My barn find 1811
 

I started a refurb thread over in the intro section and it was suggested I move it over here. I'll include two pics of what it looked like when I dug it out of the barn and what it looks like now.

The old thread with more pics is here: http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=50156

Anyway, I have some good news. The cub was parked 11 years ago because the oil light came on and then it wouldn't start. I pulled all the tins off to get a better look and then I pulled the plugs so I could crank the engine a bit to see if the oil light would go out. Before cranking I squirted a bit of tranny fluid in the plug holes in case the rings were dry. The motor wouldn't crank using the key but it cranked if I jumpered the solenoid "hot" terminal to the "start" terminal. Zippy1 told me about the brake switch needing to be pressed to start it. That switch was bypassed but I unwrapped the tape and found the terminals to be dirty. Once I cleaned them up the key will now crank the motor. Hot dog!!! The oil light went out after a few cranks. The oil was full and brand new so I think the PO installed an empty oil filter and didn't give it a chance to pump up.

Well I gapped the plugs, put some gas in it and cranked it over. No joy, so I went for the starting fluid. She fired right up and purrs like a kitten. I means it's pretty smooth and quiet although it quit running a few times. I know I should pull the carb after 11 years but I'll let the new gas soften things up a bit and see if it will stay running. Now I can start replacing the worn parts and tuning it up without any risk.

Wow! My first real tractor. I'm excited. Now for the questions to the gurus:

What is the relay under the left side cover?

Where can I get the white and yellow paint to touch up the old girl? Small rattle cans would be fine.

I plan to pressure wash the whole thing. Other than capping the muffler and carb, is there anything else the worry about?

The steering shaft may need a rebuild. It's loose and gets stuck on either side. Can I pull the shaft without pulling the motor?

The headlamps probably draw a lot of current (they seem to get hot). Are LED headlamps available?

Is there a good rust preventative I can spray on the deck and other places? I've seen adds for an oily spray that I may try.

Should I get out the black tape for the ripped seat or is there a better way? I don't plan to spend $100 for a new seat. It's ugly, butt it works:)

Why is the hydrostat covered with dry gunk? I'll include another pic.

Thanks again for your help.

Rob

Just clean the carb, don't sit around waiting for it to magically fix itself. I also highly recommend you replace the fuel pump, after all these years it's not uncommon for them to leak gas into the crank case. You should also pull the tins off the engine to make sure it's not full of mouse nest, I mean the tins on the engine not the side panels. Unless you're planning to stick the hose directly in the muffler there's really no need to plug it, just make sure the air cleaner is in place. Now that I'm done busting your balls, congrats on the Cub.

Vrobert,

You've got a great friend!

Give that 1811 the lovin' it deserves. Do everything the folks here told you to do.

I suspect the steering is mainly a lube issue. I pull the steering wheel off my cubs and squirt some Teflon lube down the steering wheel shaft and put some moly graphite in the top bushing.

As for a rust preventative: I use motorcycle chain lube. It goes on thin and dries really tacky to keep moisture out. (Hey, chain lube may help your tie rod ends out!)

Congrats!

PeterJ

AT this point, pulling the engine is real easy. Tims advice to get in behind the engine tins and clean them is legitimate--mice love them. An I'm with him, these fuel pumps don't last forever so go ahead and replace it, you can get it aftermarket for about $45 if I remember correctly. Yes there are LED lights available, prices are all over the place on those. Its hard to stop tearing in to one of these once you start. While you can see, examine the rag joints on each end of the driveshaft, make sure the ball joint on the back of the engine is "OK". Search the forum for trunion repair and then look at yours while it is staring at you, you'll instantly know if you need to tackle that project. After sitting this long, you should consider a hydro fluid change. Check the bolts that hold the rear end to the frame--plenty to search here about those as well.

Personally I like to run any new-to-me machine before I tear into it too much. It just kind of helps me gain a direction as to how deep and where I want to go with repairs.

That is a nice looking machine you have. Please take plenty of pictures and post them and updates often. I think you will find an 1811 is one of the most respected machines Cadet made. I certainly like mine.

