106 swamp resurrection. Of sorts

[dschwandt]

Many O/H kits come with new valves.
And new guides only add about $20 to the kit making it a no brainer from where I sit.

 

[Adam Olczak]

Sort of killing time while waiting for engine parts.

Installed the "upgraded" front end of the 104 under the 106 after removing the mower deck brackets and washing the underside more thoroughly.

With the help of my personal lord and savior Kroil, every control/linkage on the 106 is now free and seemingly functional pending adjustment.

I've got a tear in the 106 hood that I need to weld up, and since the wiring harness in the 104 is in surprisingly good shape, I'm going to remove it for better inspection/ possible load testing for use in the 106.
$85 for a new one really isn't that steep, but if this one checks out, I can put that amount towards some new Tru-Power tires

 

[Allenpatterson]

The Tru powers are on my wishlist also. You sure have been making progress! Looks like plenty of room in that shop of yours for working on the cubs compared to my 24x40 that's filling up quicker than I would like with stuff. I like the WRIF sign on the wall too, used to listen to 101.1 as a kid on days when I could get it to tune in clear enough where I grew up.

 

[Adam Olczak]

The Tru powers are on my wishlist also. You sure have been making progress! Looks like plenty of room in that shop of yours for working on the cubs compared to my 24x40 that's filling up quicker than I would like with stuff. I like the WRIF sign on the wall too, used to listen to 101.1 as a kid on days when I could get it to tune in clear enough where I grew up.

I'm doing my best to keep this little project moving forward. The amount of shop space combined with the small size of these Cubs has been awfully pleasant when briefly compared to the usual junk that I try to maintain.

The WRIF banner still hangs as a reminder of the days when I thought I had it all at 16 years old with a working radio in my rusted-out V8 pickup truck.

 

[RAllison]

Probably the best truck you ever had...I know I think my first one was!!!

 

[Allenpatterson]

Having a small shop space is probably a good thing in my case because no matter the size I would still manage to find a way to fill it up with "junk". Must be something about boys and their first vehicle because at 16 I thought the same about my first pickup even with it's rusting cab corners and rocker panels.

Just in case you want to compare "junk".
Here's a distant future project awaiting a spot inside the garage right now. Was my grandparents 8n and before that belonging to my great grandparents. It lived a rough life as you can see and spent a number of years attached to a 3 point blade that was barely hanging together by a thread. My uncle told me that combination of the tractor and blade was what they used to scrape the barnyard with every day at my great grandparents until buying a small Gehl skid steer to replace it. The tin is surprisingly pretty straight for the life it had but no paint left on the tractor and not a single thing that hasn't been cracked and welded and then cracked again. Someone I'm related to must have had the theory who needs OEM parts when you have a welder?

 

[Adam Olczak]

Having a small shop space is probably a good thing in my case because no matter the size I would still manage to find a way to fill it up with "junk". Must be something about boys and their first vehicle because at 16 I thought the same about my first pickup even with it's rusting cab corners and rocker panels.
View attachment 144777
Just in case you want to compare "junk".
Here's a distant future project awaiting a spot inside the garage right now. Was my grandparents 8n and before that belonging to my great grandparents. It lived a rough life as you can see and spent a number of years attached to a 3 point blade that was barely hanging together by a thread. My uncle told me that combination of the tractor and blade was what they used to scrape the barnyard with every day at my great grandparents until buying a small Gehl skid steer to replace it. The tin is surprisingly pretty straight for the life it had but no paint left on the tractor and not a single thing that hasn't been cracked and welded and then cracked again. Someone I'm related to must have had the theory who needs OEM parts when you have a welder?

Can't go wrong with the 8N. If the right deal came up on one near me, I doubt I could pass it up.

 

[Adam Olczak]

Well after about 3 weeks of not being able to really work on the Cub, I got home after work yesterday and assembled the engine with new valves, carb, and ignition system (coil points condenser.) I checked the guides with a dial indicator earlier and found them hardly worn compared to the spec in the service manual.

I reassembled the starter gen with new bearings and brushes, and swapped the better wiring harness into the 106 chassis after installing a new solenoid. Also procured the missing voltage regulator.

While I wanted headlights, the headlight panel in the 104 made it look like a simpleton with the bulbs being so close together. Once I figured out it was the infamous "bubba" who made it, I found an OEM setup that looks MUCH better.

I unfortunately didn't take as many pics of the process while in the heat of the moment, but we're getting closer.

Don't have a pic from the front for now, but this is how close the headlights used to be together.

Love the OEM panel.

Prior to inspection.

 

[Adam Olczak]

Took a pic of the bubba design headlight panel for comparison sake. I find it funny that I've been confronted with his work in nearly every one of my hobbies so far.

