Farmall Cub

The last time I had this 1950 Cub out for a spin it started gagging and sputtering as I was putting it away and then died right as I parked it in it's shed. Today, with my limited mechanical knowledge, I tinkered with the simple carburator a bit with a fine wire, some pressurized air and some clean gas flowing through. Bang, it fire right up and flawlessly mowed for an hour or two. I need to put a fuel filter on it. When I first got this Cub it had one so amateurishly installed that I tossed it when I was reconnecting the steel gas line that had come loose from the carburator which is why the guy sold it to me in the first place. He is not much of a tinkerer and thought there was something seriously wrong with it so he practically gave it to me just to be rid of it. Simply designed machines like this that a small time farmer back in the 40's and 50's could efficiently keep running are apparantly a thing of America's past. If I had a brand new shiny plastic chinese tractor quit running on me my only option would be the landfill.

Steve:

A very nice looking Cub and I can tell you, I know exactly what you mean. I love me Cubs .. all of em

Just to clear it up, you do not need to put a fuel filter on this Cub. IH made sure that there was sufficient filtration for the fuel and that there would be no fuel starvation situations with the gravity flow system. What you need to do is ensure that your Fuel Supply System is as it should be and all the screens are present. This means the fuel inlet screen as well. Item #21 in the diagram below.



This is often times missing. Also the Fuel Sediment Bowl may or may not have it's screen. If both of these are not present then a lot of crud will make it's way to the metering jet and plug it creating that which we are trying to prevent - a fuel starvation situation.

If you want to add an additional filter then I would suggest reading this thread. Although I did remove the sintered brass filter, the rest works flawlessly. How To Upgrade A Cub Fuel System. This is now my stock installation after I have the gas tank sealed.

Rudi,
By sediment bowl screen do you mean the stone I recall from the past?

That's a fine looking Cub you have there.
I, too, am quite fond the Cub: round of hood or square; red, or yellow, or yellow and white.
Truly one of life's simple joys

Jim

Steve Woods wrote:Rudi,
By sediment bowl screen do you mean the stone I recall from the past?

Steve, the sediment bowl screen is item #3 in this illustration.

Thanks guys, so #21 in the first picture and #3 in the second are all the fuel filter the Cub was intended to have?

Steve Woods wrote:Rudi,
By sediment bowl screen do you mean the stone I recall from the past?

Steve:

Been there done that on more than one occasion and man it ain't happy

Steve Woods wrote:Thanks guys, so #21 in the first picture and #3 in the second are all the fuel filter the Cub was intended to have?

yes... that is about it.

By stone, I meant that, if I recall correctly, some of the old 30's tractors my Dad had when I was a kid had a fine stone in the sediment bowl as a filter. I think the 1940 Chevy I once had also had a sediment stone in the bowl...

Steve Woods wrote:Thanks guys, so #21 in the first picture and #3 in the second are all the fuel filter the Cub was intended to have?

There is also a screen in the carburetor fuel inlet. However, some are missing.

Steve:

Would never have guessed that there would have been a stone in a sediment bowl. I assume it would have been a type of arkansas stone?

Re: Should I add a fuel filter

by thiggy » Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:31 pm

Steve, yes, I believe that I also remember that some old cars had the porous stone-like insert in the bowl as the filter



This seller on ebay has sort of what I'm talking about although he doesn't say what size or what they fit and I don't recall ever seeing blue ones. Anyway, I remember older gas engines using a ceramic stone filter inside the bowl.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ceramic ... 0960218118
But I guess my original question was the Cub never had these? Only a screen?

In the sediment bowl ---- only a screen.

Bill

I really like your story. I love Rex(48) and Princess(55) even when they give me some issues. The beauty of theses tractors is their simplicity and functionally. Keep working on and with your Cub. Thanks for sharing.

I'm building a relationship with my Cub as the days go by. I don't think it would be an overstatement to say love is in full bloom. Can't quit tinkering with it, finishing up all the small stuff so I'm getting closer to real commitment...a valve job. Tranny, bearings---I'm in deep.

Tinkering on small engines, I still see porous stone filters, especially on two strokes.