This site uses cookies to maintain login information on FarmallCub.Com. Click the X in the banner upper right corner to close this notice. For more information on our privacy policy, visit this link:
Privacy Policy

NEW REGISTERED MEMBERS: Be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folders for the activation email.

Cold weather and the Governor

The Cub Club -- Questions and answers to all of your Cub related issues.
Forum rules
Notice: For sale and wanted posts are not allowed in this forum. Please use our free classifieds or one of our site sponsors for your tractor and parts needs.
User avatar
Farmall X
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:29 am
Zip Code: 06339
Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Ledyard Ct.

Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Farmall X » Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:27 am

My 49 Cub starts great all year long but now the cold weather has changed that. I have a good strong battery (6volt) and it spins fine. I have tried several different starting strategies to try to find one that works. but the only way I can get her to fire up is.

throttle 3/4, choke full, crank then choke to 1/2 and then grab the rod from the carb to the governor and pull it all the way forward, while cranking

that last part scares me. does that tell anyone anything that may be wrong or misadjusted. I dont think pulling the governor forward is good for the tractor, plus I have to start the tractor off the seat and it would be nice to be able to do it sitting.

I would like to use her plowing during the winter but maybe she's a southern girl and doesnt like cold.

Thank you in advance for any help

SPONSOR AD

Sponsor



Sponsor
 

Rodney51Cub
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 517
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:06 pm
Zip Code: 62995
Tractors Owned: 1951 Farmall Cub
1950 John Deere A
1949 Farmall Cub
1943 Farmall H
1940 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M
1962 Massey Ferguson 65
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Rodney51Cub » Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:19 am

I could be way off on this but here goes.

Have you adjusted the valves lately ? How old are the spark plugs ?
Are the points set correctly ? Is the carb idle mixture screw set correctly ?

My cub starts at 1/4 to 1/2 throttle, no choke, above 20 deg (F) 99.9% of the time.
Below 20 deg (F) I have to use the choke with the same throttle setting.

I know every tractor has its own personallity, but yours should not be that difficult.
USAF 1976 - 1996

User avatar
Farmall X
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:29 am
Zip Code: 06339
Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Ledyard Ct.

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Farmall X » Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:26 am

thank you for the reply. plugs are new, mag is rebuilt and I believe adjusted correctly, But valves have not been adjusted, the idle screw is adjusted but Im not sure if its proper.

Valve adjustment is that thing that sits in the back of my head that always pops up and yells at me JUST DO IT FOOL. would a valve adjust make a cold weather problem?

Rodney51Cub
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 517
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:06 pm
Zip Code: 62995
Tractors Owned: 1951 Farmall Cub
1950 John Deere A
1949 Farmall Cub
1943 Farmall H
1940 Farmall H
1953 Farmall Super M
1962 Massey Ferguson 65
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Rodney51Cub » Sun Nov 18, 2012 8:40 am

Idle mixture screw could vary from the books setting, but should be within a half of a turn either way on most carbs I have worked on. I was the same way on valve adjustment. I could not remember the last time I done it. I finally remembered to do it earlier this year and it seemed to make a big difference in starting and running.
USAF 1976 - 1996

lazyuniondriver
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 438
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:37 am
Zip Code: 44134
Tractors Owned: 1949 & 1951 Farmall Cubs

Several Snapper Garden Tractors
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Southern Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby lazyuniondriver » Sun Nov 18, 2012 10:16 am

Overall engine and component system health play a major role in cold weather starting success.

In colder weather, you have more things going against you. So the greater amount of things you can get going for you, will certainly speed slow starting complaints.

Valves in need of adjustment are just one of those little things combined with other little problems that will add up to prevent quick starts when cold weather sets in, perhaps not so much noticed in warmer summer temperatures.

If I understand your cold weather starting procedure correctly, success is achieved by pulling towards the front of the tractor on the governor control rod. By doing this you are closing the throttle against governor spring pressure, which you could do from the seat with the speed control lever by pulling it back. Pulling or pushing on the governor rod as long as its not done with force won't hurt a thing.

When the engine is stopped, advancing the speed control forward to the starting position opens the throttle plate. Apparently, your throttle plate needs to be closer to closed for starting, which could be a sign the carburator needs adjustment or serviced.

