Hi from Dave in Hillsborough NC

[TinkerBolt]

Hi All, my wife and I run a non-profit called the Heritage Farm Foundation, where our mission is to educate families and individuals on historic and modern farming practices while helping establish community gardens and mini-farms to local areas. We recently had donated a non-working 1950 Farmall Cub. My wife wanted it as a "playground" item for kids to play on and become familiar with tractors. However, I'm to tempted to try to get it running. So down this path I go...

[Jeff Silvey]

Welcome to a great site. What's the SN of your cub?

[Bob McCarty]

Welcome to the Forum. Let us know if we can be of any help.

[TinkerBolt]

Serial number of my Cub is 115620. Engine says 5-17-T 354383R1. I believe those serial numbers makes it a 1950 vintage.

[Dale Finch]

WELCOME!!! I am very close to you (Chapel Hill) and would be happy to give you a hand if you do decide to "fix her up"! (In fact, I will be heading out in a few minutes to meet with my tax prep lady there in Hillsborough.) I have 6 cubs, 3 restored and 3 in there work clothes, but all running and working/mowing on my 20 acre "farm" (where we have about 8 acres of pasture and the rest woods, no crops).

It could be a very fun project for you, especially if you get some youth involved. Keep us informed of your decision...there are lots of us here to help you out!!

[TinkerBolt]

Thanks Dale! I will definitely take you up on your offer for assistance if I run into any snags. It looks like all of the electrical components were original so I have already stripped off everything electrical. Next I plan to do a compression test on the cylinders. If that all looks good, I'll re-wire it, clean the carb, and see if I can get it to fire up.

[staninlowerAL]

PRIME THE OIL PUMP BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO CRANK THE ENGINE!!!

[Jim in SC]

Welcome! And fix it!

[Ben B]

Welcome! I have a 1950 that’s about a month younger than yours. Your engine block was cast on May 17th 1950.

Let Dale help you and I’ll bet you’ll be up and running in no time!

[Mike in Louisiana]

Welcome to the forum.

[Glen]

Hi,
The oil pump can lose it's prime sitting, then if you run the engine, it may not suck oil up again.
Running the engine with no oil pressure can damage the engine.
Below is a link to a post I made about priming the oil pump, my post is about half way down the page.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=91765&start=60

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

Below is the 1950 Cub 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.
It shows how Cubs originally looked in it. The lube section begins on page 14.

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

It shows the electrical system that a 1950 Cub originally had, except IH changed the electrical system some at Cub serial number 115403, not long before yours was made.
That is when Battery Ignition, and the voltage regulator for the generator came out.
The 1950 manual only has info for the older electrical system.
The newer info for the electrical system is in newer Cub operator's manuals.
Below is the 1955 Cub operator's manual, it has electrical system info for the system like your Cub would have originally had.

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

Cubs made before mid 1964 originally had 6 volt, positive ground electrical systems.

The Touch Control fluid recommended in the manual was changed later to Case IH Hy-Tran fluid. It is sold at Case IH dealers.
There are other brands, be sure it works with IH hydraulic systems before buying one.
The manual tells how to check or change the Touch Control fluid, and remove the air from the system.
Be sure to check the fluid level with the arms in the rear, or down position. The manual says that also.

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

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

The air cleaner is an oil bath air cleaner. Dirt that is sucked in settles to the bottom of the oil cup. It should have clean, light motor oil in the oil cup to work right.

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.

[Stanton]

Welcome to the forum!

[TinkerBolt]

Thanks for the warm welcomes, words of support, and offers of assistance from everyone. I did a compression test on the engine and discovered they were all low at 80 psi and #2 was very low at 50. Not surprising as this cylinder was full of water and had seized the engine. I am going to attempt to revive that cylinder with an hone and replace all the rings and valves to restore full compression.