Is Corky's Cub Cold-Natured, or What??

[Corky's Cub]

Hey ya'll,

I've got a question for everyone. This past weekend, during my weekly seat time with grandson Tyler, Corky's Cub decided to stall in the middle of the road. It started right back up, kinda sputtered for a while with lower than normal power, and then righted itself and kept on going.

As the afternoon got colder, the problem reappeared, and by nightfall, it wouldn't stay started while under power.

Since my gen ain't gennin, (generator not charging), I thought maybe the battery needed charging, so I fired up the charger and left it hooked up Sunday night. And Tuesday after work, ole Corky's Cub still didn't have the firepower he usually does.

Same fuel in tank, no adjustments to carb, etc. The only thing that's changed is that it's been pretty cold in these parts the last few days.

Ideas appreciated, and thanks!

Corky

[Bigdog]

I'd look for condensation inside the distributor cap. It can lead to internal arcing and loss of power. The one and only real good use for WD 40 - clean and spray the inside of the cap.

[c172skyhawk2]

i would say your tractor is a southern tractor and likes warm weather, not this cold stuff we now have

[Corky's Cub]

Thanks BigDog...I'll give it a try tomorrow night.

Matt, you got that right! I'm moving kinda slow myself right now!

Corky

[Eugene]

Put a bottle of fuel line deicer in the gas tank. Wait 10 munutes then remove the plug from the bottom of the carburator and let about a quart of fuel flow out. You can put the fuel back in the gas tank.

[c172skyhawk2]

Thanks BigDog...I'll give it a try tomorrow night.

Matt, you got that right! I'm moving kinda slow myself right now!

Corky

i am moving slow now also. kind of funny trying to talk on the radio in the plane when my face is cold, the words just dont come out sounding right, im sick of this cold stuff

[bob in CT]

Put a bottle of fuel line deicer in the gas tank. Wait 10 munutes then remove the plug from the bottom of the carburator and let about a quart of fuel flow out. You can put the fuel back in the gas tank.

Ethanol blended fuels have made deicers like Dry Gas obsolete. Dry Gas contains alcohol, either isopropyl or methanol and the alcohol will dissolve the water in 100% gasoline and keep it from freezing. No point to adding more alcohol to ethanol-blended fuels.

[Eugene]

Ethanol blended fuels have made deicers like Dry Gas obsolete. Dry Gas contains alcohol, either isopropyl or methanol and the alcohol will dissolve the water in 100% gasoline and keep it from freezing. No point to adding more alcohol to ethanol-blended fuels.

Agree on the ethanol blend. But, I/we don't know if the fuel in this tractor is an ethanol blend or not.

My though is that this is a fuel flow issue. Either crud in the carburetor or fuel system blocking the fuel flow or water/ice accumulation.

The described symptom was/is common for water in the fuel system - freezing.

[Corky's Cub]

Thanks Gene and Bob, for the conversation.

I haven't had time yet to check the distributor cap as Darrell suggested; but when I do, I'm going to flush out the strainer real good too and check out the fuel tank and line to the carb as well.

Even though the fuel is fresh, there's still a good chance that some kind of crud may be floating in it from the inside of the tank. We'll see...

Corky

[Lurker Carl]

It takes quite a bit of alcohol to remove water from a fuel tank, considerably more than what's already in the gasoline. Even more if the water is ice!

[beaconlight]

Ain't freezing in Georgia. Take the jet out and poke a piece of small copper wire through it and then blow out with compressed air. The old you shook up some gunk in the bottom of the tank and it plugged the little hole. You could probably play with the choke and get it to run better. That is the proof positive it is the jet.

[Corky's Cub]

Hey Bill,

That's exactly what it's doing...jockey the choke, and I can keep it running. But I beg to differ with you on the freezing part...it's going down to 21 degrees here in the sunny south tonight! Yikes!

We'll check all these ideas out...probably on Sunday, since tomorrow is momma's birthday, and the kids are all coming over to have a big dinner!

Corky

[Kodiak]

Its 15 degrees here this morning I think I'm gonna go see Billy Ray or Roy But they are probably whinning too

[c172skyhawk2]

it was 17 at my place, an i have got to go fly this morning. it is just to cold out there

[RaymondDurban]

Got down into the upper 30's here last night!! Brrrrrrrrrrrr, its cold!! Had to turn on the electric blankets. Might have to wear a long sleeve shirt today. It has gotten so cold I actually saw a Lawyer with his hands in his OWN pockets!!!!!