Dad's 45 sputters...
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=162762
Printed Date: 28 Aug 2025 at 5:53pm
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Topic: Dad's 45 sputters...
Posted By: Buckyman
Subject: Dad's 45 sputters...
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 10:21am
| We have been trying to get my dads WD-45 to run smoothly for a while now and we've eliminated things like the points and coil and so on as issues. We just got a new carburetor and that didn't solve the problem either... about a month ago we tried replacing the seals on the manifold as well and with all that we still have a tractor that just doesn't run smooth and seems to have a touch less power. Dad and I are both stumped... Anyone have any ideas?? |
Replies:
Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 10:26am
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Have you done a compression test? Does it run good when cold, but begin to sputter as it warms up? |
Posted By: Walter(MO)
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 11:45am
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Does the 45 sputter under load or giving more gas to increase engine rpm? The cause could be the neck it the fuel bowl has something blocking the full flow of fuel. |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 3:16pm
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disconnect gasline at carb, get bucket, open sediment bowl valve. does gas drain as a steady stream, very fast for at least 1 gallon ? If so, not a 'gas delivery' problem..maybe carb setup If not so, sediment bowl needs to be totally disassembled and cleaned,also check gas tank. There could be a sliver of 'something' plugging the hole 'somewhere'. With 'Troy' ( D-14 #1), a sliver of yellow plastic was in the sediment bowl where it threads into the tank ! Yellow....hmmm... spout of plastic gas can !! Jay ------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: omahagreg
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 7:55pm
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On my Grand dads WD, it would start and run fine-for about 5 minutes. Then it would die like you shut it off. It had sediment floating in the gas tank and as it ran it would get sucked into the screen area and shut if off clean. Removed sediment, end of problem! ------------- Greg Kroeker 1950 WD with wide front and Freeman trip loader |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2019 at 8:14pm
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I would start with the simple things. How are the plugs (don't use Champions!) and plug (and coil) wires? How about the distributor cap? Try starting it in the dark and look for misfires. Does it run better with the choke partially closed? As Jay suggests, check gas flow. Check to make sure gas tank is vented. Ethanol gas can really screw up the fuel system. Try removing the air filter hose and see if that makes a difference. |
Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 6:52am
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My 1951 WD has sat for about two years and is doing similar things. She will start and idle fine but when i add power she slowly starts to sputter and run like crap. fresh gas is in. I've cleaned the carb and sed bowl. flushed the fuel line.there was crud in the tank partially blocking flow. new points and condenser. new plugs .. but they are champion.. can they cause this much of a problem? if yes what brand is the "best"? I did notice my idle screws and main flow screw on the carb don't do anything until they are closed . ?? do i still have a fuel flow issue?? i am going to mess with here today and i will let you know what.. if anything.. happens. Jaybird
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Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 6:55am
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I have not checked the valves yet. if it is running great at idle but sputters at a working throttle level could it be a valve issue? thanks!! i can turn the wrenches but i am hoooorible at diagnosing!!! lol Jaybird
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Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 7:33am
That sounds like a fuel issue. There's a chance it could be electrical - coil or points or condenser - but I'd look at fuel flow first. Valves could be set too tight if it doesn't show up until the engine is warm, but if it ran before and the valves weren't monkied with, I'd put them lower on the list. |
Jaybird14 wrote:Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 8:06am
| would it be worth getting the autolite 303 and swapping out the champion?? |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 8:21am
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You said you eliminated the points and coil. What about the condenser? ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 9:15am
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I’m sorry I’ve done the condenser not the coil.
