Farmall Cub Stuck Engine

David Hummel

New User
I recently tore into my new project, a Farmall Cub which has been sitting in a barn for the past 15+ years. It is a 1949 and has a locked up engine. I have works on tractors and farm equitment my whole life but have never really tore into an engine like this, so far I have taken the head off along with all the stuff around it that needed to be removed. I filled up the cylinders with pb blaster today. I will include a picture of what I have uncovered. The question I really came here to ask is what would be my next step, any tips on freeing the engine? Should I flush out the engine block? there has been water sitting in it for 15 years.
IMG_4938.jpg
 
That is bad bad bad . U May as well keep going and remove and strip it down to nothing left in it. It will need a valve job which the block has to be sent into a machine shop. Then they can press out the pistons. U can clean out as much rust as u can and even hone some rust out. You’re looking a complete rebuild. Be pricy. Problem is these jobs cost more than the tractor is worth. But that’s the labour of love.
 
I recently tore into my new project, a Farmall Cub which has been sitting in a barn for the past 15+ years. It is a 1949 and has a locked up engine. I have works on tractors and farm equitment my whole life but have never really tore into an engine like this, so far I have taken the head off along with all the stuff around it that needed to be removed. I filled up the cylinders with pb blaster today. I will include a picture of what I have uncovered. The question I really came here to ask is what would be my next step, any tips on freeing the engine? Should I flush out the engine block? there has been water sitting in it for 15 years.
View attachment 88290
Find a good used engine would be the best bet
 
It appears to have cracked block in your photo 2-3 cyli . That needs to be verified. I suggest make and outline of things to do ,if your going to try to use the tractor . This way you going to know the procedure and cost associated with this parts of the project.
keep a diary of what your doing to it .it helps to backtrack .
 
You're in "nothing to lose" territory at this point.

First thing first, squirting PB blaster on piles of crusty rust and sludge isn't going to help. Your best friend at this point is a couple of different wire wheels on angle grinders and/or drills. You want a flat disc type wheel and a cup style wheel. That, and a shop vac.

Get the rust and sludge cleaned up first. Remove the lower radiator flange off the side of the engine block so you can flush out the sludge in the water jacket. Got a pressure washer? Use it.

Once that's done, THEN it's time to start in with the PB blaster. Remove the manifold and the valve tappet cover underneath. Probably need to do some cleanup and PB blasting in there too.

Next you need a wood block, good hardwood is best. This will be for trying to pound the pistons loose with a good-sized hammer.

All you can do is try. Nothing is 100% but if you don't try the chances of it coming loose are 0%. I just watched a loose 1948 Cub with a 42" mower sell for $650 yesterday so you can find another one if this one doesn't pan out.

If you do manage to get it running it will probably smoke some and will be down on power. That's to be expected. You're working with junk. Yes it will still be junk when you're done but it will be better junk than it was before. Right now it's just junk junk.
 
I guess I would take the engine out, turn it over and pull the crank out. That'll allow you to work on each cylinder one at a time. After a good soaking so the penetrant was running down in to it. I'd put it in the press and try pressing the pistons down. Might want to even leave it upside down after you get the crank out and spray some blaster around the pistons and let it soak in from the other way for a day or two.
 
You're in "nothing to lose" territory at this point.

First thing first, squirting PB blaster on piles of crusty rust and sludge isn't going to help. Your best friend at this point is a couple of different wire wheels on angle grinders and/or drills. You want a flat disc type wheel and a cup style wheel. That, and a shop vac.

Get the rust and sludge cleaned up first. Remove the lower radiator flange off the side of the engine block so you can flush out the sludge in the water jacket. Got a pressure washer? Use it.

Once that's done, THEN it's time to start in with the PB blaster. Remove the manifold and the valve tappet cover underneath. Probably need to do some cleanup and PB blasting in there too.

Next you need a wood block, good hardwood is best. This will be for trying to pound the pistons loose with a good-sized hammer.

All you can do is try. Nothing is 100% but if you don't try the chances of it coming loose are 0%. I just watched a loose 1948 Cub with a 42" mower sell for $650 yesterday so you can find another one if this one doesn't pan out.

If you do manage to get it running it will probably smoke some and will be down on power. That's to be expected. You're working with junk. Yes it will still be junk when you're done but it will be better junk than it was before. Right now it's just junk junk.
I took that picture before I added pb blaster to the cylinders, I did clean them out the best I could before. Will using a wire wheel on the block mess up the surface, will I then need to take it to a machine shop?

I do have a pressure washer, when I go to pressure wash it do i need to bolt the head back on, or can I leave it off since I am planning on doing a rebuild.

Cost is not really a factor to me relatively speaking, I don't want to spend 10,000 on it but you get my point, I don't intend on ever selling this and I like doing this stuff for fun. As of right now I am just planning on doing a complete rebuild of the engine (pistons, rings, valves, etc...) but I don't want to order anything until I get things cleaned up good.
 
I guess I would take the engine out, turn it over and pull the crank out. That'll allow you to work on each cylinder one at a time. After a good soaking so the penetrant was running down in to it. I'd put it in the press and try pressing the pistons down. Might want to even leave it upside down after you get the crank out and spray some blaster around the pistons and let it soak in from the other way for a day or two.
This seems like a good game plan to me, though this project will probably get put on hold when we start harvest. Thanks for the advice.
 
It appears to have cracked block in your photo 2-3 cyli . That needs to be verified. I suggest make and outline of things to do ,if your going to try to use the tractor . This way you going to know the procedure and cost associated with this parts of the project.
keep a diary of what your doing to it .it helps to backtrack .
I do not recall seeing a crack, but I will check it out ASAP. As for the list of parts and the dairy of the things I have done and the things I will do going forward will definitely help, I will start those as soon as I check out the block.
 
Here a link for a short block ,all ready to go for you ,take a look and see if it a solution to consider.
Wowser, at first I was going to say someone must really like their $1500 Cub to drop a $5300 block in it. Then at second look I see your link goes to an IH 766 short block.
I agree with RedMVA on this one, find a used running engine for it.
 
if YT doesn’t have what yo need consider bates Corp or Wengers
link to Wengers for you to search out needs https://www.wengers/partsearch/part...9683&wm_model=30185&wm_part_application=29037
 
I took that picture before I added pb blaster to the cylinders, I did clean them out the best I could before. Will using a wire wheel on the block mess up the surface, will I then need to take it to a machine shop?

I do have a pressure washer, when I go to pressure wash it do i need to bolt the head back on, or can I leave it off since I am planning on doing a rebuild.

Cost is not really a factor to me relatively speaking, I don't want to spend 10,000 on it but you get my point, I don't intend on ever selling this and I like doing this stuff for fun. As of right now I am just planning on doing a complete rebuild of the engine (pistons, rings, valves, etc...) but I don't want to order anything until I get things cleaned up good.
A wire wheel on the block won't hurt the surface. I'd use a knotted wire wheel as they don't seem to throw the wire off and stick to your skin.
 

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