Archive through March 11, 2012

[dtanner]

Dan Bauer

That is simple if the engine is removed. I used a bolt ,nuts and washers to pull the frame back in place. I had the tractor back where I had no slop at all in just a few minutes. I replace that pin on my 129 loader with a bolt because with all the weight it moves around I was sure I would have that problem again real soon. The bolt nut has been drilled and a pin added so it will not come loose again.


On another note I did get the one bolt out of the drive cub that had broken off. I just had a nut welded to the broken off bolt and the removed it. I did forget how to do this. I know chevy exhaust studs are removed by welding a nut fast, btdt but just needed time to find where I had filed that info lol.

 

[dpbauer]

That is a good trick Don! Thanks for the advice.

Its so stupid warm right now, I'm working late tonite. I need to figure out why my left spindle is so loose. I'm hoping its an adjustment rather than needing replacing.

Then I need to separate the rear end from the frame and figure out why shift plate and spring are so loose/wobbly. It'll be quite the parts run in the morning! danWI

 

[bflyons]

Dan Bauer -

Excellent news on the governor replacement. I have not had a chance yet to address my broken cross shaft, but am encouraged to hear that it can be done without any major engine overhaul. I would love to see pictures if you have them. Thanks so much for the updates and congrats on all the major successes today!

Brent

 

[dtanner]

Dan Bauer

I think you will find that the play in the spindle is where pin is . Frank C had tool to repair that area and I will post it in the am. It requires a taper drilled through where the pin goes and that does fix the problem. I have yet to repair my 147 and have plans to do that as soon as the snow is gone here. pictures in the AM. later Don T

 

[bjamison]

Quick question - what are you folks using to coat the underside of your mowing decks to keep rust from eating through? I have used slip plate (used on moldboard plows) with some success. Just curious as to what everyone else uses.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[jharman]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum and need some engine advice from someone smarter than myself. I appreciate any help offered and I'll try to pay it forward at some point.

I bought a 126 a few months ago. It wasn't starting without a jump and some starting fluid. But once it was running it sounded strong so I figured I'd be okay.

I replaced the starter/generator and put in a new battery. Here's what happens: I turn the key and the engine will turn one revolution then pause. A couple of seconds later it will turn one revolution, then another revolution a couple of seconds later, etc...but it never starts. I have been able to get it to start once since I got it - and I did that by jumping it from a truck and using starting fluid.

If I pull the spark plug out, the engine will turn over freely. Also (oddly) I noticed when I try to turn the engine over, there is some air pressure coming from the dipstick tube (if I pull the dipstick out). Someone I know proposed it could be stuck valves. Don't know how I'd test that theory.

Again, any help is appreciated. I tried to go through the archives before posting, but I couldn't find anyone with the same problem. I really need to get this thing running quickly...many projects waiting. Thanks!

 

[dross]

Jeremy welcome, You say you got it started by jumping it, mabey cleaning the electrical connection should be first. The pressure leak out the dip stick tube, Could be blow-by but if it was mine I'd see if I could get it running spend a little time with it running see what happens.

 

[jchamberlin]

Jeremy: I wonder if your Automatic Compression Release (ACR) is working properly.

 

[mgallinaro]

Jeremy,

Using starting fluid is not something you want to do. If you spray it in without cranking the engine at the same time you stand a good chance of bending the connecting rod when the engine trys to compress the starting fluid. (liquids don't compress, they bend and break things inside the engine.) When they do start on the starting fluid the tend to run away and may even overspeed depending on how much go-go juice you sprayed in.

As far as air pressure coming out the dip stick tube, that is blow-by. Compression gases are getting past the piston rings and pressurizing the crankcase.

Being a little lazy myself at times, I would start by taking the belt of the starter/generator and turning the key. If the same thing happens, you may have a bad replacement starter/generator. If the generator starter spins constantly with the belt off, then I would pull the cylinder head off and rotate the engine by hand to see if the valves open and close.

The order you should see is one valve opens as the piston travels down the cylinder (the intake stroke). As the piston turns and come back up the cylinder both valves should be closed and the piston should come almost to the top of the cylinder (the compression stroke). As the piston turns and goes down the cylinder both valves should still be closed (the power stroke). And as the piston make the turn and comes back up the cylinder the second valve should open and the piston should come all the way to the top of the cylinder (the exhaust stroke). If the valves do not open in that order, you found your problem. If the piston never gets to the top of the cylinder on the exhaust stroke, the rod may be bent.

Hopefully this gives you a good start on what to look for.

 

[lpalma]

Joe Lewis,
That is a nice,looking 582,a little polish and you are good to go.I have 2 red IH 582's and one yellow and white one.Yours is a keeper.

Mr.plow...

Yours must be a CCC built one? My motor reads 16hp,looks purdy though.

 

[sblunier]

I sold that 582...kind of regret it.....it was an MTD, but I put a CI IH 3 speed in it with a creeper......nice plowing tractor and the 16hp Briggs was surprisingly powerfull and smooth.

 

[hydroharry]

Steve - Mr. Plow - thanks for posting those shots of the 16hp B/S. Is that paint or something else in 2 of the pics that's making it so shinny?

