Archive through July 13, 2004

[cellis]

I recently changed the fluid in my hydro drive and there was a great deal of "wax" adhering to the cover plate, etc. Can anyone tell me why this wax built up like this, whether or not it is "harmful" and advise me if there is something I could or should do to prevent it?

Thank you,

Craig Ellis
Marysville, Michigan

 

[kmcconaughey]

Craig, my understanding is that "wax" is the Hy-Tran trapping water. In effect the "wax" is a good thing, means that the Hy-Tran did it's job.

 

[bmcmeen]

Cap'n Kirk -

Dan H. used to do Saukville, I did it once, and so did Dan's buddy with all the JD L&G stuff. After a bunch of kids came thru after hours (with a guardian no less) and "drove" their toy tractors over all our hoods, turned all the wheels and moved all the levers and turned on EVERY ignition key that was still in the switches (not Dan and I, thank goodness), we decided to never do the show again, cuz the guy just didn't seem to give a damn.

The guy's got a nice setup, but his heart bleeds green, so keep that in mind.

 

[dreinbold]

Kraig...It will start right back up. If I keep the throttle around half it is not really a problem. Trouble starts when I "go for throttle up". And... if I remember, last winter plowing the white stuff I never had much trouble. Maybe a temperature thing.

Dean

 

[rchristensen]

Dean JR
Whenever I have a Cub that does a lot of backfiring especially when you shut it down, I look for black soot or an oily looking build up on the outside of the cylinder just below the head. Thats an indication you have a blown head gasket and probably a build up of carbon on the head. It's probably time to do a decarbon on the head and a new head gasket if you haven't done one in some time. Kohler recomends that at regular intervals.

 

[bmcmeen]

Methinks we got his attention

 

[dharmon]

Thanks Kraig and Richard, I should probably go through my manual again.

Dean:
My 124 had the same problems before I had the motor rebuilt last winter durring restoration. I thought the carb rebuild would take care of it. Not so. I still had problems with it back firing and such even after letting it idle. I would have to shut it down by chocking it to keep it from blowing my muffler off. Finaly I went through the points, cleaned and re-adjusted. It has never ran so well before.

Also it barley turns over once before starting. I would have thought that the points would have been taken care of durring the rebuild. Food for thought. Good luck.

 

[dkamp]

Geezer- if I notched the lathe far enough to swing that flywheel, there'd be nothin' to hold the tool... :-}

I prefer not to notch the frame, but KenTucky Ken already razzled me about stretching the frame 5"... I'm pretty good with hot metal, though- A guy would never know it without lookin' really close though!

Dennis- The stock S-G mount location is way-up-high, but it's such a tight fit between flywheel and frame that it's impossible to install and remove a belt without pulling the engine. Furthermore, when this thing starts torquin' the frame, the flywheel will be leaving kiss-marks in the frame. I'm not really worried about losing flywheel mass... it's huge, and the later Volvos came with much smaller wheels. I'll also be adding a 250-Chevy six harmonic balancer and belt-sheave to the other end, so I won't be losing dramatic amounts of inertia.

On the fuel requirement- Most K-series motors fall in the 5:1 to 6.5:1 CR range, so high-octane fuel shouldn't be a big concern. The propensity of the air-cooled motor to overheat is most often either a plugged-up shroud or flywheel inlet screen, or running it too slow, or with improper timing... and in my experience, if any of those factors are causing an overheat, a change of fuel grade ain't gonna help....

 

[lbuttke]

Had to change the clutch plate in my 122 today, took about 45 minutes from start to finish, I am getting better at this. I have had to remove the engine 5 times in the past 3 weeks to work on the clutch / drive shaft. Now I aint no speed deamon but it does seem to go smoother and faster each time I tear down this tractor.

 

[wcompton]

Fuel-
Run what you want, lower octane will burn faster & more completely in a Kohler, in a stock engine octane won't gain you anything, at least shouldn't.
Run the fuel you pick consistently because each octane and if it's an ethanol blend, it will have a different specific gravity, requiring slightly differnt mixture settings.
Be aware that ethanol gets to some rubbers don't remember which ones are safe, Buna-N, Viton, Teflon, Neoprene, etc, but be aware.

 

[thoffman]

Has anyone talked to the Steve "B"?? I twister went thought his home town today!

 

[tschweizer]

Missed Big Steve by 1/2 mile!!

 

[rchristensen]

Got a question for the IH history experts. My 1975 1450 Cub sn 564659 has always had a number under the hood. Does anybody think it had any significance to IH during the build or in the shipment?

 

[sblunier]

Big Steve lost 20 acres of beans (1/4 mile north of the PD field).....BUT, within 2 miles of the house an entire manufacturing plant was leveled and 4 houses were destroyed......very severe damage TOOOOO close to home!!!! Building insulation is EVERYWHERE.

Thanks for the concern though!!!

 

[sblunier]

Daruis Harms (President of IHC Collectors Chapter #10) is looking for anybody available this weekend to put on a Cub Cadet plowing demonstration at the tractor show in Charleston, IL. (Big Steve and I will be out of town).

If anyone is interested, please call Daruis at 217-694-4132.

 

[sblunier]

Just got back from Big Steve's place...took my crappy generator over there to help out the power situation. All I can say is WOW....We couldn't get within a mile of the manufacturing plant, but even from a mile away it is horrible. 150 people were working inside, but with about 2 minutes of warning they got into storm shelters and 150 walked out of the building when it was done....truely a miracle. Search and Rescue and local EMS are wading thru the mess looking for cars that may have had people in them (they were thrown into the building from the road). Andy is on the Roanoke FD's crew on-site as I type this.

4 houses were leveled, one farmstead was completely flattened...NOTHING left, yet a grandmother, 3 kids, and some house guests made it out of the basement. If that won't make you respect the warning sirens and prevenative measures I don't know what will.

about 3/4 of a mile of 69KV electric line feeding Roanoke is flat, another mile feeding Washburn is also on the ground.

The super cell started forming a tornado about 3 miles north east of my house, then tore the crap out of everything over a 3 mile stretch about 1/2 mile north of dad's house.......BAD STUFF.

Verified 4" hail fell 15 miles east of Roanoke near El Paso, where some of you stayed during PD.

Anyway, the Blunier's are all safe, and so far they have only treated 10 people for minor injuries, truely amazing.

 

[dreinbold]

Richard...I do have "black" near the head. Last year I thought it might need a new gasket, but did not look any worse this spring so put it off.
Time to update the ole girl. HATE to lose her now!!
Thanks, Dean

 

[kmcconaughey]

Steve, good to hear that you and the family are OK. Sounds like it was a bad one! Way to close. 4" hail, Yikes!!!!

 

[kweimann]

Dean,
When you have the head off, make sure you check it for flatness. The spec. is .003. You can put it on a pc. of plate glass and check with a feeler gage. I have a surface plate I use but a pc. of plate glass is acceptable. I put 220 emery cloth on the plate and lap the head flat where the entire gasket contact surface is shiny. Kenny

 

[dreinbold]

Kenny...I have never done this before. And I do not have any reference information to work with. Any ideas?? Or should I find a good shop to do the work.
Dean