Allis Chalmers B only Runs On Two Cylinders
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=55631
Printed Date: 10 Aug 2025 at 4:23pm
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Topic: Allis Chalmers B only Runs On Two Cylinders
Posted By: SS_Skippy
Subject: Allis Chalmers B only Runs On Two Cylinders
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 12:10pm
| Hello I am new to this site and this problem has me stumped. My uncle brought up a B for me to work on and I got it to run by cleaning and rebuilding the carb. When it was running it did not sound quite right so when it was running I took off each plug wire one at a time starting at the radiator. The one closet to the radiator is firing and so is the one closest to the drivers seat. The two in the middle will not fire. Those two both have spark, and are both getting fuel. I also cleaned up the points and set the timing. Any ideas? (This tractor has the magneto and is electric start.) THANKS |
Replies:
Posted By: Redwood
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 12:15pm
| To hit the easy to eliminate suggestions did you recheck the firing order and spark plug firing gaps? |
Posted By: Ted in NE-OH
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 12:19pm
You probably have the two wires interchanged. Remember the firing order is 1243.
------------- CA, WD, C, 3 Bs, 2 Gs, WC, I-400, 914 |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 12:35pm
|
Easiest thing to check first is to switch the wires on 2 and 3 around.
------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Kip-Utah
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 12:37pm
|
Paint it Green & tell everyone it's a JD B!! ------------- HANSEN'S OLD ORANGE IRON. Showing, Pulling, & Going!! |
I'll bet you have the plug wires in the wrong order. However you should still get spark from those other two cylinders just at the wrong time. Has it had water in it & then pull started? Could be bent or broken push rods. 2 & 3 cylinders are most prone to taking on outside water.
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 2:32pm
|
I crossed the wires on one of my "first" service calls. Fortunately, the master was at hand and corrected it quickly. Can't have my favorite not running right. Welcome to the forum. Let us know how it goes. Good Luck! Bill Long |
Posted By: SS_Skippy
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 4:34pm
| At first I did have the wires in the "correct" order on the cap and plugs, then I went out and started switching wires around and got it to fire on all four cylinders. Don't ask what I did because it is not in the correct order. I am going to get some new plugs and wires but right now it sounds pretty good. Thanks for all the help. |
Posted By: Dick L
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 5:41pm
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Posted By: Richard
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 5:50pm
| I once worked on my WD-45 when it wasn't running on all 4 cylinders. I 1st checked to make sure the plugs were firing but I did it with the plugs out so I could watch for spark - they all fired. And they all looked good. After replacing the points, condenser, rotor, distributor cap, plug wires, I finally replaced the spark plugs. Engine ran fine after that. A mechanic later told me the plugs were not firing under pressure. |
Posted By: Dusty MI
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 7:11pm
|
Perhaps the head gasket is blown between 2 & 3 cylinders. I had a 149 cu in that didn't sound right. If I pulled the plug wire off #1 you could hear it miss. When I pulled the wires off #2 or #3 nothing would change. When I pulled #4 you could here it miss. Then I pulled the wires off #2 & # 3 at the same time then both would miss. I then pulled the head and the new head gasket had blown between #2 & #3. Dusty ------------- 917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express" |
Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 7:51pm
|
The Allis four-cylinder engines have a firing order which is somewhat opposite of most of the world... and it's not always apparent which towers on the cap of a magneto go to which plugs... because some moron (like me) would, rather than take the time to remove the cap and rotate the rotor to the proper plug, just slap it on, figure out which one matched which cylinder, and let 'er rip... and leave the next guy to figure out what happened. But no matter- they'll work regardless... just so that they fire in the right ORDER. Obviously, since you swapped the wires, and it came to life, the problem was that firing order was switched. Perhaps it's because the rotor was assumed to turn in one direction, rather than the other... and with mags, that's not unusual. Anyway... I went through this routine with a great big Hercules JXLD... 331ci inline six, the engine's oilpan holds 37 quarts, and the radiator is 38" wide and 45" tall... and has a 24v starting motor, which I decided not to use, because it had a perfectly good hand crank... But I had a situation where the magneto decided to go on strike. It was due for a rehab, so I took it in to my hero John Boyens, who gave it a meticulous work-over... and I finally got it reinstalled on the big Herkey... totally ignored the rotor position, because no matter WHERE you look on this monster, the firing order is NOT indicated... instead, I just took out all the plugs, left 'em hooked to wires, and set 'em on the head. Put one plug in #1, and turned the crank 'till I had compression... then slowly went past the CLACK, and look-see'd which one sparked. Then I swapped wires so that one landed on 1. Then moved my plug to #2, repeated... then 3, repeated, then 4,5,and 6. Put in all plugs, turned on the fuel, gave it a snort of ether (it'd been a while, and stepped on the crank through three clacks, and it started right up. I love magnetos... never hafta worry about a dead battery... |
Posted By: j.w.freck
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 8:48pm
| had that happen on a b after getting the mag.overhauled.the slot on the impulse was straight up and down.some one had jake rigged the mag drive gear.retimed it ,ran ok |
Posted By: SS_Skippy
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 9:11pm
|
The way mine is set up is number 1 post on the cap actually goes to cylinder #4 and number 4 goes to cylinder #1. I know on my farmall H that both 1 and 4 are on compression stroke at the same time so maybe this is the same. When I tore apart the magneto I made sure that the gears were matched up. My magneto has the condenser on the right so I put the teeth in the C tooth. Will get some new wires and plugs but I think it sounds pretty good as it is. I can now take off in third if I am careful an at a fast idle. It sounds a lot like this tractor on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-DXSffkA_U Thanks for all the help I will try and take some pics of it tomorrow. And I am sure I will have more questions. |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2012 at 9:35pm
If it sounds as good as the one in the video, I wouldn't try to fix anything on it
------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: SS_Skippy
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2012 at 9:23pm
| Went to go take pictures and the camera was dead maybe tomorrow, does anyone know what plugs to use in this? Thanks |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2012 at 9:27pm
|
AC45 or Autolite 295
------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2012 at 9:33pm
|
I get better reports on the auto lite 295. In fact, our electrical expert, SteveNJ suggests Auto Lite only. Glad to hear my favorite is running well again. Good Luck! Bill Long |
Posted By: CAdon
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2012 at 9:38pm
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hahaha dontya just love dick l's "thousand words" posting above. he always seems to go straight to the heart of the matter. "here's the answer and that's that!". thanks dick! ------------- 52 CA, 41 B and a little B1 oh, yeah... and an 8N ford snuck in there, too. |
Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2012 at 9:57pm
|
Just think... 25 years ago, that'd involve a roll of film, two trips to the photo processing shop, an envelope, a stamp, and about six weeks... I love it when modern technology can be used to share OLD TECH. I just wish my cellphone had a magneto, rather'n a battery... |
Posted By: SS_Skippy
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2012 at 9:47pm
Here are the pics finally, oh yea I forgot it has a front end loader. Needs new cylinders for the bucket. Still haven't gotten the OK to get the new plugs and wires and it will also need a new sediment bowl.     |