WD45 rebuild progress

Crank installation and main bearing shimming

Crank was ground to .020 under. The old Clevite bearings were stamped 10 in 1963. Guess that's when Someone put M&W's in this thing.

I was originally going to have the block line bored to do away with shims, but after getting a $400 quote and some shimming advice from some forum members I decided to save my money and shim the motor.

The machine shop checked the line bore and said it was good and measured to make sure I had no stretched caps or other problems.

I cleaned up the bore and caps with a clean rag and break clean to make sure no material got under the bearings.

With new bearings and a freshly ground crank, I had .010 of shims and the 3 bearings had clearances of .004, .004, and .003. The shim pack I got was just one solid .010. I made cut new shims from some shim stock at work shimmed .008, .008, and .009. When done the clearance measured .003, .002, and .003. So I'm happy

I torqued down each bearing and measured with a plastigauge. Clearance was .004, .004, and .003. That probably would've been ok, but I really didn't want to start a fresh motor out with .004
Unfortunately, the shim pack I got was only 1 solid .010 shim. I cut new shims from some shim stock at work and shimmed .008, .008, and .009. When done the clearance measured .003, .002, and .003. So I'm happy. Lubed up the bearings and journals with Sealed Power Assembly Lube and torqued down the mains.


From part of Doc's full flow conversion idea, I had a small groove ground into the crank mains to help the rod bearing get oil for the full 360 rotation. The grooves were a little smaller than I wanted, but the machinist said his tool would start chattering with he did much more and was afraid of causing more harm than good. Unfortunately, this is the only picture I took of the crank journals and even it was unintentional.


Rear Main Seal
After watching Don's video a few times, I was ready for the rear main seal. http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=18&title=farm-equipment-knowledge-base

I sanded down the upper rear main seal carrier by placing a piece of sand paper on a flat granite stone and rubbing the carrier against the sandpaper. It was pretty out of flat.
I worked the main seals into their grooves after putting a few dabs of #2 permatex in for glue. I painted on some #3 permatex on the upper carrier and block to make a gasket and bolted it on. I later found that FelPro actually still makes that gasket, if you really want an actual gasket. part # FPG BS40010

I fitted the correct (smallest) F gasket around the lower main seal. I actually had to compress the seal a little with needle nosed pliers to fit the F gasket around it. I painted on a dab of #3 permatex over the F gasket for good measure and torqued down the mains.

Crank end play is non-existent at this point, so good deal.



Edited by Allis dave - 15 Aug 2016 at 12:38pm

Great post. I'm still buying parts. I'm taking head to machine shop in morning to be completly rebuilt. Then I'll have block work done. Still need to get the timing cover renewed where the throttle shafts go and probably sending cam off to be done.

ANNUAL. Gotta remove the 2 middle leters

It been a pretty slow rebuild process. It started off with a split to replace seals in the torque tube. You can read about it here if interested
http://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=120328&title=how-to-or-not-to-split-wd45-replace-seals

Then one Sunday last April I had to drive out to ILL to meet forum member John D and pick this up. It's a little motivation to get this project completed.


Last night I couldn't work either. Was too busy watching this guy.

I should also mention that all holes in the block get blown out with the air hose, have a tap ran through them, then blown out again.
All parts are from a Reliance/PowerMax kit.

I had the engine internally balanced before I started. $350 including surfacing the flywheel. There was 15 gram difference from the lightest to the heaviest piston. Guy said the flywheel and crank were terrible. He said he "pulled his hair out" to finally get it quieted down. I'm hoping for one smooth running motor! Ohh and "Don't mix up the pistons and wrist pins!!"

I didn't take any pictures but I wiped out the newly installed cam bearings again and lubed them up with assembly lubed. Lubed up the tappets and dropped them into their places. Lubed up the cam and slid it in making sure to line up the timing marks.

Ring Gap
Even though they came as part of the 8.25 motor kit, I thought I should still check the ring gap. I Installed the spacer and oil rings onto the pistons. I got the ring started down into the sleeve then used the piston to push the ring down until the piston bottomed on the oil ring. I figured this would make sure the ring was square in the (round) hole. lol. All rings gapped at .019 - .022. The book says the gap should be .007-.014. That seemed really tight to me. The people I talked to and what I read said .014 minimum gap for a 4" bore. High performance engine take a wider gap, so I'll pretend this is a high performance Allis and be happy with .019 - .022. I can't change it anyway...


Piston Preparation
I oiled up the rings and pistons good and installed the rings with my ring pliers making sure each ring was 120 degrees from the adjacent ring. According to the instructions, each dot on the ring points to the piston top. I also used the chrome ring as the top ring. Made sure the rings were matched to the sleeve I gapped it in.