The new Autolite plugs did not do it. There is plenty of gas flow when I disconnect at the carb and let it flow. The carb adjustment screws have no effect until closed. |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 8:29pm
You really need to start your own thread To get specific comments on your issue. My comment was for the original person who started this thread. ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2019 at 9:32pm
done
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Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2019 at 5:29pm
| I never did check the sediment bowl and I've seen at times that it doesn't look so clean so I will investigate and possibly try draining and cleaning the fuel tank as well. Maybe I just need to get a new screen and bowl altogether??🤷♂️ |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2019 at 8:30pm
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New screen,,,,,,,yes. New bowl,,,,,,,,not unless the old one is cracked or has a chip(s) out of it. And a MUST, a new gasket. ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: Jaybird14
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2019 at 10:07pm
| I took the entire thing off the tank and cleaned it with carb spray. |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2019 at 10:19pm
| I believe the bowl itself may have some gunk or something in it. Is there anything special I should be using to clean that out? I haven't taken it off I'm just wondering if I need to round up anything extra when I get to taking this stuff apart... |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 16 Jul 2019 at 10:20pm
| I've also found an old "farmhand" tractor-mounted rake that we used on dads tractor many years ago. It's more of a window tipper than a rake but anyways I have no idea how it would've mounted on the tractor. |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2019 at 6:59pm
| To my great frustration after going and cleaning out all the junk out of the sediment bowl and reinstalling with a felt paper gasket it leaks a ton and the tractor runs much worse...is a gasket all it takes to finish the deal?? I'm nowhere near convinced... |
Posted By: mdm1
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2019 at 7:30pm
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All mine have a cork gasket. That may not solve your problem but it should stop the leaking. Where are you in WI? ------------- Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK! |
Posted By: Boss Man
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2019 at 7:41pm
| How much slop is in the distributor shaft? Are the advancement weights in the distributor free or sloppy? Never seen a paper gasket for the bowl only cork. Don't think paper would have enough give to conform to the glass |
Posted By: Alberta Phil
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2019 at 7:56pm
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Should be a cork or neo-cork gasket. 1/8 in. thick. New ones are available at my local Napa. |
Posted By: mhankins
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2019 at 8:11pm
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The sediment bowl on my WD45 had some old gasket material stuck to it that made mine leak.Check and make sure the gasket surface is clean. |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 18 Jul 2019 at 7:07am
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Did you adjust the valves? ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 18 Jul 2019 at 8:07pm
| Dad says the tractor runs fine now that I put in a new gasket and suggested than any further sputtering could be due to old gas. So I will try some "heet" and see if that does the trick. I was wondering if anyone knew how a Farmhand window tipper would mount on a wd-45?? We have one that dad doesn't remember the configuration of but knows it was always mounted on the right side. |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 5:57am
| Try Seafoam. I'm not much for additives or snake oil, but I have had very good luck with Seafoam cleaning up the fuel system, it it's not too dirty or plugged up. |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 8:15am
| So after posting that last message last night I ended up driving dad around for a couple of minutes on the tractor and showing him the problem...I can also give a little better description to what's going on. The tractor will herky jerky drive along the road at pretty much all amounts of throttle in a very uniform jerking pattern. I think it could be the timing but I really don't know what it could be. Dad did realize though once I drove him around on it that something is definitely goofy. |
Posted By: ac fleet
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 9:48am
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Not sure about your description, BUT it sounds like the dist. is advanced to far. Try setting it WITH engine running. ---- as you move it back and forth, pick the best sounding spot and snug down the clamp bolt and try that.---may take a few tries to get it fine tuned but they are picky on the set. ---I have one that I never could get smooth, close but still a bit choppy. thanks; ac fleet ------------- http://machinebuildersnetwork.com/ |
Posted By: DougS
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 9:53am
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Before you do anything with the timing, check the point gap. If the dwell is off three degrees, the timing will be off six degrees. |
Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 12:01pm
Is that true? I didn't realize there was a direct correlation.
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Posted By: bhaynes
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 2:07pm
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Jaybird, That is exactly my scenario. I have my family's `48 WD. It sat for 2 years and I completely restored it, down to the block. New wiring harness, spark plugs, wires from magneto to plugs. New Magneto, Just lined the gas tank, new fuel line, bowl, etc... The carburetor needs to be replaced, but it has a new kit in it and is completely cleaned as well.
It will run all day long, but just doesn't "sound" right to me. It sounds kind of like sputtering, but just rough. Not smooth at all. When it is idle, it sounds good to me. But under load / driving, it is rough sounding. |
Posted By: bhaynes
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2019 at 2:10pm
| Mine is similar. How do you adjust a magneto while running? Or can you? :) |
Posted By: WF owner
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2019 at 6:03am
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You adjust a mag much the same as you would a distributor. Loosen both the top and bottom bolts that hold the mag to the governor housing and turn the mag. As said above, it's possible (in a distributor) that the advance weights aren't moving freely. If the tractor was running good before, the only way for the timing to be off is if someone manually moved it.
I suspect your rough run is a dirty carb. If you use gas with ethanol, it tends to clean things to the point where there are a lot of snall particles moving around that can plug up some of the small orifices it the carb. Try removing the carb abd spraying carb lceaner through all the passages, then follow with compressed air. |
Posted By: frnkeore
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2019 at 11:37am
The correlation is the position of the crankshaft, when the points, actually open. W/o moving the distributor housing, if you close the gap, it will open the points sooner, advancing the the point, in which the coil fires. This is the way I time my vehicles, after setting the points.  ------------- Frank 1959 D17 Series I #24001+, '59 D14 '55 & '59 Ford 850 & 861 Ferguson TO 35 Deluxe, Oliver 70 and 5 more. |
Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2019 at 4:43pm
| i keep wondering if the plug wires have been crossed. Easy to do |
Posted By: Buckyman
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2019 at 7:58pm
| Thank you very much ac fleet! All I had to do was loosen the clamps(on the distributor) and make almost a quarter turn clockwise and now it runs like a top! |
Posted By: bhaynes
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2019 at 8:23pm
| I don’t know how I can do that with a magneto? I can’t turn the magneto while it’s running. LOL it doesn’t work like that. How would I be able to adjust it? |