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Tune-up
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- 5+ Years
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 7:39 am
- Zip Code: 02653
- Tractors Owned: 1949 Cub
Tune-up
After posting an earlier question about starting being difficult, several responses urged doing a tune-up, and since it had been awhile (and perhaps more because I didn't do a tune-up after buying it in 2017), I took the advice. So I watched Rachel's Cub tune up video and ordered the parts needed; however, after taking the distribut0r cap off, I saw mine was unlike Rachel's, probably because it was from 1949. I did find a video on how to static time this model, but I'm wondering if it's possible to get a new rotor. The condenser and points are the same. Even better would be to get a later model distributor, and change to a coil, but I don't know if it will fit the existing old J4 magneto. Any insights would be appreciated.
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- 5+ Years
- Posts: 1140
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:29 pm
- Zip Code: 49343
- Tractors Owned: 48 Farmall Cub "Seen Yore Dobbin"
53 F-Cub W/Loader. - Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Michigan
Re: Tune-up
All that hard grease don't look good. I'd at least clean the gear teeth in thier valleys to be sure that's not hard.
Yes you can get a new rotor. Not cheap. But look how long yours lasted. If you get eager to run it before a new one arrives you can dress and clean your old one a little. Just enough to brighten top contact and the edge that allows electric jump to cap towers. Check cap tower contact areas too. Clean and dry. Clean and dry surfaces.
Tilting mag as instructed in maintenance manual works for timing.
Your tractor your business about converting it to external coil ect.. I wouldn't because stock configuration works. IF components are up to par.
Yes you can get a new rotor. Not cheap. But look how long yours lasted. If you get eager to run it before a new one arrives you can dress and clean your old one a little. Just enough to brighten top contact and the edge that allows electric jump to cap towers. Check cap tower contact areas too. Clean and dry. Clean and dry surfaces.
Tilting mag as instructed in maintenance manual works for timing.
Your tractor your business about converting it to external coil ect.. I wouldn't because stock configuration works. IF components are up to par.
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- Team Cub
- Posts: 17291
- Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 2:59 pm
- Zip Code: 55319
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: MN
Re: Tune-up
Don't pay much attention to what Rachel has to say.
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- Team Cub
- Posts: 24279
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:39 pm
- Zip Code: 45030
- Tractors Owned: At This Time
40 Farmall Cubs (Round Hood)
2 Farmall Cub (Square Hood)
2 IH Cubs (Square Hood)
5 Lo-Boys (Round Hood)
2 Lo-Boys (Square Hood)
2 Farmall 404's
1 Farmall H
1 Ferguson 20
1 Cub Cadet 125
1 Kubota B-7100 - Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: OH, New Haven (Hamilton County)
Re: Tune-up
Jim Becker wrote:Don't pay much attention to what Rachel has to say.
Personally I don’t pay any attention to what Rachel says.
There are two ways to get enough Cubs. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.
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- 5+ Years
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:06 pm
- Zip Code: 06405
- Tractors Owned: 1957 Cub
1951 Super C
1966 IH 504 Hi-Clear
1968 JD 3020
1949 JD B
1949 Ford 8N
1955 Ferguson TO-35 - Location: Branford, CT
Re: Tune-up
Putting aside what she says, I have liked and learned a lot watching her videos...at the very least to see the parts and learn the names....when I started I knew how to change the oil in my truck and that is all I knew...and I suspect I am not alone.
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- 10+ Years
- Posts: 6168
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:33 pm
- Zip Code: 00000
- Tractors Owned: 1956 Farmall Cub with Fast Hitch, F-11 plow, Disc, Cultivator, Cub-22 mower
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Wa.
Re: Tune-up
Hi,
TM Tractor at the bottom of the page has new points, condenser, rotor, rotor drive gear, and cap for the J 4 magneto.
All Cubs came with a magneto up to serial number 115403, which was in 1950, then the Battery Ignition unit came out.
If the rotor gear teeth are ok, maybe you can sand the metal parts of it that are burned, and use it more.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/el/294fp.htm
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/el/el_001newparts.htm
The rotor and its drive gear can get worn teeth, then they need replacing.
The gear area needs cleaning and new grease put on the gears occasionally.
Be sure to align the timing marks on the rotor and gear. Below is a picture.
TM Tractor at the bottom of the page has new points, condenser, rotor, rotor drive gear, and cap for the J 4 magneto.
All Cubs came with a magneto up to serial number 115403, which was in 1950, then the Battery Ignition unit came out.
If the rotor gear teeth are ok, maybe you can sand the metal parts of it that are burned, and use it more.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/el/294fp.htm
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/el/el_001newparts.htm
The rotor and its drive gear can get worn teeth, then they need replacing.
The gear area needs cleaning and new grease put on the gears occasionally.
Be sure to align the timing marks on the rotor and gear. Below is a picture.