Great looking tractor! Look forward to more pictures as you make progress bringing it back to life.:beerchug:

Here's some reading material for you. My 1811.:beerchug:
Skip to page 9 to see what's potentially under the engine tins.
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=47510

Welcome to OCC & congrats on one of the best Cubs ever built. +1 on what they all said.

Great one! I have one that is just going back together, and indeed it was the fuel pump that gave out.

Having said that each layer you take apart is just that much more work going back together. It is good advice to take the engine tins off and clean it, and I agree on fuel pump (I got mine off amazon). But at the same time it 'might' not need either and it depends on your appetite and aptitude. You dont want to get into it so deep you cant get it back together.

The carb I would just pull, remove the jet and float/needle, and soak in pinesol for a day.

Powerwash the hydro and everything you can while the covers are off.

Post a pic of the trunion - the spring mechanism to the side of the hydro. These are notorious wear points and worth checking out.

Personally I would just run with the lights you have. Change the fluids and run it a while to learn how it does/doesnt behave.

:beerchug:

Gorilla duct tape on the seat. Clean it good first with alcohol and the tape will stick better.

Good advice from everyone!
Now time to get ERR done!

Now I really know I'm among friends here!

I pulled the front tins off and no critters to be seen. I'm a little worried about the side tins that bolt to the head. The first bolt I tried is seized I think. I may just pressure wash around them and spray some penetrating fluid in case they have to come off later.

I ordered a fuel pump and a carb kit. Once it's running smooth I'll put the seat on it and try to get it to move under it's own power. The hydro fluid is so clean I don't plan to change it. I think both fluids were changed when the PO parked it.

The trans has very little resistance so I have been rolling it around by hand. Is that going to damage the hydrostat? Do I need dollies to move it around?

I found the wiring schematic difficult to understand at first. Some of the switches aren't labelled and the details are vague. I'll modify the schematic and post it here.

Rob

Just don’t go very fast while pushing it. It will be fine.

Let the engine run until the head get to hot to touch and the bolts should come out.

The front isn't where the "critters" and dirt and oil hang out. It's in and around the flywheel, and plugged in the head fins.
PB the bolts now and let it sit. Then do your pressure washing to remove the excess penetrant.
You ain't going to hurt anything "rolling" the tractor around, it's the pulling it around the yard that's hard on them.
And or do what Tim said. But you should get those tins off and take a look around. But as the old saying go, "it's your tractor", do as you wish...

Looks like a very fixable machine. I love my 1811, it's everything you want except front remotes.

I'm considering a blade or blower for snow and I know the front hydro fittings would let me angle a blade. What other benefit would I get from adding front fittings? What would it cost to buy all the parts (used) from an 1812? I would want a complete set to be sure I got all the right parts.

Once I get her running smooth I'll warm it up and try to remove the tins again. I'm thinking of calling her Barney or Vinny since she was abandoned in a barn at a vineyard;)

Being able to change angle of the blade without getting of the tractor is great if your snow pushing pattern requires it. Sometimes you can just make a pattern that keeps things going in the direction you want without changing blade angle. So this depends on your particular situation.

You have to pull the engine, and spool valve and replace the mechanism and valve with a dual spool version. There are lines that go beside the engine to the front fittings. The frame likely has holes already, or if not prestamped knockouts for the fittings.

I see setups for between $150 to $250 for everything you need to convert the tractor. The good news is these are shipable. But then you need to modify a blade, or find one with a cylinder already on it. These may be harder to find than the tractor part, and I would estimate between $200 and $350 for the blade with power angle.

Others will have better insight but $.02

I converted my 1211 over to dual hydraulics last year. I bought a John Deere H2 spool valve off eBay for about $35 and then made my own lines and handles. If I can find then I will post up some pics later.

Today I pulled the steering cam pin and it appears it had never been adjusted cause it was worn flat on two sides. See pic. I pumped the worm drive full of grease and the wheel turns real smooth so hopefully the new pin I ordered will fix it right up. The steering was one of the complaints from the PO.

I greased the front wheels, spindles and axle. All seem fine with not too much wear. Looks like PO had 1" axles welded on the spindles.

I fired it up again and it runs real smooth but it dies without full choke. You guys told me to pull the carb so I got a rebuild kit that I'll install real soon. I tested forward, reverse, hydo-deck up/down and the PTO. Everything works!