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (but may get tired)

 

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[dfrisk]

JEREMY H. - Welcome to IHCC.com . Dave R is correct, sounds like you have a couple dirty electrical connections in the cranking circuit. You have to have a fully charged battery, clean connections everywhere, and while your cleaning the starter connections I'd clean the ignition connections too. I charged battery is needed to energize the ignition system whle cranking becvause you have to have spark as well as a fast cranking speed to start reliably.

A little air escaping the dip stick tube when the engine is cranking is NORMAL. The internal volume of the crankcase changes constantly because the piston is going up (increasing crankcase volume) and Down (decreasing cranckcase volume) constantly. There's a reed valve in the breather compartment located right under the carb on your engine that only lets air escape so your engine normally runs under a vacuum.

Like Jeremiah says, your automatic compression release could be stuck too. Running the engine more can loosen that up. The ACR on one of my Kohler sticks occasionally and acts exactly like your engine. I can get it to spin properly by just spinning the engine backwards a bit to let the starter get a "running Start" at the compression stroke.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Jeremy H., WELCOME!

 

[sblunier]

Harry,

Very fresh black paint......I had honed and re-ringed the engine, as well as rebuilt the carb and installed a new voltage reg, so while it was all appart, I painted it gloss black.

It was a sharp tractor that was a lot of fun, but it had to go to make room for something else....

 

[dtanner]

Well I got the bolt out of the drive cup today and was going to post a picture, But the shop confuser bit the dust and would not resize my pictures. I hope I don`t loose all the Cub Info I have stored on it. I might have to look at a tablet for my Cub hobby ! anyone got ides on a good one to take pictures and store them. The 125 will now run soon as tomorrow I hope.

 

[jharman]

Wow, thanks for all the great input on my engine problem. I knew this would be the best source!

Since several of the suggestions point to a problem with electrical connections, I'm going to go over all of them when I get home from work this evening.

I am wondering, though... if my problem was an electrical connection, why would the engine turn freely and constantly when I take the spark plug out? I was thinking an electrical connection problem would mean my starter/generator was intermittently working. However, when I remove the belt and turn the key, it spins non-stop.

Regardless, I'm going to go over all connections this evening. It certainly can't hurt. And thanks again for the ideas!

 

[snicklas]

Jeremy,

My first thought when I saw this, I wondered if your ACR (Automatic Compression Release) was working correctly. These Kohlers have this to help lower compression so at the lower speeds while cranking, the engine will turn over quicker, and when it reaches a certain speed, the ACR allows the valve to close and start. Dad's #1 149 started to do this in the last few years, when it was cold (like the week in between mowings) when you would get on, you would turn the key and it would 1 rev - stop........ 1 rev - stop....... 1 rev - stop.... then crank, crank, crank, start..... and his idles like no other 14hp Kohler..... you can stand there and count the times the plug fires...... I have not seen any other flavor of 14hp Kohler idle like this.... in all honesty, it sound like it is idleing at 200 or 300 rpm..... and has since we installed it as a crate engine in the early 80's. (lost the piston skirt and "overboared" the cylinder in the engine that came from the factory).

Now, to keep in mind on the starting on this one, this one has about 1500 hrs on the second rebuild (The crate engine has lost a piston skirt like the first one, have heard it is "common" in the 14's only?????). When the last piston quit, the engine checked out at "standard" clearances, because I heard it start to rattle when it happened. I had been mowing, stopped and idled down, when I when back to WOT, the rattle started and I immediately shut it down, so it was put back together with a new standard size rod/rings/piston and gaskets. That set now has the 1500 hours on it, and it is to the point of when you are using the tractor, you check the gas and fill the oil.... not quite a mosquito fogger...... but close.... if you have the exhaust/light just right, you can see the haze.....

It is on the list for a rebuild this spring/summer.... along with a list of other projects.... Right now his 782 and my 1450 are the only 2 of the 6 @ 100%... the others need some love, and one is a parts tractor.....

 

[hydroharry]

Jeremy H - it doesn't take many amps to crank the engine when there is no spark plug, and it doesn't take many amps to spin the S/G when there is no load (no belt) on it. When the belt is on the S/G and you have the spark plug installed it takes more amps to crank the engine. Those cheaper 185amp Garden tractor batteries may not be enough, even if they are new. So, make sure you have a good fully charged strong battery (I recommend at least 275CCA, 350CA) and that all your electrical connections are good, including the grounds to the frame. You did say you got it started by jumping from your truck. That is a dead give away that you needed the power from your truck battery (more amps). It shouldn't be necessary to use the starting fluid again unless you have a carb problem. You do need to have the choke on full, a good spark plug, and the points set reasonably close to .020 so the timing is close to being correct. I'd clean the electrical contacts as discussed and the other things I've mentioned, and then if it doesn't start I'd jump it from your truck again, get it running and let it run for awhile. There are so many different things you could have wrong it's hard to address. I may not be the best at this, but before I jump into the carb or valves I'd make sure the points are set correctly, and if you can make sure the timing is correct. (I believe there is an FAQ on static timing these engines). Once the points/timing is correct and the engine is running again you can go over the carb adjustments. If it still turns over slow when you try to start it after doing these things then you may have a more internal problem, like the ACR or a valve issue. Best that others address these.

Steve - Mr. Plow, Extraordinaire - that was a nice looking 582. You said you refreshed the black paint on the engine but it looks like you did the red on the tractor as well - or at least polished it. It was sharp.

Hydro Harry
Old Cubs Never Die (but sometimes a 126 can be tough to revive)