Cub 184 lo boy has lost power.

[phil.brandt@aol.com]

Greetings, thanks for the add. I acquired a 184 a couple years ago. It ran well when I got it in fact I drove it home. After looking it over more closely I could see it was going to need some work. The wiring harness was nothing but a rat's nest of splices and all the rigid hydraulic lines were missing. It sat in the barn for 2 years while I tinkered with it and resolved these issues, now it has little power and can barely move. I looked at this forum and saw and explanation of how the valves may need adjusting. I followed the instructions in my shop manual on adjusting them and found when the pointer for the crankshaft pulley was on the top 1 of the 2 notches that the number 1 and 2 valves were at the same position, but 3 and 5 were not. The only thing I could think to do was turn the engine by hand until all 4 aligned and adjusted the valves at that point. End result it runs slightly better, but still weak. This tractor was clearly a basket case someone tried to assemble so somethings are missing or out of place, but I don't see how the timing Mark's can be that far off. I'm certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Eugene]

Take the tractor to a Cubfest. Have the folks look the tractor over and do a complete engine tune up.

You will also learn a lot about the tractor and tractor maintenance.

Welcome.

[Dale Finch]

Take the tractor to a Cubfest. Have the folks look the tractor over and do a complete engine tune up.

You will also learn a lot about the tractor and tractor maintenance.

Welcome.

I agree! Check out the Bash...not far from you!
http://www.barnyardbash.com/

[Larry B]

I just looked at the cubfest thing. About an hour drive from me. Not a cub owner just a lowly old 184.

[Eugene]

I just looked at the cubfest thing. About an hour drive from me. Not a cub owner just a lowly old 184.

184, that's a Cub.

[Dale Finch]

You would still enjoy it! And you might even get infected with "Cubitis", an incurable disease that causes you to be obsessed with these guys!!

[Gary Dotson]

The 184 is a welcomed member of the Cub family, bring it on!

[phil.brandt@aol.com]

Thanks to all for your input. Oddly enough the day after I posted I started it again and it ran better not great mind you ,but significantly better. I happen to talk to an old friend I had not heard from in some time who has owned several different models of the lo boy and he suggested running it on high octane gas. Any thoughts on that in regards to possible damage to the engine?
Thanks again.

[Eugene]

Tractor will run fine on ethanol regular gasoline.

High octane won't hurt the engine.

[outdoors4evr]

I run my 184 on regular 87 octane fuel (whatever is in the standard pump for automotive) Winter or Summer gas without issues.

[Larry B]

Have you installed new spark plugs? What number plugs are in there now? How hard do you run the tractor?

[1CavRoohauler]

Take the tractor to a Cubfest. Have the folks look the tractor over and do a complete engine tune up.

You will also learn a lot about the tractor and tractor maintenance.

Welcome.

I agree! Check out the Bash...not far from you!
http://www.barnyardbash.com/

Ah man, if I would have known about this sooner I would have planned on attending. This would have been fun. Maybe next year.

[outdoors4evr]

Being a 184, it is probably a favorite mowing tractor. They have many other attachments, but the 184 is one great mowing machine.
That said, the D21 is perfect for a hard working 184 setup for mowing. Here is a cross reference to all the other brands.
https://www.sparkplug-crossreference.co ... AMP_PN/D21

I am running the NGK AB-6

[Larry B]

If i am running my 184 hard mowing in hot weather it likes the D18Y plug. Since i got the Ferris ZTR the 184 is relegated to lighter duties. Now it likes the D21 plug.

[phil.brandt@aol.com]

Thanks again to all for your advice.
I have run into some bigger issues and will post more info when I complete what has become a major project.