starter on farmall H

[cub1961]

i’m trying to get my sons 46 H started after it sitting for over a year. charged battery and when i hit the button all i got was starter hum. i set the charger to 100 amp jump mode and same thing. did the usual hammer treatment and no help. pulled the starter and put it in a bench vise and hit it with 100 amps and after a few whacks it started to slowly turn over but not enough to engage the gear. i’m thinking it needs a rebuild but looking for some advice. see video for what it’s doing

 

[Mark Piper]

Try a battery with the jump start charger on it wiring it to the starter relay will make it easier on you to test it

 

[gary noblit]

Cub..It's not major surgery to take a starter apart but be very careful of wiring in cap.You have bad connections or bad corrosion on armature where brushes sit. The simple clean up is polish where the brushes make contact with 400 grit until it's bright copper again.Unhook each wire and clean contact then replace..It's possible brushes are worn out or not sitting square in holders.I'ts probably got a good bunch of crud inside everywhere including end bearings..If you continue to try without doing a check things are going to get more than a little warm. The brushes and bearings are easily found...

 

[bwstevens]

Maybe a 60 pound jack hammer would be better tool for diagnosing starters.

 

[dfrisk]

CUB 1961 - the best electrical starter generator alternator shop I know is FONDY AUTO ELECTRIC in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. 920-922-9130, they advertise in Red Power Magazine. They used to have a shop in Madison maybe 10 miles from Me, everything I ever bought from them was good as new. Been a few years since I had them rebuild the starter on my Super H but it still spins the engine over great. I'm sure they would let you UPS it to them, they will inspect and call you with a repair cost and return a good starter to you. Might not be the cheapest but will be the best.

 

[cub1961]

well using the battery and the charger set to 100 amp and the starter spun normally and engaged the gear so i think it’s ok. thanks for that tip. but when i pulled the starter i also found mouse nest around the flywheel. lovely. i pulled a bunch out and shop vacuumed as much as i could reach and it is turning over a bit but not full revolutions. i’m wondering if the bottom of the bellhousing is packed full of mouse house and hanging up the flywheel? looks like a major job to get that thing open to clean it.

any other suggestions to try? i really want to get this running but my experience is with the cub cadets and this is a whole different beast. my son bought it and was using it for a little farming with his buddy but unfortunately he died in a car accident in april and i’m just trying to get it running and keep it going in his memory. any suggestions are welcome

 

[-CӞ]

Grace & peace, cub1961. tinkering with these old machines is therapeutic. mine too honors a loved one passed on. may it warm your heart!

 

[JPrattico]

There should be a small access panel at the bottom of the housing, remove it and if there is any more debris in there causing the engine to hang up, you should be able to get it out that way.

 

[bwstevens]

The farmall h and m were special as they were designed to be able to change the clutch without splitting the tractor. Pull the plugs and oil the cylinders to free it up some when cranking.

 

[Mark Piper]

well using the battery and the charger set to 100 amp and the starter spun normally and engaged the gear so i think it’s ok. thanks for that tip. but when i pulled the starter i also found mouse nest around the flywheel. lovely. i pulled a bunch out and shop vacuumed as much as i could reach and it is turning over a bit but not full revolutions. i’m wondering if the bottom of the bellhousing is packed full of mouse house and hanging up the flywheel? looks like a major job to get that thing open to clean it.

any other suggestions to try? i really want to get this running but my experience is with the cub cadets and this is a whole different beast. my son bought it and was using it for a little farming with his buddy but unfortunately he died in a car accident in april and i’m just trying to get it running and keep it going in his memory. any suggestions are welcome

That is why I rebuilt Dad’s John Deere1050 after he died. We had so many memories together tied up in it. Good luck with you rebuild

 

[kzintner]

Grace & peace, cub1961. tinkering with these old machines is therapeutic. mine too honors a loved one passed on. may it warm your heart!

I agree, my Dad was able to get my Model 70 when our church was getting rid of it. He has pased now. But it brings back memories.

 

[gary noblit]

well using the battery and the charger set to 100 amp and the starter spun normally and engaged the gear so i think it’s ok. thanks for that tip. but when i pulled the starter i also found mouse nest around the flywheel. lovely. i pulled a bunch out and shop vacuumed as much as i could reach and it is turning over a bit but not full revolutions. i’m wondering if the bottom of the bellhousing is packed full of mouse house and hanging up the flywheel? looks like a major job to get that thing open to clean it.

any other suggestions to try? i really want to get this running but my experience is with the cub cadets and this is a whole different beast. my son bought it and was using it for a little farming with his buddy but unfortunately he died in a car accident in april and i’m just trying to get it running and keep it going in his memory. any suggestions are welcome

You have said it has set for quite awhile without running.You said it took 100amp jump to get it to crank,there is a message there..just my opinion but you have it out...

 

[cub1961]

You have said it has set for quite awhile without running.You said it took 100amp jump to get it to crank,there is a message there..just my opinion but you have it out...

what are you thinking? bad battery? i'm open for suggestions. i will also see if i can get that lower cover off to check the bellhousing.

i am very new to these farmalls but definitely want to get this one going. i will probably have more beginner questions.

and here is #1 - so i figured i would check the points. vertigo prevents me from tilting my head sufficiently to be able to do that with distributor in place. so i pulled the distributor and did a rookie mistake of not marking the position. so it is probably now really out of time. whats the best way to set timing on this? its been decades since i used a timing light and don't have one but i will buy one if needed. i also don't really remember how to do it. i seem to remember rotating the distributor to get it close and then using a light. help is appreciated.

 

[cub1961]

The farmall h and m were special as they were designed to be able to change the clutch without splitting the tractor. Pull the plugs and oil the cylinders to free it up some when cranking.

ya thats what i think i will do. i will dump a little marvel mystery oil in each hole tonight and let it sit for a few days. i probably should have done that before i started but i was just hoping this would be a quick battery charge and away we go. obviously not that easy.

 

[bwstevens]

When you are ready it is easy to time no light needed

 

[gary noblit]

Cub, I'll just add a bit..If you haven't drained old fuel and removed carb bowl to clean it now is the time ..The last thing you want is to suck old crusty crap into the jets..

 

[cub1961]

Cub, I'll just add a bit..If you haven't drained old fuel and removed carb bowl to clean it now is the time ..The last thing you want is to suck old crusty crap into the jets..

ya i will do that. the gas is a year old but probably not a bad idea. sediment bowl looks clean. since this is turning into more of a job than planned i am going to redo the fuel line while i am at it. there is an inline filter right above the battery which makes me kind of nervous.

 

[-CӞ]

ya i will do that. the gas is a year old but probably not a bad idea. sediment bowl looks clean. since this is turning into more of a job than planned i am going to redo the fuel line while i am at it. there is an inline filter right above the battery which makes me kind of nervous.

better a filter in need of replacement than an accumulation of crud further downstream!

 

[JPrattico]

These tractors shouldn't need an inline filter at all, the sediment bowl is supposed to be the filter. There should be a screen at the top of the sediment bowl to catch any large debris and then the rest is supposed to settle out to the bottom, allowing you to shut the gas off, remove the bowl and clean out what has settled there periodically.

 

[gary noblit]

Jp, I've taken several apart that had holes punched in the screens and many that the screens were plugged...(just sayin') I've added inlines to all my old cubs. ...before starting ...rust is an issue in most old tanks..