Drew - intro

[Drewb]

Hello.

I have a 1974 lo boy 154. Been lurking on the forum for a couple of years and decided to join the group this month. The info available has been invaluable. My latest adventure is to time the engine with a timing light. The engine is running rich because you can smell the gas, see dark exhaust and the plugs have a dry black coating. Drew

[staninlowerAL]

Welcome to the forum.

[Bob McCarty]

Drew, Welcome to the forum.

[Mike in Louisiana]

Welcome to the forum.

[Barnyard]

Welcome to the forum!

[Stanton]

Welcome to the Forum, Drew!

Take some time and read through a few threads to acquaint yourself with the Forum:

• Welcome Wagon
• How to Upload Pictures to a Post
• Forum Picture Posting And Other Interesting Things You Can Do
• Using the Forum

Now that you’ve logged your 2nd post on the Forum, you'll have access to the all the PDF Manuals on this site. There’s a few ways to do that:

• From a desktop or laptop, go to "Quick Links" in the upper left corner of your screen. Hit that and a pull-down appears where you'll find "PDF Manuals".
• You can also go to “Cub Info” in the upper toolbar, then hit “Rudi’s Manuals”. From there, you can access a variety of information.
• If you're using a phone, go to the "Links Directory" (second category down the main page). Once in "Links Directory" , scroll down to the second section "Tractor Parts & Manuals" and you'll find them there.

You'll be able to download an Owner's Manual (very strongly recommended) and any service manuals that interest you. Implement Manuals are also available.

There are a lot of good threads dealing with Cub repair and maintenance in the How To Forum. Located here: http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=11

We’d encourage you to take the Safety Test located in the Safety Forum: http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=68084

Take some pictures of your tractor and post them, we’d like to see them.

Remember:

• Pictures are limited to 500 KB file size. Use an image reducer app or program to downsize pics.
• When you have a specific question, start a new thread in the appropriate sub-forum.
• Before posting, use the Preview button before hitting Submit--it'll show you exactly what your post will look like, including pictures.
• When adding your comments to a thread, be sure to look at the date of the last poster. If it’s more than a 6 months old, the posters are probably not going to see it. Consider starting a new thread.

Glad you joined us.

[Bill Hudson]

Welcome to the forum, Drew. Enjoy the ride.

Bill

[Lt.Mike]

Hello.

I have a 1974 lo boy 154.
My latest adventure is to time the engine with a timing light. The engine is running rich because you can smell the gas, see dark exhaust and the plugs have a dry black coating. Drew

Welcome to the forum!
To try to answer your question the first thing That jumps out at me with those symptoms that would be for any engine is to check if the choke is staying closed (?). Check the air intake for obstruction also

[ricky racer]

Welcome aboard Drew!! You've found the best Cub website on the planet!!

[Glen]

Hi,
The Cub 154 LoBoy operator's manual can help you learn about maintenance that the LoBoy needs.

Below is the Cub 154 LoBoy operator's manual. The experts on here recommend people read it. It has lots of info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. There is a table of contents on page 1, and the index begins on page 58.
The lube section begins on page 46.
It shows how 154 LoBoys originally looked in it.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

It shows the electrical system that a LoBoy originally had.
154 LoBoys originally have 12 volt, negative ground electrical systems.

I would check or change all the oils before using the LoBoy. Using a LoBoy with low oil in a gear housing can damage the parts in it.
There are 3 separate gear housings at the rear area of a LoBoy, with 3 separate oil levels to check, the transmission, and 2 final drives.

The transmissions in Cubs and LoBoys commonly get water in them, from rain, or condensation inside the housing over time.

The operator's manual tells how to change the oils, and what oils to use.

There is a search box at the top of the page, to the right of the Farmall Cub, you can find info in posts that have been made.

The ignition timing is not hard to check and change, if needed.
It needs to be set right so the engine has good power.
Below is a page from the offset Cub service manual, showing the timing marks.
I'm not totally sure a 154 is timed the same.
If anyone has the 154 service manual, and it says differently, maybe they will write below.

