distributor oil
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=49656
Printed Date: 20 Jul 2025 at 7:29am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.10 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: distributor oil
Posted By: memgard
Subject: distributor oil
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 9:17pm
Replies:
Posted By: memgard
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 9:20pm
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Apparently my post was not posted. My question is: What type of oil do you put in the distributor housing on a D17 tractor? Thanks
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Posted By: Chalmersbob
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 9:24pm
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I think what you are refering to is the oil fill for the engine, it is on the dist housing.
The distributor is lubricated by the oil flow through the engine.
Bob
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Posted By: memgard
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 9:32pm
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On the D17 there is a small pipe plug behind the distributor that you ad oil to the distributor gear. I have not found any mention to this anywhere. It is not the oil fill hole, that is on the valve cover. Thanks
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Posted By: DSeries4
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 10:08pm
We would need a picture of that. Distributor uses oil from the engine.
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'49 G, '54 WD45, '55 CA, '56 WD45D, '57 WD45, '58 D14, '59 D14, '60 D14, '61 D15D, '66 D15II, '66 D21II, '67 D17IV, '67 D17IVD, '67 190XTD, '73 620, '76 185, '77 175, '84 8030, '85 6080
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Posted By: Chalmersbob
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 10:24pm
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I'm not that familiar with the D17, but the same engine is in a WD45, and the oil fil is in front of the dist. The cap on the valve cover is just a vent. This may have changed on the D17. ok, looking at my service manual, I see they did move the oil fill to the valve cover, MY Mistake. They are showing an oil line going the the govenor housing from the tee in the head, but there isn't any mention of adding oil at the dist. They are showing the oil level in the dist housing the be about 1 5/8" below the bottom of the dist clamp. but no place to add oil. HOLD THE PHONE!!! FLASH!!!
Here is what you are looking for!! If you DON'T have power steering, the dist gear is lubricated by the oil from the govenor, HOWEVER if you have power steering, you must oil the dist gears by removing a pipe pulg at the top of the housing. The oil level should be at 1 5/8" below the top of the housing, (below where the clamp is), Bob
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Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 10:58pm
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Y'all should read the question asked. I noticed the dist on my 45 had a red colored oil in it. I had nothing to do with it and I've owned it since 1980. Original? I was impressed it hasn't leaked out by now.
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Posted By: 427435
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 11:28pm
Are you talking about the "grease" that is used to lube the lobes that open the points??
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Mark
B10 Allis, 917 Allis, 7116 Simplicity, 7790 Simplicity Diesel,
GTH-L Simplicity
Ignorance is curable-----stupidity is not.
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Posted By: Gerald J.
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 11:49pm
When you lift off the rotor, the shaft under it is hollow and has a felt inside. That needs several drops of oil to keep the centrifugal advance mechanism lubricated.
Gerald J.
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Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2012 at 11:49pm
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Mark,there is a threaded tapered plug in the side of the DISTRIBUTOR hsg. My 45 has a red oil in it.
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Posted By: memgard
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 6:17am
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I will try to post a picture tonight. I was changing the motor from a series III to a earlier serial # engine do to a blown motor on the series III. I was told to swap governors, but was not up for rebuilding the old one and getting it adjusted ( I think this is the cause of the blown motor). I was advised to make sure that the distributor housing had oil. He told me that this is a common oversight by people with their AC tractors. It was a dealer mechanic that told me this so I hated to call back to bother the mechanic since I had not purchased anything there for this project. I really thought this would be a easy question for someone out there.
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Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 7:24am
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I know what you are talking about -- I use a 50/50 mix of motor oil and STP in a squirt oil can , don't know if thats right but has worked for me and have been doing it for many years. I do this about every other year.
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Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 8:23am
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On D-17s with Power Steering, the distributer/P.S. pump housing behind the governor is supposed to be filled to within 1-5/8" from top of the housing with 20W oil.
The manual says to check every 30 days or 300 hrs.
There is a 1/4" pipe plug at the base of and just behind the distributer housing for checking and adding oil.
It is located in an inconvenient spot which makes the task a bit of a nuisance!
When I first acquired my D-17, this compartment was basically dry and the distributer gear was worn quite badly. Fortunately, the drive gear did not seem to be worn appreciably.
I tend to think that there are many D-17 owners who are unaware of this
little maintenance item.
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Posted By: Brian G. NY
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 8:28am
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I went back and read ALL of the posts and I guess Chalmers Bob covered all this already!
Sorry 'bout that!
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Posted By: darrel in ND
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 9:29am
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I put 80-90 in mine, after I found out about it the hard way. Don't want to give out any mis-information, but I think Dr. Allis one time said to fill it with gun grease. I hope he chimes in and either confirms that or else corrects me if I am wrong. Darrel
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Posted By: Hartland Farm
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 10:28am
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Lubrication of Delco Distributor from the manual.
This distributor has built-in lubrication in the form of porous bushings surrounded by a reservoir of oil at the distribtor shaft and drive shaft. During initial assembly of the distributor, these reservoirs are filled with Grade 20W oil. During operation of the distributor, the oil seeps thorough the bushing and provides shaft lubrication. Proper lubrication with a porous bushing depends upon a uniform seepage of oil through the porous structure of the bushing. It is very important to use only the grade of oil specified for the oil reservoirs. Under no circumstances must grease be used in the oil reservoirs. Normal refilling of the oil reservoirs is required each 200 hours of operation although more frequent refilling may be necessary when unusual heat or other operating conitions are experienced. When replacing oil plug after refilling the oil reservoirs, seal with a compound that will hold against oil.
The gear chamber of this unit is packed with No. 2 1/2 grease. Additional lubrication in this chamber should normally be required only at 500 hour intervals.
A trace of Delco-Remy Cam and Ball Bearing Lubricant should be placed on the breaker cam every 100 hours of operation. Every 100 hours also add 1 to 2 drops of light engine (10W) on the breaker lever pivot and 3 to 4 drops on the felt wick under the rotor. AVOID EXCESSIVE LUBRICATION. If too much oil is used, the excess is apt to get on the contact points and cause them to burn.
This is taken from "Delco -Remy Battery Ignition UNit Package No. 1885555 dated 8-18-1953.
Joe
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Posted By: Rawleigh
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 10:56am
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Also NEVER use detergent motor oil in anything with a felt wick or porous bushing. It will clog them up. USE ONLY NON-DETERGENT OIL!!
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Posted By: Gerald J.
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 1:00pm
My experience with non detergent oil in bushings and wicks showed it oxidized into glue in 6 months. Which is why teletypes needed cleaning and oiling that often. Going to detergent oil they didn't gum up in several years.
Gerald J.
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Posted By: Orange Blood
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 2:58pm
Use engine oil, as bob pointed out, this only applies to units with the governor driven Power Steering. The oil only lubes the drive and driven gear of the dist.
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Still in use:
HD7 WC C CA WD 2-WD45 WD45LP WD45D D14 3-D17 D17LP 2-D19D D19LP 190XTD 190XTLP 720 D21 220 7020 7030 7040 7045 3-7060
Projects: 3-U UC 2-G 2-B 2-C CA 7-WC RC WDLP WF D14 D21 210 7045 N7
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Posted By: memgard
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2012 at 4:32pm
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Thanks for the great information. I did receive the answer that I needed. I will add some 20w oil. This is a really great message board. Darrin
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