Coolant leak, WD45
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=154156
Printed Date: 23 Aug 2025 at 3:37pm
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Topic: Coolant leak, WD45
Posted By: NDBirdman
Subject: Coolant leak, WD45
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 1:45pm
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Every time I put coolant in the radiator, it leaks out the bolts on the thermostat housing. I ordered a new housing, put it on and it leaks worse than the old one from the bolt holes (yes, bolts in/tightened). New gasket, no difference, new gasket and RTV, no difference, leaks out as fast as I pour it in. Any suggestions? Yup, hose is tight, not coming from there but out 2 bolt holes. ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Replies:
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 1:47pm
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Also, eng. rebuilt, I put in a good starter and it will barely turn over. With spark plugs out, it spins like a top. Is this normal for a fresh eng? I would love to fire this thing up but won't spin fast enough to fire. ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 2:06pm
| The head bolt holes ??????????????????? Clean it up good and don't use any gasket. Use good quality RTV silicone and let it dry overnite before adding coolant. I imagine your choice of pistons/sleeves are overbore size and higher compression than 120 lbs and 6 volts won't wing it over. |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 2:14pm
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It is pouring out 2 of the 3 holes that bolts the upper thermostat holes, not the head bolt holes. The housing with the bypass outlet. Sleeves/piston are 4 1/8, dished. Did not go for higher compression set up. The starter in it spins my WD like it should, it is set up as 12v. Pulled it out of the WD to use in the 45. 12v. battery connected with a 30 amp charger on it when I try to spin her. ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 2:24pm
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Well the good news if there is any is that you know where the problem is with the leak. Humm. I guess take it apart again and look for anything out of the ordinary. Flat surfaces? something holding it open? hair line cracks? Wouldnt think you would have the same problem with the new part?? Can you post a picture? You never know it might help us help you? Try taking the thermostat out and see if it seals? Cant remember are those tapped all the way thru? Maybe too long of bolts? Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 2:26pm
This is the leaking bolt holes, the lower one leaking like I am just pouring it out of the jug, upper one leaks slower. This round, it is a new gasket with RTV, no thermostat. I used the cleaned original housing this round as the new one leaked worse than this one. Did not see any cracks in either one and I let the RTV dry for 3 days this time.
------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 2:55pm
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Looks like your doing all the things that I thought of? Cant think of much else to try but there is a reason that its leaking. You just havent found it yet. Is the lower housing in the area of the threaded holes suspect? Is the leak at the head or at the thread end? Seems to me it has to be a crack in the lower housing at both these threaded holes. What if you just bolted a flat plate on with the same pattern? Grasping at straws at this point. I would call Don(MO) Thats what I do in cases like this!:) Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 3:04pm
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The leak pours out of the bolt head, not the bottom thread area. I wish I had another lower housing to try but could not find one on the parts supply sites. The one off the parts tractor is in very bad shape but when the rain stops, I may run to the shed and dig it out, if it has not already gone bye-bye. ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 5:44pm
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I'm thinking the leak might be coming out of the top hose and running down the housing making it look the it's the housing leaking, you might try moving the top hose clamp down to about 1/4" of the end of hose and retighten the clamp. Clean the paint off the housing where the hose fit's too. ------------- 3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep. |
Posted By: Leonard
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2018 at 11:56pm
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NDBirdman, I'm with Don Mo, loosen the hose clamp and move it closer to the base of the hose. From your photo it looks to me that the clamp is too high on the thermostat housing and not sealing the hose. Leonard
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Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 7:36am
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Humm, He says the hose is tight and not coming from there, in original post? Not a bad idea to check it again for the fifth time. But this is a strange one. Hope he is ok. Got to get this solved so he can start that new overhauled engine! We need more pictures!:) Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:22am
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If it still leaks after three days I would remove the upper housing and put a straight edge across it and the lower housing to be sure they are not warped. ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:48am
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I feel kinda silly at what we found. Had a friend/second set of eyes take a look while I poured in some coolant. Again, it appeared to pour out of the bolt holes. Removed, cleaned it and a *good* set of eyes found a tiny pin hole in the housing right by each bolt head. It sure looked like it was coming from them. So, the old housing is in the trash can now. The bolt is close to the housing, I wonder if I did it trying to use a socket to put bolts in. Live and learn. Now to figure out how to put the new housing on without causing a leak. Sometimes, I just need to walk away and get... un-frustrated... LOL. Up next, figure out why, with spark plugs in, it won't spin the engine. ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 12:59pm
