Allis Chalmers Model WD
Tractor
by Chad Hauris
Updated 8/21/05
Vehicles Page Retro Electronics Home Page
I have always been interested in tractors too, along with other retro-technology. The winter of 2004-05 had been very rainy, and I needed a new tractor to help keep the fields mowed at home. Luckily, I was able to find this Allis Chalmers WD at a tractor shop in Odessa.
Click on the pictures for a larger view.
Here is the front of the tractor.
The tractor uses a 201 CID 4-cylinder gas engine. It has a magneto ignition so no battery is needed to keep the tractor running after it has been started (there is a place to attach a crank to manually crank it, but I do not have the crank).
The tractor uses a single barrel Zenith carburetor and a gravity fuel feed, like a Ford Model A engine.
Here are the controls: The left lever behind the steering wheel is to adjust the height of the implement, the right lever is the throttle. The choke is a lever attached to the steering column. The black button is for the starter...to stop the engine, you turn the fuel shutoff valve off and wait till it shuts off. An aftermarket set of gauges was installed for oil pressure and water temperature. A 12-volt battery is being used...the original 6-volt alternator is not hooked up. It starts right up, so all you have to do is put the battery on a charger now and again to keep it charged.
Here are some more photos of the tractor (7/4/05)
Here is a view of the radiator repair. The female fitting that the drain valve screws into got broken when the radiator shop repaired the radiator...I was able to slip a hose over the entire fitting and clamp it to fix the leak. The other end of the hose will be connected to a new drain valve. (it is just pinched off for test purposes).
Here is the improvised air cleaner (there was no air cleaner present when I bought it). I connected a K&N breather filter to an appropriate sized hose to go to the carburetor (the filter has had the inlet hole enlarged). Seems to work O.K.
Rear view with brand new Howse brush hog mower.
Rebuilt starter re-intalled. (8/13/05)
Magneto and spark plugs. (8/13/05)
Tractor repairs journal:
March 2005: Replaced leaking drain valve on carburetor with brass plug. Replaced fan belt and hoses.
June 2005: Had radiator repaired at radiator shop. Repaired leaking radiator drain valve by slipping hose over it and clamping. Installed K&N filter, pipe adaptor, and hose for air cleaner. Adjusted belt tension.
August 2005: Starter quit working, so I had the starter rebuilt at Mid-Tex Battery and Electric in Midland. They did an excellent job, completely refurbishing it and making it look like new.
Still to do: repair water pump. Pump is still functioning, but there is a small leak requiring me to let the tractor cool and top off the radiator after about 1/2 hour of operation.
Update: 8/21/05: The tractor ran into big trouble this past weekend...while mowing the fields I heard a banging noise from inside the engine. I took off the oil pan and found that the bolts had come off the connecting rod of the #3 piston and the rod end had cracked. Looks like time for an engine overhaul...Will have pictures soon.
Retro Vehicles Page
Retro Electronics Home Page
by Chad Hauris
Updated 8/21/05
Vehicles Page Retro Electronics Home Page
I have always been interested in tractors too, along with other retro-technology. The winter of 2004-05 had been very rainy, and I needed a new tractor to help keep the fields mowed at home. Luckily, I was able to find this Allis Chalmers WD at a tractor shop in Odessa.
Click on the pictures for a larger view.
Here is the front of the tractor.
The tractor uses a 201 CID 4-cylinder gas engine. It has a magneto ignition so no battery is needed to keep the tractor running after it has been started (there is a place to attach a crank to manually crank it, but I do not have the crank).
The tractor uses a single barrel Zenith carburetor and a gravity fuel feed, like a Ford Model A engine.
Here are the controls: The left lever behind the steering wheel is to adjust the height of the implement, the right lever is the throttle. The choke is a lever attached to the steering column. The black button is for the starter...to stop the engine, you turn the fuel shutoff valve off and wait till it shuts off. An aftermarket set of gauges was installed for oil pressure and water temperature. A 12-volt battery is being used...the original 6-volt alternator is not hooked up. It starts right up, so all you have to do is put the battery on a charger now and again to keep it charged.
Here are some more photos of the tractor (7/4/05)
Here is a view of the radiator repair. The female fitting that the drain valve screws into got broken when the radiator shop repaired the radiator...I was able to slip a hose over the entire fitting and clamp it to fix the leak. The other end of the hose will be connected to a new drain valve. (it is just pinched off for test purposes).
Here is the improvised air cleaner (there was no air cleaner present when I bought it). I connected a K&N breather filter to an appropriate sized hose to go to the carburetor (the filter has had the inlet hole enlarged). Seems to work O.K.
Rear view with brand new Howse brush hog mower.
Rebuilt starter re-intalled. (8/13/05)
Magneto and spark plugs. (8/13/05)
Tractor repairs journal:
March 2005: Replaced leaking drain valve on carburetor with brass plug. Replaced fan belt and hoses.
June 2005: Had radiator repaired at radiator shop. Repaired leaking radiator drain valve by slipping hose over it and clamping. Installed K&N filter, pipe adaptor, and hose for air cleaner. Adjusted belt tension.
August 2005: Starter quit working, so I had the starter rebuilt at Mid-Tex Battery and Electric in Midland. They did an excellent job, completely refurbishing it and making it look like new.
Still to do: repair water pump. Pump is still functioning, but there is a small leak requiring me to let the tractor cool and top off the radiator after about 1/2 hour of operation.
Update: 8/21/05: The tractor ran into big trouble this past weekend...while mowing the fields I heard a banging noise from inside the engine. I took off the oil pan and found that the bolts had come off the connecting rod of the #3 piston and the rod end had cracked. Looks like time for an engine overhaul...Will have pictures soon.
Retro Vehicles Page
Retro Electronics Home Page