Mark number 1 in the pic should be aligned with the pointer when the engine is running at slow idle speed, 450 - 500 RPM, the manual above shows the engine speeds, on page 56.
The timing should advance as you speed up the engine, about up to mark 2, when it is running at full speed, 2400 RPM.
Use only the pic, and the words under it, they are talking about other things on the page.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/gss- ... 001-43.jpg

The overly rich can be caused by the carburetor float level being set wrong.
I suppose the LoBoy has the IH carb, you didn't say if it does.
The post below has carb info.

[Glen]

Hi,
Here is some info for cleaning and repairing the IH carburetor, if you need it.
The info is for the Farmall Cub IH carb.
If anything is different on the 154 IH carb, maybe someone will write.

Before taking the carb apart, clean the outside of it, to keep dirt out of the carb.
When taking it apart, pull the 2 halves of the carb straight apart several inches, there is a small idle tube that screws into the top half of the carb, and sticks down into the bottom half of the carb, it can break if you twist it, or don't pull the 2 halves straight apart.

Use carb cleaner, or solvent to clean inside the carb.
All the passages need to be open and clean.
Blow them out with compressed air, and be sure they are open. Use your safety goggles when using the air.
Remove the main jet, the 6 sided brass colored part low on the side of the carb, and run a small wire in the hole in the end of it, to be sure it is open, and then wash the jet.
Tighten it gently, it can break. It should have a fiber washer under the head, to seal it, sometimes if the washer is old, it won't seal if you reuse it.

The needle and seat could have dirt in it, making it not seal. Remove the float and the needle and check for dirt, clean the needle and seat.
Check the float, it should look in good condition, not collapsed or corroded.
Shake it gently while it is off, it has to be dry inside, no gas inside it.
If it is good, it can be used again.
Assemble the needle and float again.

The tab on the float arm has to face up.
Sometimes the float is upside down.
Put it in the right way, if it is upside down.

It is important that the float level and float drop be set exactly.
People on here have said that their carb wouldn't work right until they set the float level exactly.

Below is a page from the Cub service manual showing setting the float height.
The IH carburetor is in the upper pics on the page, the Zenith carb in the lower pics.
To set the float level, turn the top half of the carb upside down, like the pic of the Zenith carb, in the lower right of the page.
Don't use the float level specs shown for the Zenith carb, for an IH carb, they are different.
The gasket between the halves has to be off, when measuring the float level of the IH carb.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/gss- ... 002-09.jpg

Bob McCarty converted the measurements to use a dial caliper, it is easier.
The float level is 1.4"
The float drop is 1.6"

Bend the float arm between the float and where the needle touches it, to change the float height.

Turn the top half right side up to set the float drop.
Bend the tab in or out to change the float drop.

The needle and seat could be wornout from years of use, and don't seal, then the carb can drip on the ground when the Cub is sitting.
I have seen them that were wornout, they dripped, and then it quit dripping after putting in new ones.
The IH carb has a small screen where the gas line attaches to the carb, be sure it is clean.
Tighten everything on the carb gently, the IH carb is soft metal, and threads can strip.
The carb top can warp if the screws are tightened too much.
You could check the gasket surface of the top when it is off using a straight edge.
TM Tractor, at the bottom of the page, has new carb parts.

Below are pages from the Cub parts manual showing the IH carb.
The main jet is number 28 in the pic.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/cub_ ... 012-12.jpg

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/cub_ ... 012-13.jpg

Cubs have a manual choke, you have to use the right amount of choke when the engine is cold, until it warms up, so it runs good.

Below is a pic of an IH carb float from TM Tractor, showing the tab for the float drop.
The 2nd pic shows cleaning the main jet.

[Pap]

Welcome to the forum Drew.
Good luck with your project and Enjoy Your Ride.

[SGTMcGyver]

Welcome to the Cub family

[Tired_Iron]

Welcome to the Forum!