
Okay, I'll get my dad to buy that oil filter. Will that most likely fix the problem for the no oil pressure? I'm not sure if this matters much, but when my dad filled the tractor with oil, the bottom of the barrel had water and a bit of that got into the tractor. We know how to get it out, but Would that at all affect the pressure?
 
A small amount of water will not effect oil pressure but it can cause major problem with causing damage to the engine if it is very much at all. When ever you change a filter on these tractors you need to be sure the stand pipe stays on the filter housing or you will have not oil pressure
 
Okay, we'll drain the water from the oil and then I'll see if we can get that oil filter. Thanks, everybody for your help on figuring this issue out.
 
Other filter numbers for you if the Wix is not local to you:
AGCO/Allis Chalmers 70240912
NAPA 7011
Baldwin T300-M
Fram C159
Hastings LF405
Fleetguard LF571

For your reference I have attached a photo of the tube in a D14, which uses the same filter and tube. If missing, the tube is Allis Chalmers part number 70203899.


mvphoto24498.jpg
 
I'm not sure if I remember, but I think that tube was bent. Does that affect it at all? Also, yes this my other account. I just use the account I initially posted with when i'm at school.

My dad may have that NAPA filter, we'll see.
 
As long as the tube is tight in the base I don't think a slight bend will hurt it. Does it have a slight sweep to it like someone pulled it away from the block when removing the filter? Too much bend might case it to open a bigger path in the media for the oil to run down through. If it was bent enough to crack it or the base so the oil can dump before reaching the upper end of the tube it will be a problem. The tube pulls out it doesn't thread into the base.

The Kleenite filter may be correct if it is packed with fiber, don't have any info on them. Filters that sit on a shelf for years can get dirty if packaging isn't tight and develop rust inside from temperature and humidity changes, so a new filter will be better.

The Wix filter used to be 51011 and worked fine, but a number of years ago they decided to "improve" it by building them with paper media like newer filters. These were a disaster as the engines would not build oil pressure with them. I did an oil change on one of my tractors during that time and experienced the problem first hand. Soon after this was found and they received enough complaints, Wix returned to the packed media and brought out the 57011 to replace the 51011. That is the quick story of why people mention being sure you have the string or other packed media, not paper, in the filter you use.
 
Okay, that's interesting.

Tomorrow my dad should be able to get a filter. If not it might be a few days. Once we get it, we should be able to swap the filter and see if we can get this problem fixed. Once again, I thank you all for your suggestions on helping this issue.
 
(quoted from post at 06:59:53 10/01/18) My dad and I have just yesterday got a 1941 Allis Chalmers WC running. When my dad checked the oil pressure gauge however, it read no oil pressure. He thought it was just the old gauge, and put in a new gauge. When we started it again, there was no oil pressure. He could feel it with his thumb when he put it over the hole. Could anyone determine why there is no pressure readable on a gauge, or do WC tractors just have a low PSI?
ust read all of the comments that you received on the WC oil pressure. I remember Dad and GrandPa commenting on the new WC bursting oil filters, don't know what the oil pressure was but it must have been pretty high, also knew an old guy that used a pint jar full of rags for a filter and it seemed to work ok for him.
 
The gauge of a WC is good for 0-30lbs. pressure max. They normally run from 5 lbs. to 15 lbs. oil pressure.If it split filter can something
was wrong with filter or oil system. You could use about anything but doesn't mean its doing what it should.
 
They are equipped with a "bypass filter", and the oil that passes though the filter gets "returned to sump" with NO restriction on it.

How's that scenario gonna "bust a filter"?
 
I'm pretty sure that is what the filter looked like, but it still might be a few days before we can get a new one, my dad is working late and can't get one. Once we do, however, we'll see if we can get this problem fixed
 
Also, the filter we're using was probably sitting on the shelf, since probably the 70's. Would that at all affect it? I mean, it was in the plastic wrap still, but...

Like I asked before, would that affect oil pressure because of an old filter? We need a new filter anyway, but still.

Either that or our gauge is busted.

Also, sorry if it seems like I'm asking a bunch of questions... I'm just a curious teen. I've always been that way.
 
If it was sealed in a plastic wrapper, it is likely ok. If it is the right type media in it, it is likely ok. It the tube inside is there, tight, and not bent enough to leak or damage the filter media, it is likely ok. Your gauge may be bad. As previously posted by D beatty get a 0-30 lb. gauge, 100 psi range is too much. You can put a short hose in place of the gauge, so you can aim it into a bucket, and start it to see if oil comes out the hose. Don't run it long when checking this way.
 
An old oil filter could break down over time and if it has not work little it needs to. I do not know where you are but my local O'Reilly's where I get a lot of my parts at is open till 9PM 5 days a week and open till 7pm Saturday and Sunday
 
(quoted from post at 20:35:50 10/02/18) They are equipped with a "bypass filter", and the oil that passes though the filter gets "returned to sump" with NO restriction on it.

How's that scenario gonna "bust a filter"?
ust saying what was handed down to me 60 or so years ago, maybe the filters weren't up to the task.
 

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