I got most of the tins off and pressure washed the whole tractor. There's a mound of caked on dirt behind the hydro pump. Could it be leaking around the shaft? I'll check the next time I start it.

I don't know what a trunion is but you all were concerned whether it was worn. Looks fine in the pic. What do I lube it with?

Any reason I should replace the head bolts or lube them? They're pretty rusty, I wouldn't want them to break off if I ever have to pull the head.

Trunion looks fine. The spindles were 1" from the factory. Don't touch the head bolts unless you're planning to resurface the head's and install new gasket's, i will bet money the gasket's are blown and should be replaced anyway.

Could be a seal or cover or valves. Trunnion looks okay from the picture.
How does the back of the engine look now that you got the side tins off? By the flywheel, any old oil, dirt in and around there?

Flywheel looked clean, no nests or gunk on the fins. There was a little bit of crud on the alternator stator but it cleaned up nice. After the carb is rebuilt I'll look for leaks around the pump.

Any tips for the carb rebuild? I'll make note of the current adjustments before rebuild. I'll clean out all passages, replace needle and seat, then warm it up and adjust the idle mixture.

Here is the improved schematic. I'm not sure how to attach a large enough file that it can be viewed.

Well, I made pretty good progress so far but still a few issues.

I rebuild the steering with a new pin and ball bearings. Wow that pin was worn! The kit was $14 from ebay and worked great but I wish it came with the foam, D shaped gasket. I just made one out of a wall switch insulator gasket. (see pic) Steering is smooth but still a little sloppy. Most of the slop is in the front axle. I adjusted the axle stop bolts a bit but the stops are loose in the middle and tight at the extremes. I need to machine those surfaces flat and see if the pivot bolt is worn. Anyone ever tighten up a loose axle on an 1811?

I rebuilt the carb and it definitely needed it. (see pic of bowl) After installation and tuning it seems to run pretty good. I put the tins and seat back on it and blasted up and down the street. It's a lot faster than my riding mower. Well, that didn't last too long. The oil light started coming on when the revs are above idle. I changed the oil and filter although the oil was clean. Same problem. I removed the oil pressure switch and cleaned it out with carb cleaner, but same problem. I'll buy a new switch since I don't have a gauge and see if that fixes it. Anyone ever fix a low oil pressure problem?

I went to Tractor Supply and they were out of IH white and Cub yellow spay paint. I'll order them online. For $6 per can I'll take a gamble that the color is close enough. I'll let you all know how it looks. BTW how do I remove the old decal adhesive without screwing up the paint?

I also looked for hydrostat fluid but I couldn't tell which type to buy for the 1811. Any ideas on that?

If I can get the oil light issue fixed, the next task other than shining the old girl up is to buy a snow blade or modify my MTD blade which has a 13.5" wide mount just like wide frame brackets. I may be able to mate a mule drive bracket to my plow but it's not very heavy duty so it may not survive a heavy snow.

Rob

On the 1811 i had i removed the sending unit for the oil light and installed a mechanical oil pressure gauge.

I haven't removed a Cub sticker, but have removed others with heat from a hairdryer. Then I first try WD40 to remove the glue. If that fails get some brake cleaner spray. I've used the brake cleaner on my new car's to remove the dealer stickers.

Had to pull and clean the sending unit on my 1811, no more oil light issues--I may have tried cleaning where it goes in the block, don't remember. Logged 20 or more hours since so I assume problem is gone. The safe bet would be to rig up a temporary oil pressure gauge, then you would KNOW whats going on.

Regarding the hydrostatic fluid, there are several options. Obviously HY-Tran from a Case-IH dealer. A cadet dealer would sell it, but I believe they use a different fluid in the new machines--be sure to get the correct one. I have used Hy-Gard from Deere---don't know if Deere has more than one fluid, but this stuff went in older tractors and lawnmowers. Many/most folks here just use whatever brand of hydraulic oil that meets the specs of Case-IH Hy-Tran.

What's the picture of the light switch with the insulation gasket behind it for?

gasket material for the steering box.

Oh...

