Farm Equipment - D-17 Purchase

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D-17 Purchase

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=208116
Printed Date: 10 Sep 2025 at 1:25pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: D-17 Purchase

Posted By: tominMi
Subject: D-17 Purchase
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 7:02pm

I m planning to buy a D17 and would prefer a diesel vs a gas for the power and additional longevity of a diesel. I've located 2 diesels, neither owner knows the actual hours on their tractor. one has had some engine work done. New head gasket, head was milled when gasket was replaced, new injector pump, injectors set, a new radiator 2 /3 years ago, starter rebuild. The other owner indicates his tractor has only had a new injector pump and injectors, no other engine work mentioned. I have no personal experience with the Allis diesel engines other than I know of a D19 diesel that is still running on original engine with only routine maintenance . My question is when these diesels reach the point of requiring replacement of injector pump, injectors &/or head gasket replacement are they nearing the point where more serious engine work up to & including redoing upper & lower engine is needed?

I have not seen or driven either tractor

Replies:

Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 8:45pm

Sadly the engine used in the 17's are not in the same class as other diesels. Not known for long life and EXPENSIVE to repair.

Posted By: Jordan(OH)
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 9:02pm

Read this if you want to learn about 262 diesel repair.

https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/looking-for-d19-diesel-engine-parts_topic204858.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/looking-for-d19-diesel-engine-parts_topic204858.html

Posted By: DanWi
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 9:13pm

If you want a d17 you are probably better off with a gas. Especially if you have questions and concerns about the diesel. If you want a diesel then I would look at a 170/175 or 180/185.

Posted By: RedHeeler79
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 9:22pm

The 262 diesel in D17 tractors has a reputation for being problematic. They are smooth running and have snappy power when all things are in order, but they are plagued with some very common issues. Cylinder sleeves have a very narrow top flange that seats in the block deck counterbore, and they erode over time and use, which results in sunken sleeves. This causes head gaskets to fail, and requires expensive machine work to repair correctly. Cylinder heads are very prone to cracking as well. A good cylinder head is extremely hard to find, as MOST parts for these engines are scarce - either new or used. Most of them are difficult to start when cold, and typically require starting fluid to light off unless it’s very warm outside. Just a few things to be wary of as a buyer. If you enjoy a good project, you will probably be faced with it sooner or later. A gas D17 will actually have more horsepower and start, run and last more reliably than the diesel. That said, there are those of us who own the diesels on this forum, so plenty of info is available. Just be aware of what you are looking at going into the deal.

Posted By: HudCo
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2025 at 9:53pm

i am rebiulding our family d17 d it is a serious expensive engine to biuld so it wil last again , now i would not say that it could not for many hours ours turned the hour meter over a few times and it got worked hard . you are not going to in frame it and have it last long

Posted By: DanielW
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 6:52am

I can't add any to what others have said re: the 262 diesel in the D17. It's got a bad reputation, and the value of D17 diesels today seems to be more as a curiosity than as a daily chore tractor.

I would suggest two two other considerations:

i) For me, a 170 gas or diesel would be more desirable tractor for daily chore/'around-the-farm' use. If you're set on a diesel, the Perkins used in the 170 had a reputation for being pretty much indestructible and only sipping the fuel.

ii) I've done a complete flip on my opinion of gas vs. diesel on old tractors. For a heavy tillage tractor or one running heavier loads all day (like a round baler), I still prefer a diesel. But for smaller chore tractors or tractors only seeing a few hours of use each week and especially for older/antique tractors, I've switched to strongly preferring gas. The last four or five old tractors I've bought have all been gassers, and I'm very glad I went that route instead of diesel. Gassers can usually be had for quite cheap. With the higher cost of diesel these days and most old gassers being surprisingly efficient, gassers don't cost much more to run per hour. If maintained reasonably, they'll still last decades without needing any major overhaul work. And when they do need work, they're much, much cheaper and easier to work on/overhaul. And there's a lot larger selection of decent older gas tractors of that era (including D17's). Very few people are getting rid of diesel tractors until they're completely clapped out. But there are loads of gas tractors (including D17's) available all the time that will run dandy for years with nothing but a carb kit, distributor tune up, and possibly a fuel tank cleaning. All stuff you can do at home for less than $100. Even when they do get worn out, a rebuild on a gasser is usually a pretty cheap, routine and (comparatively) easy affair to do at home. Even if you find a diesel in great shape and it lasts 30% longer, when it does need work you'll have the extra cost of injector/injection-pump service, higher parts cost, more finicky rebuild requirements (valve protrusion & fire-ring/sleeve protrusion) requiring more advanced machine-shop work, etc.

I will concede that the D17 diesel is a pretty cool tractor. But not something I'd want myself, unless I was interested in how unique they are.

Posted By: tominMi
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 7:11am

Thank you everyone for the responses. After reading them I've changed my mind on these two tractors I considered. As suggested the D 17 gas or 170 180 series w Perkins would be a better choice. Several farms here ran with Masseys powered by Perkins and just kept on ticking for years.

Has the D-17 transmission drive system got any issues to watch for?

Posted By: ac160
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 7:48am

Watch for jumping third gear, but that would go for either diesel or gas of either model you are looking at.

What series of d17 are you looking for? The series four has slightly more modern hydraulics that the earlier ones, with a pump on the side where the belt pulley goes and the hydraulics don't stop if you hit the foot clutch. It also might have a factory 3pt hitch vs an addon one. The add-on ones are good as well. Any series of d17 would be good. What are you planning on doing with it?

On a side note I have both a 175 diesel and a d17iv gas and both have their place and are great machines.

Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 8:16am

Only the 170 and 175 are Perkins diesel engines. The 180/185's are the 301 Allis diesel engine, a much better engine family than the old Buda/Allis D-262 was. By the time the series 3 D-17's were released, that tractor, with proper care and operation was about as bullet proof as they come. Every component in the driveline was built with enough strength to perform for thousands of hours without complaint. The series 3 and 4 had the better/more robust brakes that had greater stopping power. They also had final drive gears that had been improved for strength and reliability. But, as with anything 50 or more years old, the life it has seen plays a huge part in what kind of condition it is in today. Third gear problems are, for the most part, never an issue on a D-17 because the shift lever is short and the grinding-into-gear damage is less likely. We still have my Dad's 1967 D-17 IV and it has 10,000 hrs on it. The transmission, final drives and anything in the PTO/Power Director clutch gears and bearings are still untouched. This tractor did all the plowing and discing and hay baling from 1967 til spring of 1974. All that changed after that was no more plowing and discing. It still did everything else. It has seen so much use there are literally no "diamonds" left on the clutch/brake pedals. And like I said, no repair work to anything in the driveline other than hand clutch ramps one time. Nothing else. Foot clutch replaced twice at engine OH time just because the engine was out for OH. Good luck in finding what you want.

Posted By: 8070nc
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2025 at 9:41am

I have a D17 series 4 gas. I think you would be completely satisfied with a gas D17. Itll start easier especially in cooler climates. As for power I pull a 900 series 4row cyclo planter with it. It can be a load but it will bull its way through all day long. A great all around tractor

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1984 80780
1957 D14
DES 300 with 25000 engine
616 tractor