Farm Equipment - WF Engine problems?

WF Engine problems?

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=172764
Printed Date: 28 Oct 2025 at 2:21pm
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Topic: WF Engine problems?

Posted By: fleeter allis fan
Subject: WF Engine problems?
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 11:44am

Hello All. I bought a WF about a year ago. It seemed to run well at the time, but it has been sitting in my shop pretty well untouched since. I recently had the starter rebuilt and the other day I installed the starter and put the battery in and started it up for the first time in quite a while. It started right up and runs beautifully at first. It seems that from a cold start, after it runs for maybe three or four minutes, it starts to bog down and labour. It seems like it is getting pretty hot pretty fast.

I don't really want to think about it, but it seems to me that as it warms up, something is expanding and starting to sieze. I have what appears to be good oil pressure. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for me to try, short of rebuilding the engine, which I don't really have the skills or the resorces to do right now. Thanks.

Replies:

Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 12:04pm

Radiator is full ?? Fan belt is on ?? Engine oil level is full?? Transmission oil level is full?? Clutch pedal NOT LOCKED forward ?? Start it and let it run until something happens. You might be running out of gas as it runs, and then when the fuel flow catches up it will run again until it runs out.

Posted By: fleeter allis fan
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2020 at 8:11pm

Hi. Thanks for your quick response.

Yes, oil and coolant and everything that I thought was obvious was OK. I was pretty reluctant to just let it run like you suggested. I was concerned that something was going to sieze and I might hear a big band and have parts flying around. Anyway, I figured if you are going to ask for advice, you should at least entertain any suggestions. Especially from a Doctor.

I started it up and just let it run like you suggested. I tried to keep a close watch on oil pressure and coolant temperature and I listened closely for any nasty sounds. Like I said earlier, it started up beautifully and after a couple of minutes, started to act up. It was running rough and smoking a bit around the manifold and it smelled like the paint was burning. Really not happy at all. But, it kept going and after about ten minutes, surprisingly, it seemed to come around and start running smother.

I had never considered that it might have fuel problems, but I suspect that might have been the problem. I had drained the tank and put in fresh fuel earlier, but I think I detected a couple of drops of water in the sediment bowl and there was also a fair bit of rust. Once I cleaned that out, it seems to run pretty good now. And I found oil leaking from the valve cover down onto the manifold. I think that was the cause of the smoking and the burning smell. I need a new valve cover gasket.

I have another WF adventure that I am going to post separately about. Thanks for your help.