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Problems with the Oliver Waukesha engines?

C

chas036

Member
I am in the market for an Oliver 1850 or 1750 , and I read a lot about people saying to stay away from the Waukesha gas engines because they are prone to problems. Is this really true, and did Oliver have some inherent design problems with the gas engines, or was it more due to operator problems because of poor maintenance or abuse?

What about the Waukesha diesel engines, were they a good engine , or were they prone to problems too?

I know that everyone says that the 1850 with the Perkins engine was the best Oliver ever made.
 
The Waukesha engines were very dependable engines. Some 310 had problems but should have all been updated.
 
Used to have a 1750 with the diesel in it. I thought it was a good tractor. Never really had any problems with it. Had it on a dyno once and it was putting out 97 hp. Pulled a 5 bottom IH 700 plow with it in hill ground.
 
The only thing wrong with the 1750 and 1850 gas was the fuel consumption. The biggest problem with the 310 diesel was that they had a two piece wrist pin bushing that tended to get mashed out the sides and that they needed an oil cooler and a deeper oil pan.
 
Was the 1755 diesel a better tractor then the 1750 diesel? I read that they changed the PTO clutch from mechanical to hydraulic. Is this better or worse?
 
From the the late 60's thru early 80's our "big" tractor was an 1850 gas. Aside from its thirst for fuel it was a great tractor.

The Wauk engine was bullet-proof - with 2 rebuilds it did 8,000+ of HARD work. And my son still uses it today for snow blowing/plowing.

Key longevity is to keep it maintained - regular oil and filter changes, don't allow it to overheat, etc. (An uncle who owned a 1750 - same basic Wauk engine at the 1850 - and who neglected maintenance managed to destroy TWO engines over the (short) life of his tractor.)
 
They were both hydraulic clutch. The 1600 to 1650 changed from mechanical to hydraulic. They both 17s used the same 310 diesel engine. If they were overhauled and updated to the one piece wrist pin bushing and harder rod bolts,they were an excellent engine. I don't know that an oil cooler and deeper pan were as essential on the 17xx tractors as it was on the 1855 and 1955. The 18s and 19s had a turbo and the 17s didn't.
 
My first farm tractor was an 1850 gas. Just an awesome tractor but loved the gas. Still have it and working on it this summer a little to be my full time bush hog tractor. I remember I was young when I bought it for $4500 and thinking, why does this have fender tanks too? Oh I found out the first day!
 
All xx00 and xx50 series tractors were mechanically engaged PTO with dual or multiple plates. The 1555, 1655, and 2-70 were also mechanically engaged. The 1755,1855,1955,2255, G955, G1355, were engaged with a hydraulically engaged piston, as well as Charles city built Whites except the 2-70. The American 60 and 80 where when the basic 1655/2-70 chassis got hydraulic PTO.
 
When you say the love the gas, like how much? My JD 730 will go through 5 gallons of gas an hour pulling a 3 bottom plow or a 10ft disk. Would an 1850 use more?
 
(quoted from post at 02:56:41 04/30/18) All xx00 and xx50 series tractors were mechanically engaged PTO with dual or multiple plates. The 1555, 1655, and 2-70 were also mechanically engaged. The 1755,1855,1955,2255, G955, G1355, were engaged with a hydraulically engaged piston.
Click to expand...

Are the hydraulic PTO clutches more prone to problems then the mechanical ones? Are the more difficult to work on also?
 
Yep,I got thinking about that after I posted it. Wet clutch but mechanically engaged vs wet clutch hydraulically engaged. My mistake.
 
Any time you add another layer of mechanic devices you increase your chances of more problems,can't really see the reason for a hydraulic PTO engagement on Olivers as they are
easy to engage mechanically.
 
Not going to say they're prone to problems because they're not,but now and then you'll hear of one leaking hydraulic oil through the valve and in to the rear end. They're more likely to pop on rough ground too. I had it happen last week while I was spreading fertilizer. The better hydraulics and brakes on the 1755 more than make up for any "possible" problems with the hydraulic PTO.
 
Chas036, Not really on topic but I thought 2 cylinder tractors were easy on fuel, gas or diesel. Most any FARMALL M will pull 3-14's or a 10 ft disk buried to the spools up to 5 mph on three gallons of gas an hour. A 450 Farmall gas will pull 4-14's or a 12-13 ft disk on 5 gallons of gas per hour. I spent WAT TOO many hours of my youth proving that day after day after day.

Back on topic, My best buddy in HS's Dad used a 1650 & 1850 gasoline for about everything cultivating and harvesting potatoes. Then they bought a 1755 diesel, it went on the potato harvester and was used on it ever after. No more hauling gas to the 1850 in 5 gallon cans after the first load of spuds was unloaded. It was just a tic slower than the 1850 with the 2 row harvester, maybe take 2-3 minutes longer to load a truck, but faster than the 1850 if you added the time to dump in 5 gallons of gas every load.
 
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