Allis Chalmers 226 Engine Headers
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=208341
Printed Date: 02 Oct 2025 at 4:03pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Allis Chalmers 226 Engine Headers
Posted By: SLM(IL)
Subject: Allis Chalmers 226 Engine Headers
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 5:41pm
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I would like to get some opinions on this header set up for an Allis 226 engine ( https://www.keystoneturbo.com/product-page/allis-chalmers-wd-ramhead-header" rel="nofollow - https://www.keystoneturbo.com/product-page/allis-chalmers-wd-ramhead-header ). It looks good and sounds good, but Keystone has not done any dyno testing for horsepower or torque. They are estimating 20% to 25% HP gain, I'm not sure if headers alone would gain that much. This should be a video of it set up and running on a WD https://www.facebook.com/100072292363147/videos/pcb.750550677364671/1534044748001184" rel="nofollow - https://www.facebook.com/100072292363147/videos/pcb.750550677364671/1534044748001184 |
Replies:
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 6:43pm
| I had no idea the Keystone Klowns were still peddling their "go faster" tractor parts so that you could be another victim. First of all, an "equal length" exhaust manifold (or header as you call it) is for automotive engines that run waaay faster than 2000 RPM. So,right off the bat, what is the purpose here ?? They claim a 20 HP gain ?? Over what ?? A 35 HP WD engine?? maybe, but not a 55 HP D-17 engine. It's really strange they offer no real proof to back up their wild claim. If you notice, the carburetor on that particular engine is a D-19 sized unit. That carb size is good for 5 to 8 HP on a dyno at 2,000 RPM with a stock manifold and no more than that. If you use your STOCK carb, you will gain NOTHING !! So, what are you trying to accomplish ??? If you are an antique tractor puller, all the clubs I associate with wouldn't allow that manifold because it ain't stock/factory replacement. For $1450 dollars I'd rather install an 8 to 1 compression 4 1/8" motor kit and then you'd have something. Exactly what is the tractor model/engine model?? and what is your goal here ?? Do a real internet search on Keystone turbocharger kits and some of the blown up engines that were the result. This is all my OPINION. |
Posted By: SLM(IL)
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 8:50pm
| Thank you for your reply Doctor, I was hoping to get your opinion. I did make a mistake in my original post. They are claiming 20% to 25% HP improvement, not 20 HP as I had written. On a D17 I think this would be a 10 -15 HP gain over stock. I have a hard time believing this with out any testing to prove it, however I wanted to get some other opinions. |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 8:51pm
| What is your goal?? or reason for even considering this thing ?? |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 8:55pm
| 20% of 55 pto HP is 11 HP. And you MUST use the D-19 carb to achieve that. And that is their guess. I said I can get 5 to 8 HP using your manifold ( throat altered) with a D-19 carb and I have dyno tested. Again, what are you wanting to accomplish ?? and what tractor model/engine model ?? |
Posted By: SLM(IL)
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 9:55pm
| I have a D17 Series IV that I use with a disk mower, a 4 x 5 round baler, and is also my loader tractor. I have about 20 acres of hay ground and this tractor is handling it very well. I just happened to have this Keystone "header" information pop up on my Facebook page and thought I would check it out a little bit. I do think the header looks cool and sounds good, but I have a hard time believing it does what they say. I certainly would not pay $1450 plus shipping. I would not mind a little more horsepower, but I don't have the money for a different tractor, and I really like this D17. |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 10:19pm
| At overhaul time, install 8 to 1 compression pistons and gain 4 HP and better fuel economy. |
Posted By: SLM(IL)
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 10:46pm
| This tractor is showing over 6500 hours on a working tach. The engine runs like a top, does not use any oil, and spark plugs look nice when I change them. I'm thinking it's probably been overhauled at some point, If so, I don't what the internals are. How many hours do you normally see on these engines before an overhaul? |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 10:58pm
| I always considered them a 3500 to 4000 hrs engine when used for everything, like plowing and disking and grinding feed and also square baler duty. That's pretty good for a gasser if you compare to green and red tractors. If they don't ever do that hard work they last longer. Do a compression check on yours to see what compression it has. 145 psi is stock. 165 psi or more is 8 to 1 compression pistons from a 170 engine. Compression tests are always done with all spark plugs removed, wide open throttle and a battery charger on the battery. |
Posted By: SLM(IL)
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2025 at 11:09pm
| Thank you, much appreciated. |
Posted By: Les Kerf
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2025 at 5:30am
I could sell you an empty toilet paper roll that will improve my bank account by $49.95 without any testing whatsoever
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SLM(IL) wrote:Posted By: IBWD MIke
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2025 at 5:33am
| "We are expecting a 20% increase", yeah let's see that on the dyno! |
Posted By: Les Kerf
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2025 at 5:49am
I'm thinking you have found the Holy Grail of tractors there  Seriously, there just isn't much room for improvement, but there is considerable opportunity to make things worse.
