Check the spark quality with a cold engine. When the problem happens again, immediately check for spark. If it is still good, you probably don't have an ignition problem. If the spark is much weaker, you probably have either a bad coil or bad condenser. A lot of recent condensers have been failing. So if yours has been replaced, it is more likely to be the problem.
Hello from Michigan
- Thread starter Crawforde
- Start date
Don McCombs
501 Club
If you’re planning to “pull” the autumn olive, do it now before they set fruit. You don’t need any more seeds in the soil. If you plan to do it with the Cub, connect no higher than the drawbar. You don’t need to find yourself on your back with a tractor on top of you. If you have something heavier, use that.
If the magneto is still using the original style internal coil, it is a special coil.
Below is a listing at TM Tractor Parts for a new Cub magneto coil. You can look at the pictures.
The coil is on top of the magneto, under the cover.
You have to remove the cover over the points to get to the connection for the small wire on the coil.
You can look at the points then, or replace them.
Your Cub owner's manual should have info showing the magneto points and condenser.
Check the point gap too. If you have to turn the engine slightly to get the 1 point on the high part of the cam, watch closely so you know which way the shaft turned, so you don't lose the timing of the cover to the magneto.
IMHO the best igintion there is for a tractor. As long as it works. Expensive to repair. Our H with mag would start in any kind of weather, the M with battery ignition not as easy. Hand cranking with a low battery is also much more likely to start right up. Even slow cranking with a low batttery generally will start.
Crawforde Welcome. I am familiar with the AuSable Valley. Lived north of East Tawas for several years. Now between Kalamazoo and BattleCreek. Vern
I see in the picture of your Cub, it looks like the clutch pedal return spring might be gone from the clutch pedal. The pedal looks lower than the brake pedals. It could just be the picture making it look that way.
The clutch pedal should have 1" of free play at the top of it's travel, if the Cub is above serial number 32229, a little more if it is below that number.
Pull the pedal up with your hand, it should be held up against the edge of the platform. If the spring is gone, the pedal would always go ahead, and there is no free play. Then the throwout bearing would always rub on the pressure plate fingers. It's not good for the throwout bearing to do that.
The return spring is under the platform. The brake pedals have them too. The one on the clutch pedal goes on the same as the ones on the brake pedals.
Below is a listing at TM Tractor Parts for a new return spring.
https://www.tmtractor.com/new/cl/864fp.htm
I would grease the grease fitting on the throwout bearing.
Also, lube the fan hub, it uses light engine oil.
They are often forgotten, people on here have said. The manual tells how.
I use a clean pump oil can to pump oil into the fan hub.
Cub transmissions commonly get water in them, from rain, or condensation in the housing over time. The trans has 3 oil plugs.
The trans oil filler plug is on top of the housing, to the rear of the shifter.
The oil level plug is low on the left side of the trans, fill it to there.
The oil drain plug is at the bottom of the trans, visible from under the platform.
The trans holds 3 1/2 Pints of gear oil.
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Thank you!I see in the picture of your Cub, it looks like the clutch pedal return spring might be gone from the clutch pedal. The pedal looks lower than the brake pedals. It could just be the picture making it look that way.
The clutch pedal should have 1" of free play at the top of it's travel, if the Cub is above serial number 32229, a little more if it is below that number.
Pull the pedal up with your hand, it should be held up against the edge of the platform. If the spring is gone, the pedal would always go ahead, and there is no free play. Then the throwout bearing would always rub on the pressure plate fingers. It's not good for the throwout bearing to do that.
The return spring is under the platform. The brake pedals have them too. The one on the clutch pedal goes on the same as the ones on the brake pedals.
Below is a listing at TM Tractor Parts for a new return spring.
https://www.tmtractor.com/new/cl/864fp.htm
I would grease the grease fitting on the throwout bearing.
Also, lube the fan hub, it uses light engine oil.
They are often forgotten, people on here have said. The manual tells how.
I use a clean pump oil can to pump oil into the fan hub.
Cub transmissions commonly get water in them, from rain, or condensation in the housing over time. The trans has 3 oil plugs.
I’ll check it out this weekend.
The SN is 11921.
I can’t wait to get her back in shape and get her working again. Driving it home almost 7 miles and then around the yard (and the gas tank is still almost full! Need to make a stick gage) was a blast but actually working the property will be even better.
That is an early 1948 Cub, the serial number list on here shows.
Here is the list.
https://farmallcub.com/fc/sn_ref/
I added more to my post above, if you didn't see it.
There are 2 final drives with separate oil levels to check also, separate from the transmission.
If the owner's manual is like the one on here, it has lots of info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. The experts on here recommend people read the owner's manual.