 

[Adam Olczak]

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally was able to remove the remaining "tootsie roll" pin from the driveshaft. A little heat and a ton of Kroil went a long way.

I then removed the throw-out bearing on the 106 using a pickle fork, 2x4, and a hammer. It wasn't until after the removal that I remembered that I had a very nice bearing puller set that I bought years ago

(Picture taken for demonstrative purposes for those who don't have a puller set.)

Since the main spring was broken, I was able to partially make up for my forgetfulness by using the puller on the 104 to retrieve the good spring.

Have to install the new throw-out bearing, and then I can finally install the engine and regain the use of my work bench!

Brought the front wheels to work with me so I can sand blast them and prime them for now. Once I get the proper paint, and the do the same to the rears, A new set of Tru-Powers will be in the near future.

 

[Adam Olczak]

The day prior to this progress, I snuck into town on one of my non-Cub machines to spectate a tractor pull.
3.8 miles at 10.5mph wasn't actually that bad while straddling my cooler. Burned almost 2 quarts in that time though

I did notice a trend with the type of tractor that people tend to build specifically for this sport. (Basically ALL alcohol powered IH Cubs besides the homemade V8 stuff.)

I should've taken more pics, but I only took one of my fiance' sitting on the only non-Cub that somehow snuck it's way into the competitor's lineup for a better view of the track.



Seeing all of the nicely done, modified Cubs really helped with motivation to get this project done, and done right. However I'll have to wait for the next Cub for a full restro.

 

[Adam Olczak]

Got home from work and installed new bolts and lock nuts on the cast iron "frame?" at the front of the tractor, and did some minor wiring fixes.

After installing the new throw-out bearing and teaser spring, I put the clutch assembly in and finally got the engine mounted in the stupid 90F heat of yesterday afternoon.

I lightly pounded an old spring pin through the drive plate, and barely into the shaft to keep things aligned while lining up the engine with the friction disc. Once I had the engine bolts started, I simply pounded the new spring pin in through the other side, until it pushed the temporary pin out and became flush on both sides of the drive plate.

A well known trick perhaps, yet worth mentioning for those who haven't done it before. I regret not photographing it, but being drenched in sweat, I wanted to at least get the engine mounted before calling it a day and retreating to the air conditioned house.

SHOULD be downhill from here, I hope.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Nice progress!

 

[Adam Olczak]

Though fortunate, a wrench was thrown into my progress yesterday.

Between having good friends on the lookout, and a retired father who was able to drive an hour to grab them while I was playing with downed trees and utility poles yesterday, I got super lucky on a tiller or two!

Slight downside: after finding a gearbox for the tiller (feeling pretty lucky between yesterday and today), and reading the manual for the install of the yet-to-be-procured creeper drive, the engine and clutch assembly allegedly has to come back out of the frame.

I'll probably keep moving forward on the assembly for now. Unless a creeper drive appears somewhat locally before it's back together of course. Semantics I suppose.

 

[RAllison]

Nice find with the tillers Adam!

 

[Adam Olczak]

Nice find with the tillers Adam!

Thanks!
When the AD was sent to me yesterday morning, I did everything possible to make a deal on them ASAP.
The 80mph winds of yesterday afternoon left me with obligations I couldn't ignore when it came time to retrieve them, so I'm VERY grateful that my Dad was able to run and grab them for my sake.

Definitely a lucky find since I've seen them for as high as $400 bucks each in useable shape recently.

 

[Adam Olczak]

Got the wiring harness routed correctly, replaced the starter solenoid, installed the voltage regulator, starter generator, and replaced the key switch last Friday.

Since I wasn't confident in how clean the fuel tank was at the time, I used an old bottle for the first starting attempt. After filling the engine with oil and setting the choke, the 241 fired off for the first time in nearly 2 decades after only about 4 seconds of cranking. No drama at all

After the fact, (and the attached obligatory video) I used a siphoning blow gun to spray out the inside of the fuel tank with some diesel fuel one final time before installing it with a screw-in fuel filter attached (for now) so I could actually run the engine for a longer time.

I hooked the throttle cable up and ran the engine long enough to see that the head gasket had sealed, the charging system was functioning, and that the clutch was working as it should. It ran long enough to burn the leftover penetrating oil off with no issues that I could find.

Need to finish painting the front wheels, get a proper seat bracket, order some new rear tires, and change the differential fluid before the first test drive.

Also definitely need to find a muffler. For the sake of the operator and any other living thing within 100 yards of this engine while it's running

 

[Adam Olczak]

I do want to make a point and say that the engine was decently warm before I took this falsely named video file.

 

[RAllison]

Nice,making some good progress. It's awsome that first time you hear it run!!!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Congratulations on getting it running!