Cub hard to start. Compression?

[Waif]

Sometimes you guys make me think I used too much turd polish and paid too much for it besides.
Then I go check out the pricey turd and smile.

You're likely right and Eahl can crank I t up with a12 volt batt. and plan on a rebuild or swap out if compression can not be increased. Even readings suggest uniform/ even wear.

[pickerandsinger]

Sometimes you guys make me think I used too much turd polish and paid too much for it besides.
Then I go check out the pricey turd and smile...

.Not quite sure of the meaning of that ,but personally knowing several of the members that replied, no one is advocating that scenario...Most of us have rebuilt , refurbished or whatever you wish to call it, several cubs...What you read is guys trying to answer a forum members question with reference to their experience...Don't recall anyone advocating spending a huge amount of money on a trailer queen or such...Personally of the 6 cubs I have, I have a grand total of 4500 dollars purchase price...But they all needed work and I have received a lot of support and advice from several members that responded to this post..They all are working tractors..If someone made you feel like a " Turd ", you can flush that feeling... ....No one intentionally did that....

You're likely right and Eahl can crank I t up with a12 volt batt. and plan on a rebuild or swap out if compression can not be increased. Even readings suggest uniform/ even wear.

[Eahlemeier]

I appreciate all the help guys, been out of the garage for a couple weeks now.... needed a break lol. Will hit back at it hard tonight and see what I can do. When running g after pull start everything seems great. Sounds and runs smooth. Iv been leaning toward rebuilding it. Just gotta push myself to do it... I'll get back with you all once I figure out what I'll try next

[Matt Kirsch]

Good luck but with only 55PSI compression there's not much you can do without digging into the engine to some degree. It's never going to start off the starter, especially on 6 Volts, and there's no adjustment or spray product that will fix that much compression loss.

It's a long shot but if the engine has been setting up for a long time the rings could be stuck, but to fix that you'd still need to pull all the pistons.

You can pull the head pretty easily and get a better idea for the condition of the cylinders and valves. Feel for a heavy ridge at the tops of the cylinders. That will indicate that the cylinder bore is worn and needs to be bored out, and new pistons and rings installed. You'll need to borrow a ridge reamer tool to get the old pistons out.

If the ridge is not bad or nonexistent you can try honing the cylinders and installing new rings. A so-called "ring job" is generally frowned on by the community but sometimes if you just want a simple runner/driver for a few hours a year, and don't want to drop $2000 on parts and machine work, it's a quick n dirty alternative to a full rebuild.

[Waif]

Sometimes you guys make me think I used too much turd polish and paid too much for it besides.
Then I go check out the pricey turd and smile...

.Not quite sure of the meaning of that ,but personally knowing several of the members that replied, no one is advocating that scenario...Most of us have rebuilt , refurbished or whatever you wish to call it, several cubs...What you read is guys trying to answer a forum members question with reference to their experience...Don't recall anyone advocating spending a huge amount of money on a trailer queen or such...Personally of the 6 cubs I have, I have a grand total of 4500 dollars purchase price...But they all needed work and I have received a lot of support and advice from several members that responded to this post..They all are working tractors..If someone made you feel like a " Turd ", you can flush that feeling... ....No one intentionally did that....

You're likely right and Eahl can crank I t up with a12 volt batt. and plan on a rebuild or swap out if compression can not be increased. Even readings suggest uniform/ even wear.

Just noticed your reply.
No ,no one made me feel like a turd. L.o.l..
Just a lot of hours into " polishing" one , a.k.a. replacing ,rebuilding ,ect. on a tired tractor has it's eventual rewards evenwhen starting with a poor specimen. ( if one can afford such hard to recover time and money).
Or in my case too ,sure teaches what to look for in the next tractor!

[Eugene]

Timings good.

Have you checked the ignition timing with a timing light? Checking the spark/distributor advance at low and high idle.

Distributor mechanical advance could be stuck/frozen at or near high idle.

[ntrenn]

You may be able to get by with reringing and touching up the valves. My loboy had 0.120 ring end gap when i pulled it down. Standard rings brought it back to 0.020...almost spec.
55 psi is usually too low for an engine to start.

[Eahlemeier]

Well tore into the distributor AGAIN last night, went back through the time up kit and their was a peice with the points that was a little off/cracked in the metal. Not sure if it was allowing correct spark in distributor but I know I was getting spark at the plug. Anyway it's now replaced and also new spark plugs. Got it a little out of time but it got late last night so I'll correct that issue this evening and get back with everyone! Thanks guys

[Eahlemeier]

If this issue doesn't seem to help things I think I may just bite the bullet and start a rebuild

[ScottyD'sdad]

Spoke to the ag mechanics director at the county ag school, last night, about a cub CubitisNH's widow, donated to the school, a non runner, from a stash Mike collected, for retirement projects. Rings were stuck, in the pistons. Bore was good, only needed honing. Valves needed grinding, and seats refaced. This is an example of what you "might" find, at tear down.
One of the reasons I say that they need valve work. Every one I've torn down, has needed something done to the valves, cleaning and lapping, to grinding, and seat refacing, to replaced seats, and valves!
Ed

[Eahlemeier]

Ok so where I'm currently at now is I have power at the distributor but no spark at the plug? Any suggestions? And this wasn't an issue a few weeks ago so now I'm currently screwing more things up than I am fixing lol

[staninlowerAL]

Ok so where I'm currently at now is I have power at the distributor but no spark at the plug? Any suggestions? And this wasn't an issue a few weeks ago so now I'm currently screwing more things up than I am fixing lol

Does "power at the distributor" mean the points arc as they open and close with the ignition switch on? If not, determine why and repair/replace. Once you get the points to arc as they open and close, remove the wire from the center of the distributor cap and hold it about 1/4 inch from a good clean ground (engine block, etc) and crank the engine with the switch on. A good blue spark should jump the gap to ground as the engine is turning. If not, replace the coil and try again.

[Eahlemeier]

Ok so where I'm currently at now is I have power at the distributor but no spark at the plug? Any suggestions? And this wasn't an issue a few weeks ago so now I'm currently screwing more things up than I am fixing lol

Does "power at the distributor" mean the points arc as they open and close with the ignition switch on? If not, determine why and repair/replace. Once you get the points to arc as they open and close, remove the wire from the center of the distributor cap and hold it about 1/4 inch from a good clean ground (engine block, etc) and crank the engine with the switch on. A good blue spark should jump the gap to ground as the engine is turning. If not, replace the coil and try again.

Yes I am getting spark at the points, and thank you I will try as soon as I'm home

[ntrenn]

We lived through hard starting for years, even after converting to 12 volt. In the end...bad starter brushes were the culprit.
My 63 with original everything inside the engine has over 100 psi compression. The 65 came to me with a stuck piston, stuck worn out rings, completely abused and worn out. After getting it unstuck and ignoring excessive wrist pin clearance...new rings on clean pistons, flex honed cylinders, touched up valves it runs almost as strong as the 63. You will have upwards of 300 in parts and supplies....but it's well worth it. Ore illy and Napa are your friends..and you can do it without splitting the tractor...

No spark at plug.....condenser or coil or close points...

[Barnyard]

If the problem continues, load it up and bring it to the Bash next weekend. There will be plenty of hands on help available.