HELP-allis b-12

Your title indicates that this is an Allis Chalmers B-12 (garden tractor) but the text simply calls it a B. AC made a farm tractor called the B. Most folks have gone the farm tractor route in their responses... if its actually the B-12 garden tractor, there are a lot of different options to the problem. Could you clarify? If its the B-12, you may also want to chekc in with the folks over at www.simpletractors.com.

Mike

There is an oil pressure gauge near the oil filter, on the engine down on the right side. Did you check the oil before you ran the tractor? You must have positive pressure in the system or you can get a sieze up.

And I have known engines (to be specific, not tractor engines) to sieze up with little or no exceptional sounds. The metal heats to the point where it sort of welds up instead or drastically (and noisily) failing.

Have you pulled the starter off and tried to turn the engine by hand then? If so and it still won't budge (and I hope someone else has a better idea) but I would be looking at tearing the engine down far enough to see if the pistons were siezed. Starting with the crank case, draining and pulling the oil sump and inspecting the crank and rods.

I wish you the best.

The pick-up tube could be clogged, the pump could be broken, the oil filter could be clogged, the fan belt could be broken or loose, etc. The pressure gauge is there to indicate that the system is pessurized and oil is being pumped throughout the engine.

The oil gauge on my 'B' is not in good shape, water got inside the glass and therefore the face is rusted and unreadable and the glass is dirty on the inside, but it does 'read'. The indicator arm still responds and tells me the pump etc. is still working so I know the system is getting oiled.

I know most vehicles today do not have oil pressure gauges and you can safely assume that all is ok as long as the oil level on the dipstick is good. But this is not true of older engines.

There are sensors and such on newer engines that will let you know of problems with the oil system that older motors simply do not have. The only system that ensures older engines are running properly, is the user.

I hghly recommend that you get the user's and shop manuals for the Mod. B and read them thouroughly before you continue. I only say this in case you have not aquired these yet.

Again, I wish you the best.