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Happy you found the trouble. I use a 1/4" drive 12 point 7/16" socket when working on them. ------------- 3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep. |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 3:38pm
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Glad you found it. That second set of eyes is a great suggestion. Well done! Now on to the engine starting. Again several experts on here that see lots of overhauled engines start for the first time. Something is not quite right. My guess as you explain it would be to look at the battery, the connections to the ground and the starter and then at the starter. Withe 12 volt it should roll these engine over pretty well. Your almost there! Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 7:39pm
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With the spark plugs in... turn the engine over by hand (with crank). If you feel it come to an abrupt stop, it's interference... and there's really only two things that'd do it in the top end- contact with spark plug, and contact with valve. In bottom, it could be a rod bolt hitting something, but there's LOTS of room in that pan... nothing on the sides that I can think of. If it comes to a 'cushioned' stop, it's due to compression. Of course, a newly rebuilt engine will have lots, and it'll have some drag from not being 'broken in'... but you SHOULd be able to cross TDC with hand crank. If you can't... re-check your sales receipts and dimensions, and make sure you didn't get wrong pistons or something... 12:1 compression was NOT a factory option for a WD45...  ------------- Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest. |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 8:50pm
Sounds like it turns completely over, so it will probably run with a few rev of the engine. Your choice of pistons sound similar to what I was thinking of, which should be 7+ to 1 compression ratio? Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
NDBirdman wrote:Posted By: Pete from IL
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:10pm
| If your timing is advanced too far it will buck against the starter. Don't know if I would want to be cranking by hand in that case. |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 1:33pm
I will check it by hand this week when I get a chance. There's no juice to the coil yet so it can't be from timing. I do want to say, there is no way in hay-deees will I ever grab a crank on these things again... LOL, I got hurt twice trying that with my WD... way too much of a fear factor for me now. I will probably pull the plugs out again and run a compression check, have not done that yet. Probably should, it might explain why it does not want to turn over easily. No plugs in her and she spins easily, not hitting anything. Must say I'm learning a lot from this rebuild. I am having fun! ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 2:57pm
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I hope this is not the trouble but here go's, if you still have one of the boxes the new pistons came in check with your parts supplier or post the part number, the pistons might be for a WD and not for your WD45. If they are for a WD (201 not 226) that will make it pumping around 11 to 1 or higher. ------------- 3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep. |
Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 4:55pm
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Don't have box they came in but they are not high compression. I fixed the starter, new battery, new gnd/pos. cable, cleaned starter inside/out, cleaned grease (?) from starter/mount and it spun like a top. Compression test, cylinders are 127, 125, 124, 124. Would have been happier if all 4 the same but close enough to not worry. Cleaned/installed therm housing, got tired, will put fluid in for leak test sometime this week. Got lots to do, getting towards freezing this week. Still need to winterize camper. Never ends! ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2018 at 5:02pm
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Great news! We need pictures! Dang I forgot I need to winterize the camper too! Sounds close enough on the compression numbers. But I am not a expert. Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: Allis dave
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 9:00am
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"Not high compression" pistons isn't what Don is talking about. A high compression piston is relative to a lot of things. A WD crank has a shorter stroke than a WD45. The WD piston is "taller" to get to a reasonable low compression. I think maybe 6:1 or 6.5:1, can't remember. A WD45 crank has a longer stroke and a shorter piston to get from the factory a 6.5:1 compression ratio. So a low compression piston in a WD, when hooked to a WD45 crank will give you really high compression. Your compression test will tell you that.
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Posted By: NDBirdman
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 2:24pm
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Ok, fired her up today!! WOOOHOO!!!!! First try, had distrib. 180 out. Quick fix, she fired right up. Purtiest sound I have heard in a long time. Even did a 14 second vid. of it. Can't get the video to load to save my life... oh-well... she lives! Bout 5 minutes into run time, she gives me a bath in coolant... can't win for loosing... LOL This time fluid poured out overflow tube, right into fan and guess who got a shower... oh-well, another day another 5 cents. Always something... LOL In celebration, I poured myself a Honey-Rye Cream Ale (homebrew) and fried up a couple venison hamburger sammys! Time to pour another! ------------- 1955 WD45 S#205467, 190XT #6652 DXT |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2018 at 7:30pm
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Birdman, Your celebration was well deserved! Congrats! Regards, Chris ------------- D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet. |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 27 Sep 2018 at 7:19am
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That is GREAT NEWS!! Who'd a thunk about it being 180 out....now if I can only REMEMBER for the next time this crops up! Specially if it's ME doing it.... ------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |