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Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:04 am
by 67datroad
So I was mowing along just finishing up when my lo boy just up and died. It would not fire at all. She turns over but will no longer run. I thought maybe it was a coil that got too hot so I let her cool off for an hour or so and still no go. I checked for spark and seem to have that-points look okay. I did how ever notice fuel dripping from the carb. I let her sit a bit longer and she tried to fire but then I saw more fuel dripping from the carb. My plan is to pull the fule line, check the sediment bowl and pull the carb off to see if there is something sticking the needle. I ordered a carb rebuild kit so will most likely go that route as I do not think pulling the carb and cleaning it will get me very far. Am I on the right track? Any thing else to check? I know the basic air, fuel and spark. I seem to have too much fuel. A little bummed but it is a 40 year old tractor. Thanks.

Steve in Iowa

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:58 am
by RaymondDurban
Welcome to the Forum!!
The fuel dripping from the carb after repeated starter attemps is not unusual. Before you pull the carb off, turn the fuel off and try to drain the carb bowl, then remove the air cleaner hose and spray some starting fluid in as you turn it over to make sure you have good spark at the plugs. If it fires, you got a fuel problem, if not, you more than likely have a spark issue. I know this doesn't help tell you exactly what problem you have, but may save you some unnecessary work. Good luck, check back with us and let us know how things progress.

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:51 pm
by Rudi
Sounds like fuel starvation. Most likely since it happened all of a sudden some crud got caught somewhere that is restricting the fuel flow. Go through the fuel circuit step by step. Start with the cap. Ensure that the vent holes are not plugged (and that you have a new replacement gas cap), Second removed the fuel line and drain all the fuel through a filter (paper/paper-mesh combination etc or filtered funned) into a jerry can. Check the tank for dirt/crud etc. Clean if necessary. Then take the fuel sediment bowl off, take it apart and clean it thoroughly. Ensure that the filter screen and gaskets are in good shape, replace if necessary. Reassemble. Next check the carb inlet screen and ensure that it is present and clean. If not present order a new one and install it. Then check the main metering jet. There are two orifices a large lateral orifice and a tiny longitudinal orifice. With a single strand of telephone wire aka twisted pair, gently fish a small length of telco wire through the longitudinal orifice. This should remove any dirt, crud or varnish etc. You might want to check the needle/seat assembly for any varnish/dirt/crud can foul the needle and cage. If all of this is okay then the fuel circuit should be ok and the blockage found.

I don't have a lot of information on the Numbered Series Cubs but what I do have you can find here at this link: Number Series Cubs. There are also Service Manuals and Parts Catalog's. That will give you a lot of information.

Here are other links that may be of use to you.

Image to Farmallcub.com :big smile: Forum Family. And you have come to the right place for all things Cub related. If you click on the Site Rules, Regulations, & Important Information, it will point you to :arrow: the Welcome Wagon wherein you will find links to many useful sites and topics. One of which is the Cub Manual Server. Enjoy!.

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:19 pm
by 67datroad
Thanks much for the pointers. Hopefully it is something pretty simple. She ran like a champ up until this point.

Steve in Iowa

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:52 pm
by 67datroad
Finally got some time to tinker with it today-heat index is 110 so it was a short tinker. I tried the first suggestions as a starting point. I turned off the fuel, drained the carb bowl of all gas, loosened the breather hose, shot some starter fluid in there, stuck the hose back on temporarily and she ran for but a brief moment. So it appears to be getting good spark and pretty much rules out the ignition system. So that leaves the fuel system and the dripping carb. Carb was dripping starter fluid as well.

So, when it cools off a bit I will begin the fuel systems check in the second post. Kind of glad it is not in the ignition system. Again-thanks for the pointers.

Oh, one more question-where is the best place to get the smaller parts such as the sediment bowl gasket/screen and the carb filter? I suppose an IH dealer? I buy most of my big parts from hamiltonbobs. Good people for sure.

Steve in hot Iowa

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:34 pm
by Rudi
The best place to get them is either TM Tractor or your local Case IH Dealer for the most part.

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:31 pm
by 67datroad
Well, the good news is I got her purring again. Started at the gas tank and the cap looked fine-no blockage there. Went to the glass fuel bowl and the outside was so dirty I really could not tell what condition it was in. Once I got it off there was quite a bit of gunk in there. Cleaned that up as well as the screen. I went ahead and opened the pitcock valve to make sure I had a steady stream of gas from the tank. Buttoned that back up and opened the pitcock valve to get the gas flowing to the carb. Cranked her over and it started right up. Runs like a top. So, I sum it up to a dirty glass fuel bowl. Not sure why the carb would drip due to lack of fuel but it did. I did find a few mud dauber nests in the air cleaner. Cleaned them up as well. Ready for the next mowing. Thanks again for the tips.

Steve in Iowa

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:58 pm
by RaymondDurban
Good to hear you got it going again!! :D

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:25 pm
by Rudi
Congrats :applause: on solving the dilemma :D It is helpful when problems are solved that the solution is posted to help others. :!:

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 9:50 am
by Bigdog
67datroad wrote: Not sure why the carb would drip due to lack of fuel but it did.
Steve in Iowa


Steve - the carb is an updraft carb system. Any time you crank the engine over fuel is being drawn up into the manifold (unless the supply is completely blocked). When the engine fails to start all that fuel has to go somewhere. It runs back down into the carb and out the weep hole at the air inlet to the carb. A lot of people mistakenly take this to mean the engine is flooded. It is a normal condition any time the engine does not start after cranking. Even with an obstruction in the fuel supply as long as some fuel is being drawn up there will be dripping afterwards.

Re: Lo Boy 154 died suddenly-will not start

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 6:32 pm
by BigBill
Congrats you fixed it!!!!! :{_}:

When i purchased my int154 running the seller kept on telling me were i can get parts from. I drove it and it ran awesome. It did need a belt for the mower drive but for $800 and she ran i couldn't get it on the trailer fast enough and ghet out of there. Now i understood the saying were to get parts. I was finally mowing and it stalled, after a few minutes it would restart and i finished the job and this happened over and over but the minutes between it stalling a restarting got longer. Not really wanting to get into at the moment i was still moving into the new place so time was valuable. But it finally stalled and wouldn't start again right in the middle of the lawn. Being a ex auto and jeep and light truck mechanic I went for the fuel line first. I took it off and had no gas with the pedcock open. Well i took off the fuel bowel and still no gas with the pedcock open. I put the gas hose back on the fuel bowel and considering i'm stuck on the front lawn i blew into the hose with the pedcock open into the gas tank human power. I heard a loud pop in the gas tank and the gas was finally flowing. I had a piece of crud above the inlet on the fuel bowel floating there till the flow of gas started then it got sucked in hard enough to plug the gas flow. It hasn't stalled in 5 years now. That was the only thing wrong with it and the seller had no idea what was wrong with it but he told me were to get parts. I got lucky on this one. The reverse/first shifter fork was loose soon after but i pulled the shift cover and tightened it up and tac welded it were most of them are welded at. Now i'm repairing the pto bearings and rebuilding the 3260 mower deck. Its just been normal wear and tear on these old tractors. Lets face it there old now but do we thin k the newer stuff today will last this long? Bill

Mowing with the int154 is so comfortable too....