Farmall Cub

OK, I have a Farmall H that was running great ... and then I 'fixed' it ... or tuned it up to be more accurate. Then it wouldn't start. This has been a while back so I'm going from memory right now. It seems to me the timing marks on the pulley are out about 90 degrees. Is this possible? Please help me understand how things line up. If it is possible ... would it have to be exactly 90 degrees out? Or could it be anywhere? I've never timed a Cub where the marks weren't right on and I always thought that was the only way things would go together.

I eventually figured it out and have timed it by ear. But if I could time it to the 2 or 3 cylinder ... that would be better.

Thanks!

is it a mag or distributor.
On our M there are three marks on the crank pulley , two at number one and four and the other 180 off to get the valves adjusted on the other two cylinders, see if this is so on your H as well , you may be off 180.
Phil

Hmmm, my H ('45) only has one timing mark, at 1 and 4 TDC. Timing the Mag was the same as a Cub and went rather easy. If in doubt, pull the valve cover and observe the valves to make sure of the piston orientation.

1943 H ... has a distributor but I'm sure was originally a mag. I messed with it again today. There is only 1 timing mark and it is definitely not in the right spot. Are the pulleys keyed on the crank? If so, this one has been modified. I have timed it by ear ... which I HATE doing. I like to know things are right. I did some work on the carb, which I nearly gave up on, but it runs pretty good now so I guess I'll just leave it.

Last August I was playing with mine.It was off 2 teeth but ran ok.I found TDC and I only have 1 mark on my crank I belive.I can't remember.Timing mark is hard to see from either side of the tractor.It ran better when I timed it from ear.The pointer is straight up on mine,real hard to see.Kevin ps good luck.Mine has a set of "nuts"now,runs great!!!

The cranks are keyed. do you have a hand crank, if so take the plugs out and c4rank until you feel pressure emitting from the number one cylinder (Front near Radiator) take all the plugs out ill make it easier to crank.
This may help
Phil

I have done the 'feel for compression.' Unless there is something different in the way you time a distributor on a Cub versus the H, then the timing mark is simply not in the right spot. The H has surely been rebuilt as it will pop your thumb off the spark plug hole when turning slow. The only thing I can guess is that a PO cut a new keyway because the existing one was wallowed? In any event, the timing mark is wrong as far as I can tell.

I've got it running good now, so I'll leave it alone while I get the other tractors serviced for the upcoming mowing/gardening/food plotting season. At some time in the future I'll use one of the tricks to find TDC and make myself a new mark on the crank pulley. I was pretty sure the pulley was keyed to the crank, that's what had me so baffled when I couldn't get it timed. Chalk this one up as one step closer to 'now I've seen everything.'

So ... what is the best/easiest way to find the exact (or as close as possible) TDC on compression for the #1 cylinder on the H?