pressure washed cub ............

L

len-pit

New member
washed cub ..then started and drove back to barn .....3 days later no lights or power .wont crank over.just help me on how ,where to start .electric trouble shooting is not my favorite 1957 loboy w/6 volt thank you .....
 
What type battery ends at battery? If the ‘temporary’ type, my thought would be rust at that location.Clean all battery connections(that includes removing cable ends from wire and cleaning wire and end) and try again.
 
Many areas of a Cub don't appreciate getting wet. More so being power washed.
(So when you see my dirty Cubs , I'm keeping them ready to start. L.o.l..)

Anyways , start your trouble shooting with your battery cable connections. (Both ends of them!) Clean and tight.
While cleaning the ends , check for corrosion between connectors and cable , including back under insulation.
Get rid of corrosion if you find it.

If you replace your ground wire (assuming you have a wire type ground) , the braided type cable makes a good ground cable replacement.
My tractors came with standard auto ground cables diameters.
They are not enough for good 6 volt flow if anything is not perfect. 6 volt likes a big route ,vs a tight squeeze.

Where your ground attaches affects flow too. A transmission bolt can be better than a rusty battery box /platform bolt.
IF you pull the starter , you can clean up it's ears , and the surface of the tractor where it touches the tractor frame when installed and bolts are snugged up.
Fussy? Yes. But it all adds up to good flow .
 
Been there.
Disconnect the battery and charge it.
Roll the tractor out in the sun so it hits the right side and let it dry out.
 
All the above. Depending on heat, humidity, sun shine, put a fan on the right side for a day or two, or longer.

Had a garage door opener that got wet/rained on while we were replacing the roof. Two weeks to dry out and work in Missouri humidity.
 
I washed late model cub (spilled Hy-Tran when filling) and the connection between the wire harness and the key switch let go. Spent hours troubleshooting other components before I thought to check that!
 
I hate to say this but you more than likely done more damage than good “pressure washing” your Cub. You have introduced water into places that should NEVER EVER have water there. I will never understand peoples fascination with high pressure water and machinery.

In the future please use the pressure washer for the decks and driveway not machinery that is made from iron and steel without any way to remove the water except complete disassembly.

NJ Farmer
 
I’ve pressure washed all kinds of engines and motorized equipment all my life and never had any problems. I usually tape the distributor cap to the distributor to keep water out and use a little common sense around electrical components and worse case ever has been a little moisture under the distributor cap that a rag and little shot of wd-40 takes care of. I’m of the mind set that a clean tractor is easier to spot leaks and loose bolts on so I can take care of things as they happen rather than getting in the position of having to fix something before using it. I started doing this at 10 years old with my dads lawnmower because that’s the way he taught me and it’s always served me well. When I worked as a heavy equipment mechanic we always started a repair on the wash pit just so we didn’t have to work on a dirty machine
 
NJ Farmer":2t723ukv said:
I hate to say this but you more than likely done more damage than good “pressure washing” your Cub. You have introduced water into places that should NEVER EVER have water there.
Click to expand...
I agree. I took a tow behind air compressor in for routine service and they must of had a kid take a pressure washer to it. It forces water past wire terminals into the insulation and past seals into bearings. It even took off paint that was never loose.
 
indy61":gn9fks6z said:
NJ Farmer":gn9fks6z said:
I hate to say this but you more than likely done more damage than good “pressure washing” your Cub. You have introduced water into places that should NEVER EVER have water there.
Click to expand...
I agree. I took a tow behind air compressor in for routine service and they must of had a kid take a pressure washer to it. It forces water past wire terminals into the insulation and past seals into bearings. It even took off paint that was never loose.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Check the oil in your steering box as a pressure washer will blow water past the seals. Trans too.
 
If your pressure washing with mineral spirits or varsol that's one thing (which I still dont agree with) but using water is a major no-no in my humble opinion.

Can I also advise when you pressure wash anywhere near bearings or bushings you force out any grease or oil that can not be relubricated without removal and disassemble.

Look we are all mechanics at some level of experience and I am not here to tell you what to do, but this is the experience and knowlege I have when it comes to machinery and "power washers". Do whatever you feel is right and helpful in your situation.
Pressure wash at your own risk perhasp should the the caution.....

NJ Farmer
 
I don't use a pressure washer on my equiptment, but use a good leaf blower or air compressor with a long haired paint brush works really well.I have powered washer cars and trucks engines with the engines running being careful without any problems. I actually blow equipment off after each use with a leaf blower to stay ahead of the build up, works well.
 
They are fine for taking off some dirt and dust and getting some crud off of the mowing deck. I am not using it as a sand blaster so all my seals and boxes and whatnot are fine and there is no fascination with it. It needed a little drying time and everything is fine.
 
Using a pressure washer is mainly a matter of keeping your wits about you. Keep the pressure at a reasonable level. Most washers have several nozzles so you can pick one that fans the spray out more. Even then you have to be careful not to directly blast the starter, generator, dash panel, etc. It isn't nearly as hazardous to the equipment as sand blasting.

Disclaimer:
By the way, I don't own a pressure washer, but have borrowed one. I wash tractors down with a garden hose and nozzle. You can adjust a pressure washer to not be much more aggressive than a garden hose with a nozzle.
 
Jim Becker":2odfzyjj said:
Using a pressure washer is mainly a matter of keeping your wits about you.
Click to expand...
I use the car wash to clean my machines because I don't have water at the acreage.
 
Hi,
If you are using water to wash a Cub, it's probably helpful to cover the starter, magneto, or Battery Ignition unit, voltage regulator, and around the dash area, with plastic grocery bags, or other plastic you might have.
You might need to tie them on with strings so they don't blow off.
Keep the electrical parts dry, if possible. :)
 
Yea you should always avoid pressure blasting somthing old and not designed for that. In any engine you probably shouldn't blast the engine but they are less likeky to die. It is very possible that you formed some very fine corrosion on your terminals but you should charge it, run it and let it get really dry and then check for parasitic load after the engine is shut off. See if somthing is drawing power when it shouldn't be
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top