My 147 Reject project

[Rotarygod]

I decided to move this from the new members section to here as I continue my ongoing struggles to resurrect this abandoned cub 147.

Fair warning, this is long. It's a total up to speed in one post.

So for several weeks of on off working I couldn't get the thing to fire. I of course tossed the sparkomaticglowpluggamajigger in the scrap pile and ordered up a full ignition kit, plug, wire, coil and points. Put them on, set the points best I could by the manual and nada. It cranked ok but really wasn't trying to fire. Then the glass sediment bowl started leaking at the on off cock. I went ahead and replaced the bowl and got a new ebay carb too since mine was looking not so great. So fast fwd a few weeks and I get time to install the bown and carb, put in a little more gas and give her a shot again. It would cough and spit and sometimes turn quicker and then slow down. It was weird.

I then noticed that the exhaust was sucking in between puffing out. I know that's not normal and my thoughts went to stuck or bad valve. I tried a little marvel mystery oil hoping that might free it and then like a dope realized you can see the valves from the access port in the side of the block. (go easy on me I'm a flathead virgin) Once opened I could see the valves were moving fine (it's also how I learned about the weird pressure release system the kohler has. Pretty clever!

At work it dawned on me that if it's not firing the piston moving down on the combustion stroke could possibly exert enough pressure on the exhaust valve that it could suck it off it's seat and cause the exhaust suck. All hope was not lost. I had also noticed quite a lot of "blowby?" coming from the valve access port and the little dipstick down low by the points was jumping out and then sucking back in when cranking. Another odd thing.

All this weirdness led me to eventually pull the head to inspect things. Much to my surprise everything looked pretty fresh. The intake valve was clearly new and the piston was too as was the gasket. Piston was stamped with a +030 so I guess this motor was bored 30 over. Not great news but not the end either though I reckon a sleeve is in the next rebuild. I'll keep an eye out for a spare block or motor in the meantime. There's another complete "non running" 147 near me for 200. I might get it for parts, there's also a 149 for 250. (curse you all for suggesting this!!!)



Anywho, I put it all back together and same issue. It was like it wanted to go but just wouldn't. Even with starting fluid, just coughs and sputters. I decided to give the points timing one more shot, I used the video from Isavetractors youtube and still nothing. So I gave the service manual one more go and after a little more cranking and fiddling with the carb, blades BAM! She came to life! A little more carb fidgeting and she fires every time and purrs. Idles nice and slow without struggling and revs up great too!

So once it was running great I started messing with the drive. Since I got it the hydro lever was stuck hard and I wasn't sure if it was like that because the motor wasn't going or it was broken. With the motor running it was still stuck fast. I lubed the heck out of it and just worked it. Little by little it moved more and more until it moved full range. I also had pulled the fenders and lubed the mechanism under the center cowling. It's moving much better now but it's still a little stiff.

Onward to the next problem! Motor running and trying to engage the drive. Initially it launched like a drag car, I stopped it and backed it up with a little less lever. Then I decided to jack the rear wheels off the ground. Once up and in drive it spun the tires for about 10 seconds and then they slowed to a stop. Tried the lever back and forth and nothing. No drive at all. No odd noises, Just occasional whining of hydraulic pumps/fluid when it did move, no grinding just nothing. Let it sit a few minutes in neutral and it drives again but not long. Sometimes it pulls hard sometimes it just barely spins the tires.

And thats about where I am with it. I got socked with something that put me in bed for a few days and I read what I could while I was lucid. I plan to try to clean the 2 valve things on the top of the hydro unit and see if that helps. I also popped the hatch off the diff housing and inspected the ring/pinion etc and it all looked stellar. Fluid looks nice and clean but it's definitely lower than the fill plug. I'm trying to locate some hytrans locally in hopes maybe thats why it's not driving well. I can't imagine it's anything too serious considering how robust I read these trans/rear ends are.

One question I do have is I read there are 2 different hydro units that may have come on these, the sun...something and another one. I'm hoping someone here can help me identify it. The tag on the rear end is gone so the only ID tag it has that I see is on the motor.


Once again thanks for all the help so far. I'll get this old beast going!