hotwiring cub cadet

F

Findoggy

Well-known member
The model 72 I purchased a few weeks ago has, per PO, a replacement ignition (key broke off in the old one). PO says that wiring wasn't the same as original and he hadn't gotten it wired right before I bought it (was in the middle of putting it back together). Anyway, I was wondering if there was a way to hotwire the tractor so that I could hear how the engine runs. I am deciding if I am going to replace the one in my model 73 with it, or keep the one currently in it. Thanks for any and all help.
Findoggy
 
Not knowing what the PO has done to the wiring, that is hard to answer, but basically you need power from a battery source to the + side of the coil, and to the armature post of the starter generator, and a ground from the battery to the tractor frame or engine.

The 72 and 73 used a key operated ingition/start switch and a starter solenoid, so if the PO has the wiring wrong, you might want to disconnect what ever he has on the switch and run a wire from the battery to the coil and then jump across the terminals of the solenoid to start it, or run a wire from the battery to the ignition wire terminal of the solenoid (to engerize the solenoid) to start it and then remove that wire after it starts.

Standard disclaimers apply, so becareful. Since I have no idea what the PO may have done to the wiring, you are doing this at your own risk..
 
As Paul said the concept is simple: You need continuous power to the igntion system, and a means to crank the engine over. Disconnect the wire to the spark plug (always the right thing to do when working on ANY power equipment) and pull the plug out for this test to allow it to crank easily if the engine is internally tight after not being ran for a while.

Cranking is often the problem rather than power to ignition when people rig up wiring with the wrong or different ignition switch. Cranking is as simple as getting high current positive battery power to the starter or in your case starter generator, but not necessarily safe. Start off with a fully charged battery, that way you don't have to worry about a non functioning or mis-wired charging system for evaluating the engine with battery ignition. This way if it is capable of starting and running it will run for a while even if not charging the battery.

If you have an ohm meter, check the heavy gauge positive wire between the starter/gen and the starter solenoid. If it is OK (zero reisitance) and not shorted to ground, you are OK to SAFELY attempt to crank the engine by this means: Wear a glove while doing this. Use ONE spring end clamp from a set of jumper cables to short across the large lugs on the solenoid, one is the + side of the battery and the other the cable to the starter/gen. Do it quickly at first, if it just sparks a lot and the engine does not crank, stop immidiately. In that case the starter/gen is probably not good enough to continue. If it cranks, and it probably will, continue.

Ignition as mentioned is easy: + of battery to + of coil, this can be done with a light piece of 12 or 14 gauge wire if the + current isn't there already with the key in run. If points and coil are OK, you should get a spark on the plug when the engine cranks over with the plug in its cable and the threads contacting a metal ground when using the cranking procedure.

If you got spark and are rigged up to crank, go ahead and fuel up, put the plug back in, and safely crank it. Have an assistant spray some starting fluid or carb cleaner lightly in the intake to see if the engine is indeed attemting to fire before fuel flows through the carb.

I have used this, "Hot wire," procedure safely for over 25 years and have not died, been shocked, or started any fires. Just be careful and have a watchful assistant to help.

-Fordlords-
 
I eliminate everything when I want to run an engine and disconnect the + wire from the coil(I do leave the field & Arm wires on the S/G). I connect the + of the battery to the Arm. on S/G, a 14 Ga. jumper wire from + battery to + coil (the points should have been checked to make sure you are making through them before trying to start motor). I now find a good ENGINE ground and touch the -(Ground battery cable) to the engine ground. This way that spark won't eat on the threads of the armature post and ruin it if anything is causing more current flow than normal.

Something important that wasn't mentioned is be sure too are in Neutraland the wheels bocked. On an cub Cadet it is possible to have stuck clutches especially an Original.
 
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