123 Hydro Cub
 

Picked up an old Cub 123 Hydro yesterday. Is there anything I should do before I put a battery in it and start messing around? It hasn't been started or messed with for many years. Picked it up from a girl cleaning out grandpa's barn. Not sure of the year, but I'm anxious to see what it can do.

Sometimes I first crank stuff that has been sitting a long time just to see how it runs before I change oil, but I don't run it long at all--maybe just a minute or two. Obviously make sure it has enough oil in it. Certainly check for mouse nests that may could cause a fire. If the fuel tank wasn't left nice and dry, I'd rig up an auxiliary tank to see how it ran. Once I hear one run then I start fixing and cleaning up all the issues.

THX John
 

Thanks John. I'm not certain but it looks like it was pulled out of the barn and sat outside all winter. The tank has some old gas in it. Think I'll drain it and check the plug before I fire it up. Picked up a battery at Wally World so tomorrow after work I'm going to play around with it. Kind of excited. Always wanted an old sturdy tractor to mess around with. Been through several lower end riders and they never last long. I expect them to do more than they are capable of most likely.

Make sure you have a supply of clean gas going to the carb, or you may get to take the carb apart. If it has been sitting outside (moisture exposure) I'd probably change oil in it, holds about a qt, maybe a little more. Once you get it running and assuming the engine seems solid, then I'd change oil again. Consider the first oil change a $4 engine flush.

First off, Welcome to OCC! :Welcome2:


Second, I moved this thread to the proper section. The 123 is a IH built Cub.


Third:
I'd do a very loooooong list of things before I try to start any machine that has been sitting who knows how long, that I know nothing about. I wouldn't suggest just throwing a battery in and cranking on it. I'd check everything out first, and drain ALL the fluids and change the hydro filter before I tried starting it. Hell.... I'd pull the head while I had the motor out cleaning the mouse nest out of the blower housing. I'd be shocked beyond belief if it didn't have one after sitting in a barn for years.

THX
 

I guess I better get some oil and a filter before I get too jumpy. Appreciate the insight.

:Welcome2: The 123 came out as a 1967 cub cadet. It was the very first hydrostatic transmission on a cub cadet that IH put out, so you have a great find on your hands......a real piece of history. It was also featured in a traveling circus (see photos).

I usually just check for mice nest in the engine tins, check the oil and put some new fuel in/drain old out and then put a battery in to see if it fires up. As soon as it does (if it does), then I shut it down and then start replacing filter, possibly had gasket, rebuild carb, etc. once I know that the engine doesn't need rebuilt or she doesn't need major work.

Congratulations on your first real garden tractor purchase!! The 123 was one of the last all metal cubs (aside from the seat and steering wheel cap, that IH produced.

Cub Cadet 123

Reviving an old tractor is my favorite part of this hobby.
What was mentioned in others posts is good advice.
Congrats on the 123.:beerchug:
I'm glad you asked this question cause it's good one and shows you care.

Welcome to the OCC forum.. Lots of nice guys here to help with tons of knowledge!

The 123 is a great model! If you get it worked up into good condition It will serve you well for the rest of your life! The last model with the all metal dash.. after that they started introducing fiberglass and plastic dashes!

Have fun with it and keep us all posted! We like pictures!!:biggrin2::biggrin2:

:IH Trusted Hand:

Nice to have you! Welcome to OCC!

Along with all the tid-bits of history and information given about your 123, the 123 was part of the same series line up that were the first to incorporate a safety starting switch, imagine that! The model 123 was released "late" in the series line up, much like the wide frame model 169 was.

I have to agree, because of past experience that there sure could be a mouse hotel on top of the fly wheel in the blower housing. I'd also determine compression, because with out that, you'r just wasting your time trying to start it. If you know for FACT the 123 has been sitting for years and years, don't start it. Check any and all vital signs, and pull the head to get a visual of the valves and piston, turning the starter pulley by hand and watching. As long as you got that, its going to run.

Good tips here as mentioned!

When I get a tractor that has been sitting I generally start with degreaser and a pressure wash, once it's cleaned up I change the oil and try to start it. I personally wouldn't bother with a mouse nest in the blower housing or the head gasket until I heard it run, that's alot of work to go through just to find out the engine smokes like crazy or has a knock. Neither the mouse nest or a blown head gasket will keep it from running, just don't run it for more than a few minutes.

Times two on what Tim said, although I might hold off on the oil change until after I see it run as long as what's on the dipstick looks decent. Reason being is that alot of crap in the oil will have settled to the bottom and an oil change before it runs a minute or two will just leave it there anyway.

One more thing I would do is to spray some WD40 in the spark plug hole and try to turn the engine by hand several times, then by starter with no plug to get some oil circulated, especially onto the cylinder walls.

Hey trickyphish, welcome to OCC.

Might be worth checking out the drive line and the manner in which it attaches to the engine and the hydro drive. Hate to have you fire it off and have the shaft start flailing around inside there.

Good luck with your project.

__________________________________________________ _____________

Dick

ironman, I do that when I put them away for a while also.

Usually I put air in the tires first, then do as the rest suggested.
Got any pictures of you new 123?

I'd recommend opening up the top of the motor if the condition is unknown. I'm currently in the process of doing that with a 147 I picked up a few months ago. Glad I opened her up, as there was a lot of loose junk sitting on top of the cylinder. It could have made a mess of things had I tried to start it like that.

THX
 

Pulled the plug & replaced it and put a battery in it. No spark=no start. Only tinkered for 20 min or so due to darkness and cold. (Western PA)

Couple of rookie questions:
Is there a way to remove the glass bowl? (visible gunk)

Is the little lever on the right the safety neutral switch and does it need to be in the down position?

How do I check the coil?

Not sure where to start, I've only ever messed with Briggs & Stratton so this is my first venture with a Kohler and I'm not familiar with the starter/generator set up. Not afraid of the challenge, just want to work smart not hard.

There is a knurled nut directly below the glass sediment bowl, just unscrew it. Sometimes you need a pair of pliers to get it turning. There is a cork gasket above it that will most likely need replacing, also a very fine wire mesh screen you should clean. You should see a small T handle right above the sediment bowl, that is the fuel shut off. Sometimes they are hard to turn as well.

So you put in a new plug and tried spinning it over. Did you check to see if the fuel tank was clean before adding fuel? If it is clean and once you have the bowl clean, you need to make sure you have fuel flowing to the carb. Also, when you reinstall the bowl, leave the nut slightly loose so that the air can escape--tighten as soon as fuel starts running down the side of the bowl.

With the key on, you should have current to one side of the ignition coil--check with a test light or volt meter.

Getting something running again is pretty much following the supply of necessary ingredients from the source. If you don't have fuel to the carb, work back towards the tank. If you don't have power to the coil, work back toward the key switch.

I'm not aware of any safety switches on yours--not saying there isn't, just going to have to defer that piece of info to those more familiar with that specific machine.

Hey, post some pics as well--we are all picture junkies!

123 Cub Cadet
 

IH 123 Cub Cadet
Attachment 82737

Still on the trailer from when I picked it up. Paid $140

If you mean the lever that is down by your right calf (as you sit on the tractor), that is your hydro release lever. It releases pressure in the transmission pump so that you can push the tractor by hand.

You need to go here....
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=4662

Download it, read it. It will answer many of your operational questions.

And also go here....
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=4641

It will answer many of your techicnal questions

You did really well for yourself paying that price TrickyPhish to get one with headlights, tailight, a 48" deck!!! The deck alone is about $50+ and it looks to be in good, overall shape.

Cub Cadet 123