WD45 suddenly seized up
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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=56882
Printed Date: 20 Jul 2025 at 7:28am
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Topic: WD45 suddenly seized up
Posted By: Toons
Subject: WD45 suddenly seized up
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2012 at 10:04pm
We have a WD45 from the 1950's. It's been a couple of years since it has been started. Today, my elderly father was putting some oil into the cylinders and using the hand crank to turn the engine. The crank case is properly filled with oil (and has been kept so for the duration of storage), but he was trying to protect the pistons/cylinders by getting some oil onto the top side of them. It was turning ok to start with, but as he finished up the last cylinder, suddenly it seized up and would no longer turn. We tried putting the tractor in and out of gear, turning the crank with and without the clutch depressed... no luck. It won't budge. Any suggestions? We're considering rolling it down a hill or hooking up a battery and maybe trying to actually start the engine, but are concerned that might do more damage.
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Replies:
Posted By: MNLonnie
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2012 at 10:13pm
Here is a wild guess. Could it be that a cylinder hydro locked from too much oil on top of a piston? Would only happen if the spark plugs were in while you were turning it over. Just a thought.
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Waukesha B, B, IB, G, styled WF, D15, 615 backhoe, 2-Oliver OC3's, 4 Ford Model T's, 3 Model A Fords, AV8 Coupe, AV8 Roadster, 1933 Ford Wrecker
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Posted By: Chalmersbob
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2012 at 10:33pm
Take out the spark plugs and turn it over. As stated, you may have put too much oil in a cylinder. LOL Bob
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4 B's, 1 C's,3 CA's, 2 G's WD, D14, D15, B-1, B10, B12, 712S,
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Posted By: DanD
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2012 at 11:44pm
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Did you try turning the engine the other way? My WC once did this when a valve was stuck and didn't want to move. Was able to easily fix by just removing the valve cover and using some oil and persuasion with a vise grip. If I had forced it, would have had a broken rocker arm or bent push rod.
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Posted By: dave63
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 6:46am
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Sounds like you may have a stuck valve. Forcing it could break it. You should take the valve cover off and check the valves first. I had a mouse nest in a cylinder one time. They don't compress all the way.
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The universal answer to all questions is yes, how much do you want to spend?
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Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 7:13am
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Im going with the stuck valve idea, as said try to carefully turn it the other way and if you can then take rocker arm cover off and look at valves. To your credit and your Dad's oiling the cylinders and turning every so often is something most people don't do.
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Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 10:09am
I agree with the other suggestions- pull the plugs, see if oil comes out and allows it to turn, if not, pull the four valve cover nuts, lift the valve cover, and see which rockers have force on them... put a wood block on each valve and give it a thump with a rubber mallet... if it thumps down, but doesn't come back up, it's got a sticky guide. Some spray penetrant and a couple'a thumps will usually clear it.
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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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Posted By: RichinWis
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 11:13am
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I don't know about the WD45 but my Dad and also a good friend that have had CE engines that were turning and stopped turning and we found we could turn them backwards and then they would stop that way too, took the head off the one and all it was that was in there was some pieces of carbon we cleaned it out put on a new head gasket and everything was fine. Friend took a small wire to his and dragged the carbon out of the spark plug hole and his was fixed too. Sure glad we didn't force it and broke something.
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Posted By: Thad in AR.
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 6:10pm
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Does it by chance have a mag? It could be an impulse dog/spring in the mag. I had it happen on a C once. One hit of the starter sheared 3 teeth off the cam gear.
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Posted By: AllisChalmers37
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2012 at 6:49pm
My WC done about the same thing. Come to find out one of the governor weights decided to let go and lodge itself in the timing gears. Locked her up solid. If nothing else works you can try that.
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1937 WC, 1950 CA, 1959 D14, 1967 190XT, 2006 Ram 3500
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