Archive through August 03, 2009

[aschumacher]

A few days back Brendan B. showed how he adapted an electric drill to be Cub compatable. Someone else mentioned that they were going to cut off the plug on a device and add clips. I made this little adapter to fit both worlds, and it lets me use my 12v air pump on my Cub and car.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Allen, I built a "lighter socket to alligator clip" adapter/extension about 25 years ago to use with a work light. I still carry it in my truck, I had to go dig it out for a photo.

 

[rwilke]

Bruce N.,
I hear your caution about smashing the gears and getting pieces everywhere.

Brendan B.,
Last night, I remembered I have a "blown up" K301 in a pail in a box in the corner; so I dragged it out to inspect it with my new-to-me knowledge. Sure enough - it had the lower balance gear blow up and it took out the upper balance gear teeth, broke the connecting rod, messed up the crank journal, and punched a hole through the aluminum oil pan! Closer inspection indicates to me that the upper gear probably could be left in, but it would still be there to spin via the crank gear. Now maybe the upper gear isn't the one prone to exploding - I don't know. I think if I was that close, I'd remove it - just to be safe. I can see, however, that I would have to get a long-reach, right angle C-clip tool, as my C-clip tool doesn't have a long enough reach to get to it to remove it.

Dennis F.,
I believe your thoughts are correct regarding the dipstick placement serving as a sign to determine whether or not the engine has balance gears. Reason being, when the dipstick is located at the top of the block on the RH side, it passes the dipstick right through the space where the gears would need to be. So, NO balance gears if you have a dipstick located on the top of the block. Now if you have a dipstick on the LH side, near the cam cover, this would allow for balance gears to be inside the block, so they may or may not be inside.

Now back to my engine I was worried about when I first posted this question: Sure enough, it (Serial# C062929, Model# K301AS, Spec# 47138B, riveted plate, dipstick on top of block) did NOT have the balance gears inside!! Yaaah!

So, a good cleaning of the inside of the oil pan, a new oil pan gasket with a touch of never-seize on both sides and the pan was replaced. A touch of blue loctite on the four cleaned attaching bolts and torqued in a X sequence to 40ft#s, and now all is well in the neighborhood!

Thanks to EVERYONE that provided some input, advice, thoughts and ideas!

Have I said lately just how this is a GREAT cub site?!

Ryan Wilke

 

[rwilke]

Fellas,

Regarding the magnets, somewhere I came across some magnets that were about the size of a nickel and pretty strong. I just put them on the bottom of my drain plugs. I remove them just before I loosen the plug to drain the oil, then replace the magnet when I replace the plug..... It makes me feel a tad safer!
Ryan Wilke

 

[mgonitzke]

Kendell-

Yep...

Mike L.-

I'm just trying to fix it up. I probably won't keep it...QLs aren't my thing.

Allen/Kendell/Ryan-

I used some black RTV to affix one of those neodymium magnets to the oil plug on my 100. You don't have to glue it on if the tractor has an aluminum oil pan. The local hardware store near me has a bunch of them in various sizes. I've put them on a couple of engines and I think my dad put one on the drain plug on the trans in his Farmall B.

 

[bjrainey]

I bought a magnetic oil pan drain plug from Kirk Engines last winter. For those looking for one.
I just checked, and they still list them at $3.00 plus 1.50 shipping

 

[dross]

Ryan, last may I helped rebuild a 12 horse in a 100. It had the right hand dip stick tube but also the cam gear dip stick. It had the balance gears. when you pull out the long dip stick it's real short and had "check other dipstick" or something like that, stamped on it. I just never put it together with the balance before.

 

[tstewart]

Simple (stupid? lol) question for you all, just got a new grease gun since after the move last year I have not had the ability to unpack hardly any of my tools (and I only had a mini one anyhow). I know there are three grease fittings on the deck, how do you know when they are sufficiently packed with grease? Do you have to have the deck up in the air and see grease coming out of something? I gave each fitting a dozen pumps and called it good enough for now. Also, is there any other grease fittings on the tractor? (I have a 129 and 1000).

One more Q... do you all take your blades off to sharpen them or can you just use a dremel with a stone bit while they're still on the deck? I've never sharpened mower blades before and they seemed ok to the touch but figured I'd try sharpening them since its becoming a pain to mow in 1st gear every time I let it go for more than week! Otherwise it leaves quite a bit uncut. Maybe I'll look more into that speed up pulley trick too. Right now mowing with my 1000 and 44a deck.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tristan, another good reason to have a manual...

 

[kmcconaughey]