Missing engine part number??

[Dale Finch]

I happen to have 2 cubs at my house "hospital", and since they are "new", I was gathering the part numbers and casting date codes to send in for Raymond's Database. When I got to the engine, the engine serial number (189340) was fairly close to the tractor serial number (187541), which says it is a '55. The casting date code is 9-9-Z, which is a '54...OK, still reasonable. But when I went to log the engine PART number, it was missing. I know it belongs just below the date code, but that area is blank.

For comparison, here is the engine part number on the other one, a '51 cub.

Thinking that MAYBE the number was located in a different place on the '55's, I checked the files for one of my other '55 cubs, but NOPE, there it is:

I am simply curious, has anyone else seen this?

[Don McCombs]

Scrape the paint off where the number should be and see whether it looks like a repair has been made.

[Dale Finch]

Yikes, that would be a big repair, wouldn't it?! Is that a common location for a freeze crack? It's way down by the oil pan...
But I will check it out in the morning!

[Glen]

Hi,
It looks like IH might have left the number off of that engine, hard to know maybe.

There isn't coolant down there by the oil pan on the left side of the engine, that I know of.

Below is a pic from TM Tractor of the crankcase area.

[SONNY]

never looked at mine----hmmmmm---interesting question! ----gotta go look! ---- thanks Dale for bringing this up!

[CharlieK]

Scrape the paint off where the number should be and see whether it looks like a repair has been made.

very carefully get the paint off==maybe po ground the eng # off and you might be able to decipher something

[Dale Finch]

I probably won't get back to this mystery for at least a few days. I currently have the "new" '51 in the garage with the right final off, fixing the inop brake. But I do plan on scraping away some (crappy) paint, just to see if there's anything there. Will keep you posted! (IF I remember!! )

[muleboss]

Looks like the big L is there.

[Eugene]

I think the answer is in determining the material and how IH made/used the form for the engine prior to being packed in sand for the casting.

For complicated castings, the form is made of a material that can be destroyed/evaporated when the hot cast iron is poured into the mold.

My thought is the revision number fell off when the form was packed in sand.

[Dale Finch]

That's probably it...or it was quitting time just when the casting guy was supposed to attach the part number!!

[Mike in Louisiana]

Hey Dale, that makes it worth $ 2000 more if you sell it.

[Dale Finch]

And that's your offer?!!