Wonder how long that will last. :RollEyes2:

The good news..... Clay wins the prize with the brake cleaner trick. See pic. I had tried WD40, paint thinner, and Goo Gone with no effect. The brake cleaner worked immediately. There was also some clear film left over from the decals that i removed with a razor blade.

The bad news..... I hooked up an oil gauge and I have no oil pressure. :crap:

I connected just the oil tube first and started her up. The oil barely made it to the other end of the tube. Then I connected the gage and got no reading. I blew a little compressor air into the new gauge to make sure it works.

The motor starts easy, runs quiet, idles smooth, revs up just fine, and has not made a single puff of smoke the dozen times I have started it. So gentlemen, who wants to join me on an oil pump adventure? How does one replace an oil pump on this thing?

The scariest thing is that the Magnum 18 service manual lists the oil pump as the very last thing to remove during a complete tear down. I'm already emotionally committed to this cub since it was purchased new by a friend's family. I decided to call her Gracie after the grandmother for whom it was purchased on her 90th birthday.

I keep 2 cans of the brake cleaner in the cabinet for cleaning parts to paint. If you have bare metal it removes all the oils. But you better paint it quick or you'll get rust. Did you check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge? (edit)Oh I see you did use a gauge.

Have you changed the oil and filter?


Be aware: Some brake cleaners will dull paint... or even remove it.

Looked in the service manual, it appears you can service some aspects of lubrication system without splitting the crankcase. Wondering if you have a problem with the relief valve? Go to 7.1, bottom left.

http://ccmanuals.info/pdf/TP%202204-...e%20Manual.pdf

I didn't change them initially because the oil appeared clean when I first checked the dipstick. When the oil light began to come on after a few trips around the yard I changed the oil and put a new Kohler filter on it. Still no luck.

I have no idea what the sensible choice is. Should I:

replace the oil pump
rebuild the motor completely myself
pay someone to rebuild the motor
buy a low hours motor
buy a rebuilt motor

Any and all advise is appreciated!

And the reward for your good advice is a glimpse of sunset at the vineyard on Jug Bay in Maryland.

How about you do what i suggested before and remove the oil pressure sending unit and hook up a mechanical oil pressure gauge. I would not base the need for an engine rebuild on an idiot light with an electric sensor, a mechanical gauge will give much more info.

I described doing just that a few posts earlier. I got zero PSI.

John just pointed me to the Magnum manual page 7.1 where it reads that I can get to the pressure relief valve through the "rear closure plate". Section 11.9 describes installing the closure plate.

Unless the relief valve is stuck or broken I will have to split the cases to get to the oil pump.

Review the oiling system diagram in the service manual, and familiarize
yourself with it.
the oil is sucked out of the crankcase to the pump through a screen in the bottom center of the crankcase.
as it goes through the pump it is directed thorough the passageways and excessive pressure is controlled with the pressure relief spring & ball.
If someone has removed the front cover ( pto side) it is possible that the relief ball is missing or the spring is broken.
First I would remove the electric pto, then front crankcase closure cover.
That will expose the pressure relief spring and ball, and determin if it is in the proper place.
if they are there and ok then proceed to the 4 screws holding the oil pump cover plate on and inspect if all is well there.
That is the extent of the external accessible parts.
When you get that far I will help you further.
Hopefully you will find the problem.
it is possible the big plastic drive gear is broken inside the crankcase or the thin roll drive pin, but it is very uncommon, and requires splitting the crankcase halves.
Do you have a divorced oil filter? ( hoses connecting it to the engine)
or is the filter attached to the engine? :bigthink:

I've seen them eat those cheap plastic gears before. They fall out in pieces when you drain the oil.

Thank you ol'George for the help. I will start ripping her apart this weekend. Just the PTO and rear cover hopefully.

I have the remote filter with hoses.

And BTW, 2400 hours on the clock.

Drain the oil before you remove the cover plate of it will all run out,making a mess.
The cover plate will either have a gasket or sillycone as a sealer, I'm betting on silly cone, and try to remove it carefully to see if the relief spring & ball valve is in place
http://www.partstree.com/parts/cub-c...999/crankcase/
#16 is the spring/ball & locator ( the locator looks like a thin wall roll pin)
and is just a hand push in