- Attachments
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- Cub magneto 4.jpg (25.13 KiB) Viewed 427 times
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- 10+ Years
- Posts: 5004
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:34 pm
- Zip Code: 36558
- Tractors Owned: Cubs: (3)'49's, (1 is for parts), (1)'57 IH Cub LoBoy w/FH, (2)154 Number Series Loboys, (1 is for parts), '76 Longstripe w/FH, Mowers: C-22, Bush Hog 412, Pennington 59, Woods RM42CF, Woods 42, assorted FCub plows, planters, discs, etc. OTHERS: '49 AC B & Ind. Sickle mower, '61 AC D12 Ser 2, '52 8N, '56 Ferguson 35 Deluxe, '47 & '49 Avery V, '53 MM BG (offset), '51 JD M (regular), '56 JD 420C, with Blade and fire plow, '85 JD 850 (Yanmar) w/72" belly mower, '76? Yanmar 2TR15 1500 & Bush Hog SQ42S-2 mower, '78? FORD Dexta, '86 FORD LGT14D & 48" Mower, (2)Cub Cadets & Mowers (MTD), (4) Sears Surburban's, other MTD mowers, Jeeps & other misc. "treasures"
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: AL (Southwest)
Re: Tune-up
capefarm wrote:After posting an earlier question about starting being difficult, several responses urged doing a tune-up, and since it had been awhile (and perhaps more because I didn't do a tune-up after buying it in 2017), I took the advice. So I watched Rachel's Cub tune up video and ordered the parts needed; however, after taking the distribut0r cap off, I saw mine was unlike Rachel's, probably because it was from 1949. I did find a video on how to static time this model, but I'm wondering if it's possible to get a new rotor. The condenser and points are the same. Even better would be to get a later model distributor, and change to a coil, but I don't know if it will fit the existing old J4 magneto. Any insights would be appreciated.
Your picture shows a magneto ignition and as you learned the battery/distributor ignition is a different part with a few parts common to both. IH sold a battery ignition conversion package for tractors (part #353 943 R91 for Cub tractors), and the Owner's Manual for installation can be found at the Quick links tab at the upper left corner of this page, pdf manuals. It contains complete information on changing from a magneto system to a battery ignition system. If you are contemplating changing yours, note that the mounting base that fastens to the engine is different and the battery ignition system will not mount on the base for a magneto ignition system.
Stan in LA (lower AL)
USAF & Reserves, Reg ARMY, ARMY NG (AL)
USAF & Reserves, Reg ARMY, ARMY NG (AL)
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- 501 Club
- Posts: 1853
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:21 pm
- Zip Code: 44410
- Tractors Owned: 1968 Cub Fast Hitch
LF-1 Platform Carrier
144 Cultivators
L-F194 Plow(s)
F38 Disk
L-F3 Spring Tooth Harrow
CS Bell No. 60 Grain Mill on a unmodified Fast Hitch Disk hitch prong
Home Made Fast Hitch Potato Plow
54A Blade
Couple 1948 Cubs
172 Runner Planter
53 Fertilizer
Cub-3 Field Cultivator
Cub-189 Two Way Plow
Cub-22 Sickle Bar Mower
Mechanical Transplanter with side mount barrel (needs a fast hitch adapter) :)
Misc Belly Mowers
Wish List
International 100 Fast Hitch Blade
Mott Fast Hitch Flail Mower
Wish Wish Wish List
Fast Hitch Rotary Hoe
4E hammer mill - Location: Ne Ohio
Re: Tune-up
capefarm wrote:Even better would be to get a later model distributor, and change to a coil, but I don't know if it will fit the existing old J4 magneto. Any insights would be appreciated.
Just me, but if I have a tractor that has a magneto, then I am sticking to it.
I like the fact that I can start (with the hand crank) and use a tractor with a magneto and without a battery!
You could pull the mag and replace it with a distributer.
I have a Cub with a mag that someone bypassed the magneto coil and added a regular battery ignition external coil.
Never looked into it to see what is up with it, and why they did that.
1968 Cub Fast-Hitch
-
- Team Cub
- Posts: 24279
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:39 pm
- Zip Code: 45030
- Tractors Owned: At This Time
40 Farmall Cubs (Round Hood)
2 Farmall Cub (Square Hood)
2 IH Cubs (Square Hood)
5 Lo-Boys (Round Hood)
2 Lo-Boys (Square Hood)
2 Farmall 404's
1 Farmall H
1 Ferguson 20
1 Cub Cadet 125
1 Kubota B-7100 - Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: OH, New Haven (Hamilton County)
Re: Tune-up
SamsFarm wrote:I have a Cub with a mag that someone bypassed the magneto coil and added a regular battery ignition external coil.
Never looked into it to see what is up with it, and why they did that.
Many people will add an external coil when the built-in mag coil fails.
There are two ways to get enough Cubs. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.
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- Team Cub
- Posts: 17291
- Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 2:59 pm
- Zip Code: 55319
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: MN
Re: Tune-up
SamsFarm wrote:. . .
I have a Cub with a mag that someone bypassed the magneto coil and added a regular battery ignition external coil.
Never looked into it to see what is up with it, and why they did that.
