Cub Lo-boy 154

[grandpa Love]

Going to buy a Lo-boy 154 and a Farmall A from a guy in GA. He said the 154 was running but smoking so he put rings and "inserts" (?) in it.....but as he put each piston in the motor got harder to turn. The starter /generator won't turn it , only turns using a pipe wrench. Any thoughts? Gonna be a few weeks before we go get them,just thinking ahead

 

[Butch(OH)]

"inserts" is a popular name for bearing shells, the one I use actually. In my world a rebuilt engine that small that requires a pipe wrench to turn it would come all the way back down.

 

[wore out]

Going to buy a Lo-boy 154 and a Farmall A from a guy in GA. He said the 154 was running but smoking so he put rings and "inserts" (?) in it.....but as he put each piston in the motor got harder to turn. The starter /generator won't turn it , only turns using a pipe wrench. Any thoughts? Gonna be a few weeks before we go get them,just thinking ahead

Are the rod caps on the correct rods and in the correct orientation? Did he install "standard" or "undersized" bearings"?

Conventional wisdom would be to have the "big end" of the rods checked at a machine shop after whatever has befallen them that MAY have stretched them oversized and/or "out of round". Likely, though, that won't happen here.

 

[Keith True]

If he didn't put the wrong size inserts in I would take a look at the ring grooves.Where the tractor was smoking before,I would say the ring grooves probably have a good buildup of tar and asphalt in them,and the new rings can't squeeze down where they belong.Whatever is wrong,that engine needs to come apart before even turning it 1/4 turn with that pipe wrench.

 

[John M]

In addition to all of the above, 2 things come to mind. I dont think this is the case but I wonder if there was a running change in the crankshaft that required different bearings, or another long shot without looking, the bearings are for a BD154 diesel. I only recommend the 2nd because that actually happned to the guy I bought my 154 from. The IH dealer he ordered them from didnt order the right ones.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

In addition to all of the above, 2 things come to mind. I dont think this is the case but I wonder if there was a running change in the crankshaft that required different bearings, or another long shot without looking, the bearings are for a BD154 diesel. I only recommend the 2nd because that actually happned to the guy I bought my 154 from. The IH dealer he ordered them from didnt order the right ones.

There are a couple different crankshafts...1.489 and 1.497.

 

[rustred]

Going to buy a Lo-boy 154 and a Farmall A from a guy in GA. He said the 154 was running but smoking so he put rings and "inserts" (?) in it.....but as he put each piston in the motor got harder to turn. The starter /generator won't turn it , only turns using a pipe wrench. Any thoughts? Gonna be a few weeks before we go get them,just thinking ahead

that says he did not use plastigauge to check the clearances. he might have put undersize brgs in it, is what makes sense.

 

[T.R.K.]

When I had the crank turned/machined for undersize bearings in my IH Cub, the machine shop called and asked what the casting number was on the rods. It made a difference which bearings it took.

 

[rustred]

The pan needs u to be pulled. Then inspect the brgs. My example was he could have installed .002 under brgs on a standard crank. Perfect synario. So pull them pan. Pull the caps and on the back of the brgs it will give the under size. And if that’s the case them brgs will be toast from the turning. Gotta wait till mrs love shows grampa the brgs , so he can show us. And use plastiguage on assembly so there is no guessing.

 

[grandpa Love]

The pan needs u to be pulled. Then inspect the brgs. My example was he could have installed .002 under brgs on a standard crank. Perfect synario. So pull them pan. Pull the caps and on the back of the brgs it will give the under size. And if that’s the case them brgs will be toast from the turning. Gotta wait till mrs love shows grampa the brgs , so he can show us. And use plastiguage on assembly so there is no guessing.

Rust,I can always count on you to pick on me a little ......give us a few weeks,we will pick the tractor up and tear it down. Will post pictures . Hopefully the seller has the old parts and the new boxes laying around so we can see what's in that motor

 

[rustred]

Rust,I can always count on you to pick on me a little ......give us a few weeks,we will pick the tractor up and tear it down. Will post pictures . Hopefully the seller has the old parts and the new boxes laying around so we can see what's in that motor

maybe just a little,lol. i wouldnt trust boxes, could have been packaged wrong. numbers will be on brgs.

 

[kencombs]

maybe just a little,lol. i wouldnt trust boxes, could have been packaged wrong. numbers will be on brgs.

Yep, I once bought a set of rod bearing for a chevy 6. I noticed the boxes had all been opened but bearings were new. But some had different size 'inserts', (common name for them) in the same box., A standard and .002 for instance. That insert term was used especially for Chevy's to differentiate them from the poured babbitt predecessors.

I think what happened was someone bought multiple sets, standard, .001 and .002. Then used them to selectively fit shells to a worn standard crank to get the minimum oil clearance. Then returned the leftovers in the boxes, mismatched.

 

[kencombs]

Going to buy a Lo-boy 154 and a Farmall A from a guy in GA. He said the 154 was running but smoking so he put rings and "inserts" (?) in it.....but as he put each piston in the motor got harder to turn. The starter /generator won't turn it , only turns using a pipe wrench. Any thoughts? Gonna be a few weeks before we go get them,just thinking ahead

154 question for you, actually any numbered Lo-Boy. Have you ever encountered frame cracks where it's cut out over the rear end? They are not one of my favorite IH machines because I have. Bought one with a 3 pt on it and had been used hard. Fixed the clutch and brake monstrosity and when mowing for the first time the PTO shaft broke at the PTO clutch. The frame crack had allowed enough flex to stress the PTO shaft where it piloted into the clutch assembly, snapped the pilot right off.

Fixed it, sold it and bought a little Bolens (Iseki) diesel when those were sold at bankruptcy prices.

Something to take a look for especially if it has a 3pt.

 

[rustred]

Yep, I once bought a set of rod bearing for a chevy 6. I noticed the boxes had all been opened but bearings were new. But some had different size 'inserts', (common name for them) in the same box., A standard and .002 for instance. That insert term was used especially for Chevy's to differentiate them from the poured babbitt predecessors.

I think what happened was someone bought multiple sets, standard, .001 and .002. Then used them to selectively fit shells to a worn standard crank to get the minimum oil clearance. Then returned the leftovers in the boxes, mismatched.

I had kinda the same thing happen to me. Long time ago. When I was still in school. Pulled the 250 six banger out of my 67 pickup. Gonna put in rings and brgs. Go to parts man and ask for brgs. He says how many miles on that truck. Think it was near 100k i told him so he says h need .002 brgs. Ok put them in and could not turn engine over. Took them out and went back to parts man and said I want standard brgs. Put them in and all good. That truck run for a long time.yep me 17 year old High school kid knew no better at the time. Now I do know . Lol. Plus pretty sure that’s when I learned what plastigauge was used for also.

 

[grandpa Love]

154 question for you, actually any numbered Lo-Boy. Have you ever encountered frame cracks where it's cut out over the rear end? They are not one of my favorite IH machines because I have. Bought one with a 3 pt on it and had been used hard. Fixed the clutch and brake monstrosity and when mowing for the first time the PTO shaft broke at the PTO clutch. The frame crack had allowed enough flex to stress the PTO shaft where it piloted into the clutch assembly, snapped the pilot right off.

Fixed it, sold it and bought a little Bolens (Iseki) diesel when those were sold at bankruptcy prices.

Something to take a look for especially if it has a 3pt.

We have bought several Lo-boys...one was cracked badly there. Had a friend who is a welder fix it.