[AT] It runs! Cub won't run update

Dean VP deanvp at att.net
Thu Aug 22 13:56:31 PDT 2013


Congratulations.  You beat it into submission!  :-)

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA

A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don't have one, you'll never need one
again.


-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]
On Behalf Of Greg Hass
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2013 1:37 PM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: [AT] It runs! Cub won't run update

First, I would like to thank everyone who replied to my problem with many good ideas. In
this case, however, it was John Halls idea of checking the spark at the magneto with the
cover off that got me on the way, although I also checked everyone else's over as well. In
my case, I never saw so many twists and turns to a problem. It all started when I went to
start my cub, which had ran fine when parked 3 weeks earlier.
When it won't start, I first checked the gas, which happened to be empty. When I put gas
in it ran on my feet because the gas line, not steel, had split. After putting on a new
hose it still wouldn't start. I then towed it to the shop and removed the distributor cap
and wiped it clean and shined up the terminals, still nothing. Next I removed the mag to
file and set the points, noticed the impulse didn't seem smooth so I squirted wd-40 into
the impulse and it took almost a whole can before it stopped flushing out rust. Lightly
oiled impulse and reinstalled. Tried to start and only got a few loud backfires. Seemed
strange so started checking things out. Seems some sob mixed up every single plug wire. I
can't prove it but during the 3 weeks it was parked I had a crew of 5 putting a new roof
on the building the cub was stored in. 3 of them had done work here before
   but 2 were new. I suppose someone else could have come in but seems unlikely. Corrected
the wires and got it to fire once or twice on 1 cylinder. Put in new plugs as I had never
changed them in the years I owned it. Still nothing, so I got new points and condenser;
got some spark at the coil but no fire at plugs. Back to town for a new distributor cap
which didn't help. The first time I retimed the mag, I didn't notice the rotor hook the
distributor clip and it wedged reel tight and I though maybe I had bent something ( the
rotor on the cub mag is driven by a small shaft which turns gear teeth molded into the rim
of the rotor) so I had taken the end of a mag I had gotten of a cub power unit and
replaced mine. When I couldn't get spark with the new cap I started looking around and by
holding the old cap to the mag I discovered someone must have messed with it because when
the points fired the rotor was between plugs. Off came the mag again and I put the
original rotor unit on. I now had some fire to the plugs but only an occasional pop. It
was now 5:03 and I was pi$$ed. I called the dealer to see how long they were open and they
said 5:30 so I said I'd be right there. I bought a 12 volt coil with internal resistor and
was home by 6.
By 8PM I had the coil on and was ready to test. I had not installed a switch so held the
power wire to the starter terminal with vise grips.
Pulled the starter rod and it fired up on the second cylinder and purred like a kitten.
The next day I installed a 2 terminal switch to replace the kill switch. It now runs
great. In the end it appears the problem was the mag coil but why everything else at the
same time is a mystery.
Cost to change, coil $14.50; push pull switch from case-ih $23.95. Total time fooling
around, over 20 hours over a weeks time, 5 trips to the ih dealer (I,m only 3 miles away)
and removing the mag 10 times; easier for me than working on it in the tractor, plus an
unknown amount of headache medicine.
                Greg Hass
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