New Member MontanaMan just bought 1948 Cub

[MontanaMan]

Hi All! My journey has just begun. I picked up a 1948 SN33750 Cub. I bought it without it running for $1000. He has the receipts with it and ownership records back to 1959. Motor and clutch were rebuilt for $2500 in 1998 at a New Holland dealership. Was supposedly not used a lot after the 90s. Sat in old guys back shed for years. I also got the plow, row cultivator and front snowplow with it. It has a parts tractor of dubious origin that went with it. It is a Farmall but I don't know what it is. No Hydraulics but my mechanic has an old one sitting in his yard, and he will sell me the hydraulics off of his dad's cub which has a seized motor. Thanks for this website. I will be following the post of what to do when you bring your Cub home. I will go through all components and do maintenance on it plus rebuild the CARB. Hope to hear back from others on their advice and learn from you all! Question. I was going to use Shell T4 15/40 oil with added zinc supplement for flat tappet engines in the engine. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

A couple comments:
- There are a lot of cheap and poorly fitting carb kits for sale in various places. Avoid them and get a quality kit from one of the sponsors (bottom of this page) or online from McDonald Carburetor.
- Your oil choice is fine but don't add any zinc supplement. A Cub engine does not need it and it may throw the existing additive package off balance.

[Eugene]

Welcome.

Prime the oil pump before trying to start the engine. That's a must do.

Conduct compression tests. The C-60 engine tends to stick valves if it sits for a while.

Fluid changes, get the tractor running. Operate the tractor for quite a while to see what it needs before spending a lot of money on it.

[MontanaMan]

Thanks guys, I will follow your advice. How do you free up stuck valves? Mystery Oil?

[MontanaMan]

Will post some pictures after I get it off the trailer.

[ricky racer]

Welcome.

Prime the oil pump before trying to start the engine. That's a must do.

[MontanaMan]

Just bought a IH carb rebuild kit from TM in Maine. The one I picked up from NAPA looked like junk. I will Prime the oil pump as well. Thanks!

[Don McCombs]

I would advise against using the Viton tipped needle and cage from the TM kit. Use the original steel needle and cage from your carburetor.

[MontanaMan]

Hey Don, what is a cage?

[Bob McCarty]

The cage is the cylindrical brass piece that the steel needle fits into. Welcome to the forum.

[Don McCombs]

Photo courtesy TM Tractor Parts

[MontanaMan]

Thanks Bob, will follow this advice. Why would the cage and needle rebuild parts from TM not be advisable?

[MontanaMan]

Thanks Don

[Bill Hudson]

Thanks Bob, will follow this advice. Why would the cage and needle rebuild parts from TM not be advisable?

Many folks have found that the Viton tip tends to hang up in the seat and limit fuel flow. Oh, Bob and Don are carb gurus.

[MontanaMan]

Great info! Thanks for all of the help.