I followed the service manual instructions to orient the rod and wrist pin correctly in the piston. This is what centers the wrist pin in the piston and keeps this from gouging the cylinder wall. VERY IMPORTANT

You can see where he machined off to balance the pistons. Notice the arrow pointing to the front of the block for installation.

The cam looks in good shape but I was gonna give Bullet Cams a call and see if any improvements can be done to it for a stock build..if not I'll leave it alone. I dropped the head off this morning. Supposed to be around $350. If it needs absolutely everything close to $500. I asked about line boring and he said around $160 so I'm gonna do it and have the whole thing balanced. I'm just having head done right now I'll have to save up a little more money for the rest lol.

LOL I guess it was me. John said he had another guy calling about it. You gotta be fast on the phone! I'd been looking for one for a few years now. I don't see as many 9 footers as 7's. Looking forward to being able to drive it on a trailer and take to plow days. I'm a fan of trying to take equipment other than just plows.

Edited by Allis dave - 05 Aug 2016 at 8:03pm

Dave,
 Great documentation on the build! So your using a 175 kit in a 45 block right? Should be a good runner. You have plans for this build? Been moving and or pulling AC's all day. That D17 you plowed with this spring, is doing a nice job kicking some butt on the track.
Keep the pictures coming maybe someday I will use your info to build a engine!
Regards,
 Chris

What head gasket are you using? I may try finding one that is a little thinner than the one in my gasket kit. You going to use a D17 governor spring? I ordered new connecting rod nuts as well. I cleaned and painted timing cover over the weekend and replaced the throttle shaft bushings.

Edited by 79fordblake - 08 Aug 2016 at 5:18pm

Timing cover
I cleaned up the timing cover good and checked the throttle bushings and governor fingers. The bushings are tight. The fingers show a little wear, but I don’t think bad enough to need welded and ground back down.
Be careful when handling the cover. If you bend the linkage arm it will throw your carborator out of adjustment and cause surging or other issues.

I used a scotch bright disk on the end of my die grinder to clean the gasket surfaces. I tested on a pop can to make sure the pad wouldn’t take off metal. I bought the wrong pads once that contained grit and would take off metal.

I tried to make up an alignment tool out of PVC like Don suggested but wasn’t finding the right stuff. I found this bearing collar for about $7. It was the right size but needed touched up a little on the lathe. Gay at work took it home and fixed it up for me. He charged me a cherry pie pastry for the work. I actually bought him 4. Total $9


I slid the alignment tool into the cover and painted on a thin layer #3 permatex onto both sides of the gasket and bolted the cover into place. I probably didn’t need sealer, but I feel better knowing any little pits are filled. I hate leaks. I like to #3 for this purpose because a thin layer can be painted on without a lot of oozing.

The gasket kit with the Reliance kit only had 2 front main seal. One that was way to big, and one that seemed the right size and had an extra felt protective layer on the outside. The service manual says newer (1950’s newer I suppose) seals have the felt to protect the seal. Apparently this is NOT that seal. It could all I had to get it on the crank and pretty much ruined the seal. A call to my reliance dealer and he says that’s a slightly smaller seal for a WD crank. He sent me 2 of the correct seals. I quick look at my old leftover Victor Reinz and I still have the too big seal (probably for a D17) and the too small felt covered seal. Looks like that kit cam with all 3 seals and I already used the correct one previously.

WD Seal, It's a little beat up, this is after I starting trying to get it back off


I chamfered the end of the crank a little to help get the seal started. I oiled up the seal and shaft good. Apparently I didn’t chamfer enough because I rolled over a small part of the seal. Really chamfered the heck out it next time and the seal went on well. HEY, that alignment tool works great to tap the seal in place too.

I know for sure that a felpro main kit comes with both sizes of F gaskets. I'm not sure about the Felpro oil pan gasket kit. I ordered one today from NAPA and will have it to tomorrow. $16. I'll let you know what's in it.

Dave what was the number for the felpro rear main kit? I already have a entire kit so if i don't have to spend the money on a Agco oil pan kit to get the F gaskets that would be great.

Dave,
 Your coming right along and helping others during your journey!
Regards,
 Chris                                                                              

Don(MO) wrote: Dave that not a nut, it's a 1/2" fine thread die to clean the threads up with. I changed all the studs out on the engine after trying to clean them up. If the threads or sides of the bolts or studs are not good you might pull them and find your are pulling the head back off to change them. happens on old head bolts/studs a lot.

Happens on Cadillac North Star too. Aluminum block with no thread inserts. :(

Did you get new rod bolts or just nuts? My bolts don't appear to have any damage the nuts are fine to other than they look like a socket may have slipped on them some so I just went ahead and got new. Did you get your gasket kit yet?