Need help with engine (new to hobby)

[Samofnebraska]

Anybody know someone who could help me with restoration of LB international? It will pop and smoke but it won't run.

[Kevin O. Pulver]

SamIam, where do you live in Nebraska? I am KevinofKenesaw, and I could maybe help you. I had one of those once, and I think the mag needed charged as it was terrible hard to start. I'm about three hours west of Omaha on I-80. Let me know if I can help you. Kevin

[Steve Wright]

Well this makes me wonder how many Stakers are from Nebraska? I am SteveofAlbion. Can't help you much on your engine as my area of fun is Delco and other light plants. I check this site out every morning. Sometimes I run out of time and don't even get to my email. Thanks to Harry for a great site.
Steve in Nebraska

[Warren Pennington]

Sam...I'm not famailar with the LA / LB's but like Kevin says it could be the mag as have a FM headless that acted the same way til we charged the mag. Many other things could be your problem as its hard to tell from your description if its a fuel or ignition problem. If you want to try charging the mag I have a home built mag charger and we could give it several "jolts". Drop me a email for directions but the shop is located off I-80 and hwy 50. Due north of you about 20-25 miles. PS....I loaded a world of grain down there in your little town and many towns around you back in my trucking days. Good luck!....Warren

[Elden DuRand]

Sam:

My 2 cents worth......If it pops and smokes, I think you can figure that the mag is at least working. You might try cleaning or replacing the spark plug. If that doesn't give any improvement, check the magneto timing.

To time an impulse mag (the kind that clicks), first remove the spark plug. Stick your thumb over the spark plug hole and crank the engine until you feel air pressure against your thumb*. Now, shine a light down the spark plug hole and turn the engine slowly until the piston is at the top of the cylinder**. If the magneto snaps -very- close to when the piston is at the top of the cylinder, it is timed right and you have another problem.

If the mag clicks at some other point than when the piston is at the top of the stroke, you will have to unbolt the magneto from the engine. Turn the engine so the piston is at the top of the stroke. Now, (make sure the plug wire is touching the body of the magneto so you won't get shocked) slowly turn the magneto (you've got to wind-up a fairly stiff spring inside the magneto to do this) in it's regular direction -just- until it clicks. Now, make sure you don't move the magneto gear until you carefully re-bolt the magneto to the engine. You must do this without disturbing the positions of either the cam gear (inside the engine) or the gear on the mag.

Re-check the timing. The mag should now snap when the piston is either right at or -very- near the top. Your engine should now start but look at the asterisk comments just below.

*: You should feel a very definite air pressure against your thumb when cranking the engine. If not, you have a problem with valves or rings or a blown head gasket.

**: If you can't see into the plug hole well enough to see the piston as it rises, you can take a piece of relatively limber wire and stick it down to feel the position of the piston as you turn the engine.

Another note on engines of the I-H LA, LB, F-M Z, etc. type with rotary magnetos (NOT all types and makes!) is that the magneto turns at crankshaft speed. This means that you don't need to find the compression stroke to time it. As long as the magneto clicks when the piston is at the top, it's fine because if you crank your engine, the mag will click every turn (and "waste" a spark). If it clicks every other turn, it's running at cam speed and you have to time it to the compression stroke. NOTE that this only applies to one cylinder engines or inline 2-bangers with both pistons moving together.

This does not mean that your mag doesn't need work.

Helpful, ain't I?

Good luck and take care - Elden
http://home.cybertron.com/~edurand

[Paul Hokanson]

Sam: Sounds to me like the mag is working but out of time. Timing is very critical on LA's and LB's. There is a notch in your flywheel with DC printed around it. Look on the side cover on the case and on top you will find a notch. The mag must click and fire at the top when both notches are lined up. I suggest to take out the plug and turn the engine over very slow to see exactly where the mag trips. With the plug out it's eaisier to control and stop to observe. Paul Hokanson

[Jim L. Brown]

Sam: Don't know much about Internationals - just know Cushmans, but I live in Lincoln, the home of the Cushmans. Jim

[Keith E.]

Check to see if it is sucking air at the conection between the fuel line and the carb. Have the same problem with one of our lbs. The threads have striped from the inside of the carb. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Randy L Peterson]

Hi I am from South Eastern South Dakota. I have had one with a similar problem On this one the Throttle plate in the head was sticking shut took the mixer off to figure out that one Have Fun Engines are an Wonderful Addiction..
Randy L Peterson
Havin a blast preservin the past

[Rudy]

Hi What kind of mag does your engine have? Is it an IHC H1 or a Wico AH model? If it is a Wico model you could have an internal mag timing problem. What i mean by this that on the Wico AH models the mag inductor shaft is very thin. If you have ever had one apart you will know what i mean. Over the years of use the inductor shaft twists from the impulse snapping off. What happens is that the magnets on the inductor shaft are out of time, in relation to the time that the points open. what this makes for is a very hard starting engine.This is because the magnets are not in the right place to make maximum voltage. It will fart and pop but probabaly not start. I have made a tool for re-registering the inductor magnets to the end of the shaft where the points are.Once this is done the mag will work like new. The IHC H-1 does not have this problem. I hope this helps.

[Kevin Davis]

Hi Sam: What all the other guys have said here is good sound advice. The only other thing I might mention would be to make sure your check valve is working. Take it off the mixer and out of the tank and if you put the valve in your mouth, you should be able to blow but not suck through it. If it is not working your engine will work like you're describing. Good Luck. Kevin from Pugwash.
P.S. With LA's & LB's if you want to get them to fire on every compression stroke ( under no load ) for shows, time them real late. If you time them re. factory specs. they'll be great as long as they're working hard. But just running at shows they don't sound good, they do a lot of hunting. If you time them way out there, they,ll idle nicely. Don't be discouraged, you'll have to fiddle with it for a while. With a little time they'll sit there and put-put away slowly and hit every time.

I have what I was told to be a Sylvester engine but looks alot like an Associate._ Sylvester was made in Lindsay, ON and has 3 D's in top of the water hopper._ Was wondering if someone could tell me what engine this is in the photo?