D-17 Gas or Diesel
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=170094
Printed Date: 23 Aug 2025 at 6:31pm
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Topic: D-17 Gas or Diesel
Posted By: 72AC200
Subject: D-17 Gas or Diesel
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2020 at 2:08pm
| Which one would you buy and the reason why? (if you don't mind me asking) friend of mine owns a gas and Diesel they're both the same year both around the same hours everything is pretty much the same on them the only difference is one's a gas and other is a diesel. both run good to. I plan on putting this one to work with a 6 row cultivator and maybe a couple of other things to. he offered to let me buy one of them off of him. I was curious which one you guys would choose. Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: DSeries4
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2020 at 8:59pm
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I love the sound and fuel economy of the diesel, but if you need to rebuild it, it will cost a small fortune. Not a cheap and easy rebuild. ------------- '49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '63 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080 |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2020 at 9:18pm
| Agree For what you’ll be doing the gas tractor is plenty and a fraction of the price to rebuild if ever necessary |
Posted By: Stan IL&TN
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 6:24am
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Go with gas if it is going to e used during the winter. ------------- 1957 WD45 dad's first AC 1968 one-seventy 1956 F40 Ferguson |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 6:39am
|
Gas definitely, the diesel is great for collecting and more valuable for that reason but there are certain things that have to be done each time you use it or it will give engine troubles and even then it can be a problem at some point. If you really are fussy with them they can be alright......When I worked at the Allis dealership the older mechanics there told me that they had lots of trouble with those engines and they had one particular farmer that had purchased two D17 diesels and he had constant problems with the cylinder heads..... I don't remember the specifics but he traded them both in. They got sold and one farmer had bought one of those D17's but he never had trouble with it like the previous owner. His trick was to never shut it off after working it. Instead he would let it idle until after he finished chores and in the winter he would cover the engine with a horse blanket after shutting it off. He did that religiously. IMO that engine, no matter how you treat it, will always have the problem of sinking sleeves. I'm not sure if anyone on this forum has the cure for that.... that's the biggest problem with those engines as far as I know. Saying that, I've never owned one or ever worked on one. ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 7:00am
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Gas.......and I know NOTHING about D-17s. What I do KNOW is that ANY diesel will cost 2 arms, a leg AND the 'family jewels' to rebuild. Was quoted 5K to rebuild the Buda 4BD153 in my AC forklift...that didn't include removing it either ! ------------- 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: HD6GTOM
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 2:34pm
| I bought a series 4 diesel back in the 1970's. It was the most reliable tractor I have owned. It was putting out 70 hp on the Dyno. With 15wx40 oil and a 1500 watt circulating block heater, I had no trouble starting it in the winter. I am no longer able to farm so I sold It back to the original owners son last fall. I grew up on a series 1 gas. It was also a very reliable unit. I always wished AC had built them with a differential lock. Wide front and a factory 3 point is a big +. |
Posted By: Dandan111
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 2:53pm
Gas is cheaper diesel is cooler. Uh, guess that didn't help. I like them both. 
|
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 3:49pm
| Best choice ?? a D-17 with the 433-T 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine !! |
Posted By: Sugarmaker
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 6:50pm
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I like my D17 series I, gas version. Has been very dependable for the short time I have owned it. 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: Calvin Schmidt
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2020 at 7:00pm
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I've had a D-17 IV diesel for 25 years with no trouble. I treat it gently, warm it up, cool it down, etc. Yes diesel is cooler but for practical use, I'd advise you to buy the gas. ------------- Nothing is impossible if it is properly financed |
Posted By: Keith M
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2020 at 12:07am
| A D-17 diesel 6 cylinder engine was the first tractor I owned. I never babied it like some are talking abouit always started easy even in dead of winter. Last year the power director went out and just haven’t had the time to get it in the shop I love my diesel but the majority are saying gas so I’d go with the gas I believe. t |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2020 at 6:46am
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I'm speaking from a Minnesota point of view, mind you, where winters can entail weeks of below zero weather in a single stretch and from the view point of growing up on a dairy farm where our D17 (gas) had to start and run every day no matter the temps and be reliable, which it was. The same doesn't apply to other areas and a D17 diesel may work out fine...... I guess. ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2020 at 6:46am
 ------------- -- --- .... .- -- -- .- -.. / .-- .- ... / .- / -- ..- .-. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. / .-. .- .--. .. ... - Wink I am a Russian Bot |
DrAllis wrote: