Archive through January 13, 2012

[hydroharry]

Ken F - if you have the muffler that doesn't go thru the grill screen, then it really shouldn't cause a heat issue on the thrower. Mine went thru the screen about 1", and the exhaust would leave a black film on the thrower shute, but I still never had an issue. In my view, it's a single stage thrower - so if it's not throwing the snow far enough you need to push up the speed of the tractor. You really have to fill up the housing so that auger has to really "throw" the snow out. Going to slow and it will just fall over the end of the thrower. The only way you'll know if you are going to fast is if the thrower bogs down the engine. Anything in between is perfect throwing.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die
(and they love throwing snow)

 

[nmercer]

Well I checked out the points and they are a little burnt but nothing that a points file wont fix. the thing I did notice when I turned the engine over by hand just for the heck of it was that the small hardened steel pin that opens the points is barely even moving the points at all. How much should this thing move outwards to open the points?, anyone know?... I cant find anything in the manual on it. The only other info I can find on it is on the engine itself and is as, sn 7174558 model #k301AQS spec #47541D. Neil

 

[kfreeman]

Neil,

The rod has to allow the points to close most of the time and then raise enough to open the points 0.020" at the top of the cam lobe. So, its not going to move much. Are the points opening and closing when you turn the engine by hand? The best way to tell would be to put a ohm meter on it, but you can probably tell by eye.

I had a set of points to arc across the gap, shorted out, and of course it had no spark. It took me a little while to find it.

 

[jchamberlin]

Ken: Here is what came on my 149 exhaust pipe; we laughed at it, but I guess it serves a purpose.

(My grand-daughter picked the "happy" emoticon.)

 

[kfreeman]

Jeremiah,

A Chrome Exhaust Tip!

Yours must be just for decoration, since the exhaust is on the side of the tractor and Farmville probably doesn't need snowthrowers very much.

 

[jchamberlin]

Ken: You are right on both counts, but I happen to have a snow blower anyway, "just in case" the once-a-decade accumulation over 2" that lasts over 2 days should occur.

 

[bnolte]

Neil,
Regarding the limited motion of the points, the points push rod runs directly off a lobe on the camshaft. I would exhaust all other possibilities, but I have had several occasions where difficulty in adjusting the points boiled down to a worn points lobe on the camshaft. Unlike the valves, the points lobe does not have a nice big smooth lifter to spread the load, and the rod will tend to wear a groove in the lobe after a while. Removing the engine and pulling the pan give you a look at the lobe, replacing the camshaft will mean dismantling the engine though.

 

[nmercer]

Well after reading in the manual I have come to the conclusion that the small pin that opens the points needs to move at least .020 of an inch for the thing to run properly. however I dont have a feeler guage that measures in such small increments, it is worn that bad. however it still does not explain why it is spitting fuel back out the carb when I had it running. Ken
the points are opening but only by the smallest of a fraction, so I am assuming that the cam lobe is worn. I was suprised that it would even start at all considering how worn the cam lobe is and the points being burnt and all. Thanks also to Bruce and anyone else I may have missed who chimed in on this problem. again thanks Neil.

 

[mgonitzke]

Neil-

0.020" rarely corresponds to the correct timing in my experience, so that can explain why your tractor is still spitting gas out of the carb...the timing is wrong. I would use this method to set it so you know it is correct.

 

[digger]

Neil M.
Use a paper match or the match book cover, that's pretty close.

 

[nmercer]

Matt
just checked out your website, very nice. I like the idea of the split brake setup and would like to do something similar to my 1200 but your pics dont show the actual brake setup itself, however I can see the disk so it must be some sort of disk brake setup on it. is this something you designed and built yourself or is it something modified to fit? living where I do you would think that there would be more small tractors around here but no such luck, and the few that I have seen are so far gone and missing so many parts that they are not worth fooling with. I also have an old Montgomery Wards with a 16hp Briggs runs well I use it for spraying weeds around my property and occasionally dragging one of my other projects out of the carport to work on. Neil

 

[nmercer]

Charlie
thanks for the tip, however I dont think that will do any good as the cam lobe for the points is to badly worn, I am going to have to replace it. may also do a valve job on it as someone else mantioned that the exhaust valve is probably burnt or maybe the seat for it (hope not the seat) anyway thanks again to all. Neil

 

[gjohnson]

Matt

Could you use a dial back timing light to set the points?

