Most recent acquisition

[Greenthumbfarms]

Picked up this 1950 Cub this past week. Never owned one with a generator or a mag. I've always had experience with points and alternators. Anything to know about it?
Has its rebuilt IH carb with it, and an aftermarket one on it right now. Those will be switched this weekend.

Came with a complete set of cultivators (those are headed off to Clinton, IL to a Cub friend), a 54-A blade, and a Woods 59 mower.
Anybody looking for a rear lift? Not going to need the one he included on this tractor.
Even came with brand new rear tires and tire chains!

[Glen]

Hi,
The electrical systems changed some through the years.
It looks like it is before serial number 115403, and has the 1st style of electrical system.

The magneto is different about putting points and condenser in than a Battery Ignition unit.
The plate the rotor is on has to be removed to get to the points and condenser.

Below is the 1950 Cub owner's manual, it has lots of info.
The magneto is shown beginning on page 30.
They use the same points and condenser as a Battery Ignition unit.

It shows the original electrical system a 1950 Cub has.
They have a cutout, or Relay, IH called it, on top of the generator.
They have no voltage regulator, you have to select the charge rate yourself, using the 4 position charge rate, and light switch.
If it is still there, it has L H D B positions. Low charge, High charge, Dim lights, Bright lights.
It tells how to use it on page 34, beginning at the lower left of the page.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

There is a pic with the hood off on page 33, showing the electrical system.

If that is the choke rod in the pic of the left side, it is in the wrong place. It can wear into the Touch Control tubes from the engine vibration.
It is supposed to be just above the tubes.
Either the rod is bent wrong, or the lever is on the carburetor the wrong way, making the rod too low.

Pulling the choke rod is supposed to close the choke.

I would bend it so it is in the right place, if the bend is wrong.
Below are pics. Making more bend at the bend in the pic raises up the rod.
You probably need to disconnect the rod from the carb to bend the rod.
The rod might be upside down, I don't know without seeing the ends.

The 2nd pic shows the choke lever on the engine side of the carb, it usually has to face about straight down, with the original length choke rod.
Check the screw, and be sure it is tight, it can loosen, then the rod doesn't close the choke, the arm just turns on the shaft.

[Peter Person]

Nice looking tractor.
Wheel weights front & back.
Complete battery box.

[Larry in WNY]

If you plan to use the cultivator the rear lift will be needed.
Larry

[Greenthumbfarms]

I will check over the choke lever while i work on the tractor this weekend.
The tractor came with the owners and shop manuals (now i have 2 sets), but I haven't had a chance to read up yet.

Larry, i actually sold off the cultivators to a friend with a Cub, his tractor already has the rear lift. He has my old 1-bottom plow

[Stanton]

I will check over the choke lever while i work on the tractor this weekend.
The tractor came with the owners and shop manuals (now i have 2 sets), but I haven't had a chance to read up yet.

Larry, i actually sold off the cultivators to a friend with a Cub, his tractor already has the rear lift. He has my old 1-bottom plow

Nice, straight-looking Cub! Congrats!

Just a word of caution, if you're wanting to sell the rear lift (or trade, or buy anything), please start a new post containing that wish over in the Vine section. Buying, advertising, selling and trading are not allowed in the Farmall Cub section.

Rules here: http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/app.php/rules

Thanks!

[Greenthumbfarms]

Well I fixed the choke rod today. I've set the float on the carburetor, and reset the governor linkage, but the tractor won't run. Twice now it would start for about 30 seconds then die out while I was trying to set the enrichment. Ever since I can't get it to do anything more than fire enough to kick the starter out.

Looking for some help!

[Glen]

Hi,
I would check the spark and be sure it is strong enough.

Remove the center spark plug wire from the magneto cap, put the transmission in neutral, turn the ignition switch to on, hold the wire by the insulation with the end about 1/4" from a bare place on the engine, and run the starter.
The spark should jump the gap, and be blue or white.
Yellow is weak, and the engine may not run.
The battery should be fully charged to do the test.

The ignition points and condenser may need replacing, or the coil could be not good.

The points and condenser are a good place to start, they cost less than a coil, and they need to be good.

[Eugene]

Ever since I can't get it to do anything more than fire enough to kick the starter out.

Ignition timing problem.

First part of your engine tune up, conduct compression tests; dry then wet.

[Greenthumbfarms]

I'll check spark tomorrow. I'll have to get my hands on a compression tester, and find my timing light for the other checks

[k hutchins]

Traditional timing light won't tell you much with a magneto.
If it were me, l would start with points and condenser. Then retime the mag per instructions you'll find either in the manual or here on the forum. If you're still having a problem firing then replace the coil.
You said initially it would start and run, but only for a short time. That makes me think it's a fuel problem and not a spark problem. Others will correct me, but that's my opinion.

[Greenthumbfarms]

It ran alright when it started for those short times, but wouldn't stay running. It was acting starved for fuel. I tried running it with both carburetors, and only had luck with the aftermarket one.

[Waif]

I'd run through a full tune up. Copper core wires or equivalent.
Specs. for a magneto ignition. .013 point gap for magneto..023 for it's spark plugs.
Ignition rotor has a position pointing toward a particular cap tower at the right time too.

Read up on the magneto before you consider removing it for any reason.
Things need to be in the right position to install them to be in order. Best to know where the marks and positions are.
And to know what not to play with by turning the wrong direction on it...

Double check your firing order.

[Greenthumbfarms]

The temperature here dropped last night, and I think I'll wait a few days for it to warm up before I work on it again.

I've read about timing the mag, the "snap" I'm listening for...it would be an actual sound? Or the Mag shifting when number 1 hits TDC?

[Peter Person]

Yes, it’s an actual sound.