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Posted By: Phil48ACWC
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2025 at 10:26am
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The intake tube looks way too big in diameter and too short. Generally, I shoot for a distance of 16" from the throttle plate to the intake valve. The exhaust tubes look a little too big in diameter and too short. The collector also looks too big in diameter and too short. These are my opinions based on over 50 years of all kinds of engine building that I've done. This looks like nonproven concepts that were done in the '50's long before computer aided flow analysis for both intake and exhaust performance. I think better designs could be achieved with a header kit from Flowmaster with mandrel prebent tubing that you weld together. There's a lot to consider for improved performance and what I see here doesn't impress me. Especially for over $1400. 2000 RPM tractor engines have very different characteristics. The design has to generate super high torque at very low RPM. Of course it won't look stock and sanctioned tractor pulling events will say forget it.
Click on below for an intro to Intake design for low RPM and high torque: https://www.quora.com/Which-design-aspects-of-an-intake-runner-make-more-torque-in-the-lower-RPM-range" rel="nofollow - https://www.quora.com/Which-design-aspects-of-an-intake-runner-make-more-torque-in-the-lower-RPM-range Click on below for an intro to exhaust header design for low RPM and High Torque: https://www.google.com/search?q=best+engine+exhaust+header+design+for+low+rpm+and+high+torque&rlz=1C1UEAD_enUS1058US1058&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgBECMYJxjqAjIJCAAQIxgnGOoCMgkIARAjGCcY6gIyCQgCECMYJxjqAjIJCAMQIxgnGOoCMg8IBBAuGCcYxwEY6gIY0QMyCQgFECMYJxjqAjIJCAYQIxgnGOoCMgkIBxAjGCcY6gIyFQgIEAAYQhiRAhi0AhjqAhiABBiKBTIVCAkQABhCGJECGLQCGOoCGIAEGIoFMhUIChAAGEIYkQIYtAIY6gIYgAQYigUyFQgLEAAYQhiRAhi0AhjqAhiABBiKBdIBCTI5MTBqMGoxNagCDLACAfEF2MJtxyXbips&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
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Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2025 at 6:42pm
| Maybe they should chrome it?? Also, you could never run an engine with that as a farm tractor. No muffler and lots of noise. |
Posted By: AC7060IL
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2025 at 9:25pm
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SLM(IL), that’s a cool looking heater. Thanks for sharing about it. There is a science to headers. NASCAR stuff. Tractor pull stuff. Street Rod stuff, etc… Whatever ~ wherever highly tuned performance benefits. If headers are designed, fabricated per the engine’s expected rpm & power ranges, each cylinder’s exhaust pulse should efficiently flow thru its header pipe while scavenge additional air flow from behind it to benefit that specific cylinder to enhance its intake air/fuel suction which better fills that cylinder. So it creates more power. In addition, each header’s collector pipe pulses’ should do the same. But instead of just 1 cylinder benefiting, every cylinder piped into that header collector should benefit from every exhaust pulse as it enters & exits the header collector. Header pipe diameters & lengths, coupled to collector diameter & length, which is then coupled to tailpipe /muffler diameter & length, all create the right exhaust flow dynamics per engine’s performance. None of this header stuff matters if the cylinder’s flow doesn’t meet or exceed the header’s flow. For the cylinder to flow best for headers, it may require head work( larger valves, lumped intake port, ported runs to & from valves, etc…). Then the fuel system should flow well too. That may require a tunnel ram intake, multiple fuel carbs/injectors, larger single carb, water injection, etc…. Maybe a different fuel could benefit performance? Octane ratings, methanol, etc… Then a competition cam that offers higher durations for longer valve overlap might be in order? Ignition capabilities need to respond accordingly. Multiple spark plugs, hotter plug fire, etc.. And so on….. |
Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2025 at 11:03pm
| i all looks real cool but i bet that collector is way to big and way to short to make any torqueat least on the bottom |
Posted By: Les Kerf
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2025 at 10:13am
Yup. It's real. And when applied to an otherwise bone-stock D17 Allis, it is real small. The original poster was asking about applying a racy-looking contraption to a perfectly running stock tractor that is used for everyday farm work; the builders of this gadget make claims of expecting to see up to 25% increase in power simply by bolting on this apparatus. This is patently absurd. The low-rpm nature of the engine, along with the siamese intake ports coupled with the extremely short duration and minimal overlap of the camshaft will reduce any tuning effects to a very low level on a stock engine. One could spend a LOT of money and never approach anywhere near 20-25% increase on a stock engine. I suspect that a set of curved zoomies with individual pipes sorta like a Top Fueler would produce nearly as much gain on a stock engine.
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Posted By: plummerscarin
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2025 at 11:48am
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I suspect that a set of curved zoomies with individual pipes sorta like a Top Fueler would produce nearly as much gain on a stock engine. [/QUOTE] And look cool! IMO |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2025 at 3:54pm
If you can't make more power, make more shine... ------------- Source: Babylon Bee. Sponsored by BRAWNDO, its got what you need! |