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Aluminum pistons

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jsfarmall
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 605
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:04 pm
Zip Code: 72454
Tractors Owned: 1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty"
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie" (wife's tractor)
1965 IH Cub "Annie"
1943 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M (granddad's tractor)

Aluminum pistons

Postby jsfarmall » Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:51 am

About all the replacement new pistons are aluminum. Typically this would seem to be a mild performance/efficiency upgrade. I'm keeping everything stock but the pistons will be .020 due to cylinders being wore out on top. With this being a low compression/rpm/performance engine, does it make any difference at all?
1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty" mower tractor, trimmed ear dash
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie"
1965 IH Cub "Annie" mower tractor,
1943 Farmall H,
1953 Farmall Super M

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Slim140
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 4908
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2017 6:24 am
Zip Code: 00000
Tractors Owned: .
1970 International 140
1972 International 140
1949 John Deere A
1993 Ford 4630 W/Loader
1965 John Deere 110
1961 Cub Cadet Original
Circle of Safety: Y

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby Slim140 » Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:56 am

Won't hurt a thing that their aluminum.
Every home is a school, what are you teaching?

Circle of Safety

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Willy
5+ Years
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Posts: 519
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 4:54 pm
Zip Code: 38330
Tractors Owned: 1951 Cub Lil Red
Location: Dyer, TN

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby Willy » Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:18 am

They'll be fine. Aluminum pistons in a cast iron block has been an industry standard for a long time.
Waking up the ol' Cub

Nah, it's not leaking oil. It's just marking it's territory.

jsfarmall
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 605
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:04 pm
Zip Code: 72454
Tractors Owned: 1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty"
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie" (wife's tractor)
1965 IH Cub "Annie"
1943 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M (granddad's tractor)

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby jsfarmall » Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:07 pm

I didn't figure it would hurt anything. I was wondering if I would get any mild power or efficiency benefit by having the lighter pistons.
1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty" mower tractor, trimmed ear dash
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie"
1965 IH Cub "Annie" mower tractor,
1943 Farmall H,
1953 Farmall Super M

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MiCarl
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2017 8:28 am
Zip Code: 48154
Tractors Owned: 2021 RK25 "Barbie"
1944 Farmall H
1948 Farmall Cub (SOLD)
1994 Speedex 1631
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Howell, MI

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby MiCarl » Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:30 pm

Very mild improvement. Probably nothing you would notice even if it wasn't overwhelmed by the increase from having a good fit on the pistons and rings.
1944 Farmall H
1948 Farmall Cub
1994 Speedex 1631

inairam
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 2803
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:24 am
Zip Code: 19342
Tractors Owned: 1948 6v - Dozer
1949 with kub klipper belly mower. mag 6v - Mom
1950 with plow, 54 blade, mott mag 6v - Roxanne
1953 54 blade, c22, wood 42 6v
1957 6v - barn Queen
1965 lo-boy with c-3 mower 12 v - Loboy
1974 Horse II 12 v c-2
1975 with woods 42-6 12 v - Horse
1979 long strip 12 v stuck engine
130 with international 1000 loader 6 v
1969 140 with bush hog tow behind mower 12 v
Terramite T-6 4WD Backhoe Perkins diesel
Memberships: Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association;Chapter 8 IH Collectors; IH Collectors Worldwide
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Glen Mills PA

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby inairam » Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:17 pm

The original cubs had a compression ratio of 6.5 to 1 with a cylinder pressure of ~107 PSI high ideal 1800 RPM. at Tractor SN 192113 and Engine SN 196900 (in 1956) the cylinder compression was increased to ~ 120 PSI and high ideal increased to ~2016 RPM

In 1968 engine SN 264568 to pop up aluminum pistons were introduced. which I think increased the compression ratio to 7.5 to 1. The numbered Cub has the rated presser for 7.5 to 1 but I did not find any data on the Cub version of the c-60 specifically after 1968.

In 1975 the Manifold and Carb Changed (to Zenith or IH large bore )

If you want to spend the time and money put in the pop up pistons in, change the manifold to the new design, run a straight larger pipe out the top, and put a governor from a numbered cub so you can run at higher RPM bigger carb. The number cubs get most of the HP from higher (RPM 2200-2400 RPM vs 1800-=2000 RPM) vs an increase in torque. The lighter pistons will help you achieve the higher RPM while reducing power lost internally.

You should end up with something between a long strip Cub and a number loboy in terms of HP but as MilCarl wrote - most of what you will notice will be the good fit of fresh pistons and rings and the good feeling you get when you first ride your cub after you spend money on it!
When you only have 9 horsepower you need to know the names of all of the ponies!

jsfarmall
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 605
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:04 pm
Zip Code: 72454
Tractors Owned: 1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty"
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie" (wife's tractor)
1965 IH Cub "Annie"
1943 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M (granddad's tractor)

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby jsfarmall » Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:39 pm

Okie dokie. The machine I'm working on I have never seen run so will for sure be a big sense of accomplishment for me. Will be my second cub revival but first major rebuild as this. All the extras I won't do. At the very most I might have the head shaved slightly but probably not. It's possible it will mow some but most of it's work will be garden work. Doing what a cub is built for they have plenty of power. I just love tinkering on em and hearing those little engines purr
1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty" mower tractor, trimmed ear dash
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie"
1965 IH Cub "Annie" mower tractor,
1943 Farmall H,
1953 Farmall Super M

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ShawnAgne
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 838
Joined: Sat May 07, 2016 5:13 pm
Zip Code: 45380
Tractors Owned: 1952 Cub w/ 184 motor (Kid)
12V with Petronix
IH 3160 Mower Deck
54 Leveling Blade
193 Plow
IH528 Trailer
Front/Rear Weights
1955 Farmall 300 (Clarence)
12V with Petronix
Woods L306 72"
1955 Farmall 100 (Thomas)
12V with Petronix
Woods L59 60"
A60 Leveling Blade
Front/Rear Weights
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Versailles, Ohio

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby ShawnAgne » Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:15 am

I replaced the original C60 on my 51 with a 184 motor from Art. Running it at 2400 RPM the mower goes through grass with the 60" mower a lot nicer. If you do decide to upgrade to basically a 184 motor you pick up a gear speed wise.
Shawn Agne

jsfarmall
5+ Years
5+ Years
Posts: 605
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 1:04 pm
Zip Code: 72454
Tractors Owned: 1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty"
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie" (wife's tractor)
1965 IH Cub "Annie"
1943 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M (granddad's tractor)

Re: Aluminum pistons

Postby jsfarmall » Fri Dec 22, 2017 9:12 am

My mower tractor could for sure use mower power. I brought that one up from a parts tractor just trying to get it running. Probably should have had machine work done but I wanted to just get it going first. Later I may put a 185 engine on it or me and my little boy can rebuild it when he is old enough.
1948 Cub "Trusty"
1948 Cub "Rusty" mower tractor, trimmed ear dash
1948 Cub "Bob"
1948 Cub "Sallie"
1965 IH Cub "Annie" mower tractor,
1943 Farmall H,
1953 Farmall Super M


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