1950 cub won't start

[Greenthumbfarms]

Well the 1950 Cub i brought home a few months back had gotten back burnered then, I had college finals and then we started planting corn.

I sent the Mag away to a mag shop, I just didn't have the time to work on it myself and got it mounted today. Static timed it, hooked up the battery and re-polarized the Gen and turned on the gas.

Pull the starter ring and all it does is crank and kick every once in a while. Can someone point me the right direction? I just don't have the experience yet to know where to go from here.

I'll try and take some video cranking it later, I threw a battery charger on it and let it be a while. Neighbors have company out on the deck and I don't need to make them mad by cranking away on the old girl!

[k hutchins]

Start at the beginning. You say you sent the mag out to be worked on. What did they do?
Points, condensor, and coil good?
Double check your timing. When installed the end of the rotor should be pointing at app 1 oclock. On a J4 mag the rotor also has timing marks on it that need to be lined up.
After you've done all that, double check that you have your plug wires in the correct order and connected to the right plug.

If all that is correct, then check your fuel flow. Pull the plug on the bottom of the bowl of the carb and make sure you have a good steady flow.

When you cranked it, you didn't say if you had choked it at all. The carbs flood very easily. I usually choke until it coughs or sputters then push the choke off to continue cranking.

I'm sure others will chime in soon, but the above is where l would start.

[Greenthumbfarms]

I should have written a better description. I tried starting with every throttle and choke combination there is, and gave it plenty of time to dry out if I thought it could have been flooded. It "coughed" a few times and ran about 15 or so seconds but wouldn't stay running. I was suspecting a fuel issue, but when I last asked, everyone told me to go with spark checks first.

The mag had corrosion in it from sitting unused (all the copper parts had that green oxidation), so I took it to my starter/generator/magneto man. The mag was completely done up, Coil, Cap, Rotor, points and condenser. All the works. I did check the timing on the rotor when I installed it, and ensured all of the plug wires were securely attached and in the right order.

I will check for a good fuel flow, and re-check the float drop and height, I set them a few months back, but with a Tape and not calipers. I don't think that was the best route to go...There were no obstructions in the carburetor or the jets today when I opened it to look.

[Waif]

Did the plug wires get changed to non solid copper core?

Sounds like you're close to runnin.

When one times I had fail to run it was wrong plug gaps. And on one hard to run right , a plug gap had been near closed on one plug somehow by the prior owner.

Cylinders need to be lubed too. Did you prime the oil pump and galleys?

[Greenthumbfarms]

I never opened the motor, I bought it "running needing tweaking" and got too tied up farming to work on it until now. I did prime the oil pump when I last tried getting it to run.

Ill have to check the spark plugs for gap.

As far as I know they are solid copper plug wires, but I will check tomorrow.

[tst]

is the rotor timed correctly to the mag? there are timing marks on the drive gear and rotor

[Greenthumbfarms]

Yes, i pulled the rotor and checked for the timing marks

[tst]

ever check the compression ? you said it was tired

[Waif]

I never opened the motor, I bought it "running needing tweaking" and got too tied up farming to work on it until now. I did prime the oil pump when I last tried getting it to run.

Ill have to check the spark plugs for gap.

As far as I know they are solid copper plug wires, but I will check tomorrow.

Being so close to running....... I know the feeling , but not the cause.
Broken record on my part by repeating , but the choke lever on the backside of one carburetor was loose on one of my Cubs.
Till I watched the actual plate's action by the small rectangle piece on the outside , the choke plate was willy nilly in position. And combatting my attempts to regulate it ; by choking the engine when I thought it was opened..

[Greenthumbfarms]

A good suggestion on checking the choke, i pulled the air intake off and it is working properly.

I have not checked compression yet, so it looks like I have a weekend project. Have folks had good luck with the Harbor Freight compression tester or is it not very accurate?

[Barnyard]

Is this the same one you are bringing to the Bash?

[Greenthumbfarms]

No, although if I'm still having a hard time then I'm sure it will find its way into my trailer...

[Greenthumbfarms]

I did just perform a compression test, as well as check the spark plug gaps. All the plugs are properly gapped. Piston one was at 90 PSI dry and 95 wet, 2 was 80 dry and 85 wet, 3 was 80 dry and 85 wet, and four was 80 dry and 85 wet. I did use a Pittsburgh conpression tester from Harbor Freight, so I don't know how accurate it is. Would I want to be adjusting my valves now or do I need to look at putting rings in?

[Farmer Dell]

HI Cub Owners,
My x jailbird brother-in-law (who I tried to help get back on his feet as a mechanic); tore the wiring and distributor cap apart with no marking of the wiring, (which I like to do) after he got angry after confronting him.
No matter, I was hoping to follow this thread and hopefully find some photos of the cap and magneto placements and that type of thing. As now my 53 Cub is home in my garage, rather than in the old pole bar, which we used to own.
I apologize for sharing "too much information", but I get frustrated when someone makes it even harder on the newly acquired Cub owner, who doesn't want to screw things up from when I purchased this smooth running machine!

[Waif]

HI Cub Owners,
My x jailbird brother-in-law (who I tried to help get back on his feet as a mechanic); tore the wiring and distributor cap apart with no marking of the wiring, (which I like to do) after he got angry after confronting him.
No matter, I was hoping to follow this thread and hopefully find some photos of the cap and magneto placements and that type of thing. As now my 53 Cub is home in my garage, rather than in the old pole bar, which we used to own.
I apologize for sharing "too much information", but I get frustrated when someone makes it even harder on the newly acquired Cub owner, who doesn't want to screw things up from when I purchased this smooth running machine!

Well , first be sure to blend in the surface of the soil so it doesn't look disturbed where your former b.i.l.. is resting...

Then maybe start a new thread about your Cub.

Sorting out your firing order and wire placement should go smoothly.

When you mention wiring we'll need specifics if it's more than plug wires.
Cubs have a reasonable wiring harness , but ignition systems can be modified by owners and deviate from stock. So guessing from here without good details (even pictures of specific issues) can be like giving a haircut over the phone.

Congrats on your Cub. Always nice to start a repair knowing it ran good prior.