Farm Equipment - Allis Chalmers WD will not stay running

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Allis Chalmers WD will not stay running

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=195199
Printed Date: 20 Aug 2025 at 8:48pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Allis Chalmers WD will not stay running

Posted By: DPhillips
Subject: Allis Chalmers WD will not stay running
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 5:55am

I bought an old Allis Chalmers WD about two months ago and have had issues with keeping it running. I have set the timing to the “fire” position on the flywheel. I have also rebuilt the carb and I have good fuel flow to the carb. I have felt the intake manifold when cranking and there is plenty of suction. Any movement of the throttle level on the quadrant, the butterfly on carb opens to full throttle. I was told by the previous owner that the governor spring was the issue but I have replaced that with a used WD spring. I am out of ideas, PLEASE HELP!

Replies:

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 7:43am

static timing should be set to TDC ( top dead center)... after the tractor starts, the ADVANCE will make it fire at the FIRE mark... You can see that if you use a timing light..

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 7:45am

Any movement of the throttle level on the quadrant, the butterfly on carb opens to full throttle.

are you saying you have Closed and Open and nothing in between ??

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 8:06am

Fire mark at full throttle.What does issues keeping it running mean? Starts and dies? How is the spark? Are you qualified to rebuild carb? I don't know what you know!

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 8:53am

if you think you have a governor / carb linkage problem... read post #2. in this link

https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/high-idle_topic194673_post1668463.html?KW=throttle#1668463" rel="nofollow - https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/high-idle_topic194673_post1668463.html?KW=throttle#1668463

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: TramwayGuy
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 9:09am

Magneto or Distributor conversion?

Posted By: DPhillips
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 4:08pm

There is really no in between. It seems to be all or nothing.

Posted By: DPhillips
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 4:13pm

A little more information. The tractor has been converted to a 12v electrical system. There is healthy spark when cranking. The tractor will start but then die a few seconds later. I have never rebuilt an Allis carb before but I am fairly mechanically inclined.

Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 4:14pm

your carburetor / throttle lever / governor ... may all need to be syncronized together... Follow the steps in this link.. second post.

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.

Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 17 May 2023 at 4:38pm

So perform a process of eliminination.

Stand alongside the carbeurator, activate the starter, and when it fires up, shoot little spritzes of something flammable into the throat...

If the engine stays running in coincedence with the spritzes, it's a fuel problem.

If not, it's an ignition or exhaust problem.

To test an ignition problem, get an extra spark plug, disconnect one cylinder, and start the engine. Watch that extra plug's spark. Does it die off slow, or immediately upon releasing the starter button? If it dies as soon as you release the starter, you have an electrical wiring problem.

Will it continue to idle at dead-slow, but stall as you try to pick up throttle? If you still see spark when it does this, the problem is insufficient spark voltage. At dead-slow idle, throttle is closed, so dynamic compression is lowest (because differential pressure is greatest). As soon as you open the throttle, that differential pressure is gone, so compression pressure jumps... and in doing so, more spark voltage is required to successfully ignite the mixture.

Now connect a wire from the battery direct to the coil (hot-wire) and start it up. Does it stay running? If so, you have a wiring problem.

Does it have a generator? Disconnect the generator's output... and try again... if it continues to run with generator disconnected, you have a polarity, cutout, or regulator problem.

Exhaust problem you say??

Yeah. SHove a potato in your car's exhaust pipe, and it'll do the same thing.

If the manifold or muffler has a big chunk of mud-dauber nest, it'll do that...

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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.