Because the internal coil went bad and a common battery ignition coil was cheaper or easier to find. It is a solution that combines the worst features of both systems into one package.
-
- 501 Club
- Posts: 1853
- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:21 pm
- Zip Code: 44410
- Tractors Owned: 1968 Cub Fast Hitch
LF-1 Platform Carrier
144 Cultivators
L-F194 Plow(s)
F38 Disk
L-F3 Spring Tooth Harrow
CS Bell No. 60 Grain Mill on a unmodified Fast Hitch Disk hitch prong
Home Made Fast Hitch Potato Plow
54A Blade
Couple 1948 Cubs
172 Runner Planter
53 Fertilizer
Cub-3 Field Cultivator
Cub-189 Two Way Plow
Cub-22 Sickle Bar Mower
Mechanical Transplanter with side mount barrel (needs a fast hitch adapter) :)
Misc Belly Mowers
Wish List
International 100 Fast Hitch Blade
Mott Fast Hitch Flail Mower
Wish Wish Wish List
Fast Hitch Rotary Hoe
4E hammer mill - Location: Ne Ohio
Re: Tune-up
Jim Becker wrote: It is a solution that combines the worst features of both systems into one package.
Lol! Only the best for me!
1968 Cub Fast-Hitch
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- Cub Star
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:22 pm
- Zip Code: 49435
- Tractors Owned: '47 Ford 2N (with '50 8N motor)
'48 Farmall Cub
C22 sickle
'52 Ferguson TO-30
'63 Farmall 560 gas with loader - Circle of Safety: Y
Re: Tune-up
Just me, but if I have a tractor that has a magneto, then I am sticking to it.
I like the fact that I can start (with the hand crank) and use a tractor with a magneto and without a battery!
-
- 5+ Years
- Posts: 1627
- Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2017 4:06 pm
- Zip Code: 06405
- Tractors Owned: 1957 Cub
1951 Super C
1966 IH 504 Hi-Clear
1968 JD 3020
1949 JD B
1949 Ford 8N
1955 Ferguson TO-35 - Location: Branford, CT
Re: Tune-up
Ditto too. I have one tractor with a mag and when they are good, they are great
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- 10+ Years
- Posts: 6168
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:33 pm
- Zip Code: 00000
- Tractors Owned: 1956 Farmall Cub with Fast Hitch, F-11 plow, Disc, Cultivator, Cub-22 mower
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Wa.
Re: Tune-up
Hi,
capefarm, I sent you a PM, you get to it at the top of the page.
Stan, I don't understand what you are saying, the magneto comes off the engine as 1 piece.
The Battery Ignition unit does have a casting that is the base, but the magneto and the Battery Ignition unit both bolt on the engine in the same place, and either one uses the same drive made on the governor gear.
capefarm, I sent you a PM, you get to it at the top of the page.
staninlowerAL wrote: If you are contemplating changing yours, note that the mounting base that fastens to the engine is different and the battery ignition system will not mount on the base for a magneto ignition system.
Stan, I don't understand what you are saying, the magneto comes off the engine as 1 piece.
The Battery Ignition unit does have a casting that is the base, but the magneto and the Battery Ignition unit both bolt on the engine in the same place, and either one uses the same drive made on the governor gear.
Last edited by Glen on Wed Dec 28, 2022 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- 10+ Years
- Posts: 5004
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:34 pm
- Zip Code: 36558
- Tractors Owned: Cubs: (3)'49's, (1 is for parts), (1)'57 IH Cub LoBoy w/FH, (2)154 Number Series Loboys, (1 is for parts), '76 Longstripe w/FH, Mowers: C-22, Bush Hog 412, Pennington 59, Woods RM42CF, Woods 42, assorted FCub plows, planters, discs, etc. OTHERS: '49 AC B & Ind. Sickle mower, '61 AC D12 Ser 2, '52 8N, '56 Ferguson 35 Deluxe, '47 & '49 Avery V, '53 MM BG (offset), '51 JD M (regular), '56 JD 420C, with Blade and fire plow, '85 JD 850 (Yanmar) w/72" belly mower, '76? Yanmar 2TR15 1500 & Bush Hog SQ42S-2 mower, '78? FORD Dexta, '86 FORD LGT14D & 48" Mower, (2)Cub Cadets & Mowers (MTD), (4) Sears Surburban's, other MTD mowers, Jeeps & other misc. "treasures"
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: AL (Southwest)
Re: Tune-up
Glen, I did not get your PM. To clarify, if the magneto is removed and intended to be replaced with a battery ignition system, note that the latter is a two piece part (distributor and base) and both mount to the engine in the same manner and are driven by the same gear/connection as you pointed out. The point being if a battery ignition distributor is to be used to replace the magneto be sure that BOTH parts of the replacement unit are available. BTDT, Sorry for the poor explanation.
Stan in LA (lower AL)
USAF & Reserves, Reg ARMY, ARMY NG (AL)
USAF & Reserves, Reg ARMY, ARMY NG (AL)
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