 

[mgonitzke]

Greg-

I'm sure you could, but I found the static method easier.

 

[sblunier]

Snow Throwers:

1) Harry is right, run them FULL. If you can't hear the Kohler barking under a HARD PULL, you need to feed it MORE. If the belt slips, tighten it and feed it MORE......stop feeding it just before you slug it and it will perform it's best.

2) Run them wide open throttle (goes without saying)

3) Keep the housings clean, rust free, painted or slip-plated.

4) I have never seen engine heat (it's not just exhaust, as all of the Cubs pump heat off of the block right out onto the chute) plug up a chute. It can make the rotator freeze up, but I've never seen it affect performance of the thrower.

5) Heavy wet snow is more difficult to throw, but the above principles still apply.

Chrome plated brass P-traps make great chrome exhaust tips, should you want to re-direct the exhaust to prevent sooting of your thrower...

 

[rtunison]

Hey guys,,, On Neil's problem don't you think it could be the old aluminum points push rod could be worn down and not the cam lobe itself?? Before I tore into the engine I would certainly try a new one. Just a thought.

 

[kfreeman]

Neil,

It doesn't have to be the cam lobe. It could be the push rod that is worn. Can you get it in time?

Richard types faster than me!

 

[jchamberlin]

Matching Mule/Undercarriage to 42" Mower Deck on Model 149:
As I posted a few weeks ago, I'm having trouble fitting a 42" Mower Deck to my Model 149 for at least two reasons: (1) the gauge wheels hit the rear wheels when they are mounted to the only spots available for mounting, and (2) the rear mounting pins seem to be too wide for the undercarriage by at least 1/2".

The last time I posted, Matt Gonitzke asked for pics, and I promised them, so I've posted them below.

The characters: 42" IH mowing Deck, four (4) different Mule/Undercarriage arrangements that I've managed to accumulate in just two (2) years of collecting Cubs:

As can be seen below, all the mule drive/undercarriages are of the wide frame variety:

Two of them are what I call "straight"

The two "straight" undercarriages above are each slightly different, especially where the rear "cross bar" is located.

Two of them are what I call "Offset" like the one on my 782:

The two offset undercarriages are even more different, not only the rear "cross bars" in different locations, but the springs and holes for them are radically different, and Offset-2 has pins welded in the side of the mule drive that are not present in any of the other mule drives.

42" IH Deck with Straight-1 Mule drive that came with the tractor:

The problem comes when you try to attach the mule drive to the deck:

The gap is about 1/2" because the distance between the pin supports is 11" and the distance across the rear of the undercarriage is 10-1/2 inches.

Deck:

Undercarriage:

All the other undercarriages measure the same (I have pictures). What I want to know is if this is the normal, or tolerable, fit for an undercarriage to the deck? My only other reference is the custom modified MTD deck on my 782, on which there is no "gap" at all, the undercarriage fits tightly to the pin supports.

 

[mgonitzke]

Jeremiah-

The two white carriage assemblies are for the 44C/50C deck on an 82 series, but O-1 appears to have a pre-82 series mule drive. I'm pretty sure the two yellow ones are 44A/50A for pre-82 series WF tractors. In other words, not a single one of those 4 is correct for a 42" deck.

 

[jchamberlin]

Matt: I drew the same conclusion. The O-1 was removed from a Quiet Line Model 1250. It didn't come with a deck.

I guess my question now is, does the carriage assembly I need exist? How would I identify it? That is, when I post in the classifieds or question local sellers, what do I ask them? Not every under-carriage that fits the 42" deck also fits a wide frame.

I'm so confused!

I've put a lot of money into this deck: Belt, Idler Pulley AND Idler Arm, plus the Pulley Covers (which it didn't have when I bought it), not to mention the baffle underneath that holds the grass clippings to the blades, and then there's the spindle repair/replacement . . .

Under Edit: Thanks for the info, Matt; at least I know that I have the right carriage to hang my 44" deck on my Model 782, then it will finally be unconfuguliated.

Under Edit (Again): Looking further on the bright side, this will give me an excuse to pick up another Cub, probably the quickest and easiest way I'm going to find the right under-carriage.