First post... Picked up an old 1641

[hootowl]

Talked to Sam this morning. He saved me a bunch of time explaining everything I would have had to figure out as a first time Cub owner. Looks like I got a better deal on this machine than I thought. It's pretty solid, motor seems well taken care of. Just need to rip out the old wiring harness and get the electrical working properly. Most of the wiring connections have some corrosion and the wires under the seat have been totally wire nutted! All I need is for the ignition key to start the machine and the lights to work. Don't even need the PTO or hydraulics but I will repair that line in case I decide on a mower or use the plow.

More to come.

[Rescue11]

It isn't really too bad to remove if you have the tractor somewhat opened up like you do. The line is fastened to the scv by a small bolt and keeper. This and the flare nut at the rear end are all you need to remove. Do not use a hack saw. You will be sorry. JM $.02

[Mike McKown]

Your carburetor has a solenoid on it that shuts the fuel flow to the engine off when you turn the key off. It's a simple pin that fires into the main jet. Sometimes that pin will stick due to corrosion and your engine will not run. On the other hand, your ignition switch supplies power to that same solenoid and from the looks of the contacts on your switch, you may not have been getting power to the solenoid. You should hear/feel a click as you cycle the key off/on.

If you're not using a mower, the reverse switch on the gear selector and the wires under the seat are not important if they are jumpered properly. The switch on the brake pedal is probably jumped out too. That's a safety feature that should be retained no matter the use of the tractor.

Not saying anything except that they don't have to be in proper working order for you to use your tractor and not a mower.

[hootowl]

Thanks again. Loads of great help here. I ordered a new ignition switch and will most likely make a new simple harness that just operates the engine and lights.

The safety switches are OK when they work but the reverse PTO shutoff is just plain stupid. My Zero Turn is pretty light on switches. I can mow in any direction.

Going to splice in a repair tube for the hyd line. I will remove it first. Was advised to remove the battery and the battery tray to gain access. The tube was most likely damaged by battery acid.

I notice people sometimes have their children riding on their laps while cutting grass.... I huge NO NO. Those are the people that got us in the safety craze.

[hootowl]

First problem solved. Getting it to keep running.

As advised I pulled the air filter assy and opened up the top cover of the carb.

Everything looked nice except a little dirt at the very bottom. Pulled the float assy out and syringed it out and then blew it clean with compressed air.

All passageways were clean that I could get to from above. Blew them out to make sure. Blew out the passages in the cover. All looked like new.

Found the red wire on the side of the motor for the fuel solenoid. Hooked a jumper up and saw it activate.

Put everything back together and put that jumper back on the fuel solenoid.

Started up after getting the bowl filled... just maybe 20 seconds of cranking, and kept running.

So the problem was electrical. I did discover that the seat safety switch is working.

Waiting on a new ignition switch to see how things work with that plugged in.

[Cubcrazy]

Thanks for the update!

[Sam Mac]

I like the way you are going through this one! Should make a good one when your done with it.

[ACecil]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

I like the way you are going through this one! Should make a good one when your done with it.

X2!

[Sam Mac]

I forgot to mention the other day when you and I talked that it's not a bad idea to pull the engine out, remove the blower housing and give it a good cleaning. I've seen more than one with a mouse nest built in the housing. On this one the mice ate the spark plug wire.

[Mike McKown]

Here is what a Vanguard 16 looked like when I pulled the blower housing off to fix a broken ring gear.

Most of the mouse nest has been removed and this is what's left of it. It had been packed full with cotton stuffing. All the oil came from a crank seal leaking. The engine had to have been run in this condition and I kinda' figured it'd be toast from not cooling.

After I got it cleaned up and a new crank seal, it fired right up. Smoked like a diesel that had the fuel cranked up on it for about twenty minutes then cleared up. I guess that was just residual gunk and solvent that was burning off the engine when it got up to operating temperature. Seems to run good.