What to do with a Cub you just brought home

[Silverfoxx]

OK- Here it comes! Very new to the Farmall FCUB World and brand new today with this site so Please Bare with me. I just bought a F CUB as is in a barn not running for at least 5 to 6 yrs. I knew the Man who had it and he had it Most restored and repainted and decals replaced in 2014 and used it fairly regularly till he took sick and went thru severe health problems till he died 3 yrs. ago. He always wanted me to have it so I bought it from his WIfe. I got it home and so far I have degreased it and regressed all zerks, Front wheel bearings, and oiled every moving connection part that moves. I drained out all the old Gas and tank was surprisingly clean as he used nothing but non-ethanol gas and maybe that helped it or did it. I removed fuel tank sediment bowl cleaned it good and replaced it. Screen and gasket were great. I drained the carburetor of fuel and it really did not look or smell too bad. Put fresh gas in it and drained it all again then. Put fresh gas in it 6 gals. nearly full. I ran a point file thru points 3 times and they looked good before that. Inspected cap and rotor all is still like new inside. Flushed Radiator & Block refilling it with 60/40 Antifreeze so if I have to I can a little more water if need be. Bought a New Fresh 6 VOLT Battery 650 CCA and installed it. But when tried it will not start, just spins the motor really fast and does not try to fire up. So what do I do from here????? I just got thru ordering a set of Champion Spark Plugs of same that was in there and I knew it to run well with them, a new set of spark plug wires, & Coil Wire, New Cap & Rotor Button. I am gapping when received the plugs to 23 Thousandths, and the points I checked and set to 20 thousandths. I am going to replace all of this as soon as I get it and will try it again. NOW what else have I missed and need to do if this does not get it to start up.??Thanks-Silverfoxx

[mikes5785]

Check the points, they will sometimes glaze over or corrode with non-use and the moisture in the air. I would try, a course, piece of paper like a dollar bill or a corrugated business card and drag it in between the points with the points closed.

[staninlowerAL]

.....when tried it will not start, just spins the motor really fast and does not try to fire up. So what do I do from here?????...............NOW what else have I missed and need to do if this does not get it to start up.??Thanks-Silverfoxx

Welcome to the Forum, one more post and you can access/download the manuals from the Quick links tab at the top left corner of this page.
Do a compression check and check for stuck valves and adjust the valve lash if needed. It's fairly typical for one or more valves to stick after sitting for a while. Also check that the correct spark plug wires are on the right spark plugs. Common mistake to get the wires crossed. JMHO Stan.

[Silverfoxx]

Thanks to all you guys. I did verify the wires to be on correct plugs and dist. cap.
I am going to file the points lightly next, as it is not still trying to fire off any. Clean them off afterwards and regap to 20 thousandths if needed. Thanks Guys! Silverfoxx

[Eugene]

Do a compression check and check for stuck valves and adjust the valve lash if needed. It's fairly typical for one or more valves to stick after sitting for a while.

Yup. Compression tests.

Do you have spark to plugs?

[staninlowerAL]

Thanks to all you guys. I did verify the wires to be on correct plugs and dist. cap.
I am going to file the points lightly next, as it is not still trying to fire off any. Clean them off afterwards and regap to 20 thousandths if needed. Thanks Guys! Silverfoxx

I would also check to see if there is electrical power in and out of the coil (if this is a battery/distributor ignition). I once had a no fire at the points situation and finally determined that the coil was the culprit and not the points. I replaced the coil with a known good one and the engine started right up. JMHO Stan

[Silverfoxx]

Thanks I will give that a try also. Appreciate Info.

[Silverfoxx]

If you have had Battery just replaced and or battery disconnected for a period and have not re-polarized the Generator on a 1952 formal F-Cub would that keep it from giving a spark to fire it off.??Thanks - dstyers11537@gmail.com is my email.

[staninlowerAL]

No, IMHO. Trace the current flow from the battery to the points and determine where it stops. Correct whatever is causing the loss of current flow and when you get a spark at the points as they open and close you should get a spark at the plugs. If no spark at the plugs determine where it stops and correct the situation. When you have a good spark at the plugs, check the fuel flow all the way from the tank through the carb. Spark at the right time and place + compression/fuel and air in the correct amount and place = engine running. JMHO
EDIT: Reread your posts and did not find anything about compression check. Do you have compression on all 4 cylinders? You cannot spin the engine fast enough with the starter to overcome stuck valves and start the engine.

[Potato Wilson]

Sounds like valves stuck open. As others said, compression check.

[Silverfoxx]

Ok Guys, I have since reading and doing I have been thru all of suggestions this far. Valves was ok, compression was okay and each cylinder was nearly same reading on each one. Still confused to what is keeping it from firing. The plug wires were the ones you had to assemble and I had a time getting ends on them, so I have ordered a new set fully assembled and wire is from Packard Bell in then which is a well respected wire manufacturer for many decades. Think this may be of a help to me. They should be here this week. Silverfoxx - Email: dstyers11537@gmail.com

[Don McCombs]

Replacement wires may be excellent quality. But, if they are not copper core, they may still not work properly. Check before you open the package.

[Gary Dotson]

When it comes to plug wires, I refuse to use the junk terminals supplied in many universal sets. I keep a selection of quality terminals and boots and I have proper crimping tools for them. As often as not, I just make them up from scratch. Yes, Packard Electric (not Packard Bell, they make computers) is a long standing supplier, they used to be a division of General Motors. Your Cub probably came from the factory wearing Packard wires.

[staninlowerAL]

From my earlier post:

......Trace the current flow from the battery to the points and determine where it stops. Correct whatever is causing the loss of current flow and when you get a spark at the points as they open and close you should get a spark at the plugs. If no spark at the plugs determine where it stops and correct the situation.......

WHERE DOES THE CURRENT FLOW STOP AND WHY DOES IT STOP?? When electricity goes from the battery supply to ground you should be able to trace the path all the way to the points as they open and close. If you don't have this flow your engine will not run. If you have a magneto substitute the word in place of battery in the above statement. It's the same principle. A good reference is Service Manual GSS 1012 located at the Quick links tab, top left corner of this page, pdf manuals. Stan

[Cubfriend]

Does the Cub have a battery ignition or a magneto? If it has a magneto the point gap should be .013 if it has battery ignition the point gap is .020 as you said. Check ignition switch. Check wire coming out of distributor or Magneto to be sure it is not grounding to housing. It should be insulated.