If your tractor will start in a reasonable amount of time in cold weather (after a few seconds of cranking), with the speed control lever forward just a little or left in the idle position while working the choke, you may have nothing or very little wrong with your tractor. Maybe a little fine tuning here and there will get it to light faster.

As others have mentioned, no two tractors are alike. It may be a matter of simply finding the sweet spot when setting the speed control and working the choke when the weather turns cold.
"HAVE ALL YOUR DELIVERIES MADE BY UNION DRIVERS"
Image

User avatar
Rudi
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 28706
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 8:37 pm
Zip Code: E1A7J3
Skype Name: R.H. "Rudi" Saueracker, SSM
Tractors Owned: 1947 Cub "Granny"
1948 Cub "Ellie-Mae"
1968 Cub Lo-Boy
Dad's Putt-Putt
IH 129 CC
McCormick 100 Manure Spreader
McCormick 100-H Manure Spreader
Post Hole Digger
M-H #1 Potato Digger
Circle of Safety: Y
Twitter ID: Rudi Saueracker, SSM
Location: NB Dieppe, Canada
Contact:

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Rudi » Sun Nov 18, 2012 10:47 am

First, I would clean and then lubricate with a good penetrating oil all of the joints/connections/sleeves in the governor circuit as shown below. That would allow the governor rods etc., to operate freely.

Image

Then adjust the valves according to the valve lash procedure:

Image

Recheck your tune up. You shouldn't have any difficulty starting your Cub in cold weather.
Confusion breeds Discussion which breeds Knowledge which breeds Confidence which breeds Friendship


User avatar
John *.?-!.* cub owner
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 23701
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 2:09 pm
Zip Code: 63664
Tractors Owned: 47, 48, 49 cub plus Wagner loader & other attachments. 41 Farmall H.
Location: Mo, Potosi

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby John *.?-!.* cub owner » Sun Nov 18, 2012 10:00 pm

How long since mag was rebuilt? I have had this problem both from bad spark plugs, and a mag coil starting to weaken.
If you are not part of the solution,
you are part of the problem!!!

Clark Thompson
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1573
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 11:01 pm
Zip Code: 36310
Tractors Owned: 1975 IH cub,1948 farmall cub,1979 international 3200 skid steer and a 1974 John deere 350B dozer.
Location: Abbeville Alabama

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Clark Thompson » Sun Nov 18, 2012 11:49 pm

low compression and a weak spark play a key role in cold weather starting.
Collector of Farmall cubs and cub cadets.Injoy helping people keep their cubs running. Years of experipnce.

TJG
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 1224
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:11 am
Location: MN, Mankato

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby TJG » Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:23 am

Is the starter in good condition? This fall my cub became harder and harder to start, and needed more and more choke to start. I blamed it on the colder weather. Then one day the starter died. After the starter was rebuilt the tractor starts right off with nearly no choke even though the weather is now colder yet.

Todd

User avatar
Farmall X
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:29 am
Zip Code: 06339
Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Ledyard Ct.

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Farmall X » Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:13 am

I rebuilt the mag in apr thats when I gave her the name Maggie :) since thats what got her going. the starter is good and strong Im thinking maybe its time for the valve adjustment. Can you adjust valves with the exhaust manifolds still in place?

User avatar
RaymondDurban
Cub Pro
Cub Pro
Posts: 4435
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:45 pm
Zip Code: 32536
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: FL, Crestview

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby RaymondDurban » Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:38 am

Farmall X wrote:.... Can you adjust valves with the exhaust manifolds still in place?

Yes. You will need to disconnect and remove he throttle and choke rods from the carb. The carb does not need to be removed.

User avatar
Farmall X
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 5:29 am
Zip Code: 06339
Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Ledyard Ct.

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Farmall X » Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:14 am

Ray thank you and everyone else as well. guess I know what Im doing tonight.

Eugene
Team Cub Mentor
Team Cub Mentor
Posts: 20344
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
Zip Code: 65051
Circle of Safety: Y
Location: Mo. Linn

Re: Cold weather and the Governor

Postby Eugene » Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:28 am

Conduct compression tests on cold engine.

Your hard starting problem in cold weather could be the result of several problems. First one I thought of was that the linkage to governor is not properly adjusted. Second thought was mentioned by Rudi, sticking governor parts. Third thought was the technique used to start engine.

Last thought, other than weak engine, is a low fuel level, float setting, in the carburetor.
I have an excuse. CRS.


Return to “Farmall Cub”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests