Wisconsin VF4 Winter Starting

Larry in WNY · Jan 24, 2015

Are VF4 engines difficult to start in cold weather? Mine has a magneto and hand crank. I'm planning to use it to run a IH50 snow thrower with a Farmall Cub. The Farmall Cub doesn't have the power to run it. The IH50 was made for a Cub 154 and Cub 184 which had 18 HP and a slow creeper gear. It's a project to mount it on a regular Cub, but I have all the parts and tools to do it. Old photos show a rear mounted engine driving snow throwers on Cubs. I was considering mounting the VF4 on the right side of the Cub engine which is offset to the left for a compact setup. With the extra weight of the engine and IH50 blower I think steering will be a challenge.

The Cub is kept in a insulated barn that rarely gets below 30 Deg F. even if the temp. outside is near 0 Deg F. I can heat the area when needed with a torpedo heater.

Larry

Duner Wi · Jan 26, 2015

You have a very interesting project. Not sure I would want all the weight on the front end .
My VE4 I used a 6 volt starter mounted on a pivot with a handle so I could run a v belt to spoked pulley on the engine to start it. I ran starter with 12 volts. Worked for me. I never tried to start mine when weather was 32 degrees. I would guess if hand cranking if you could crank when #2 is set to fire with # 1 being next would be your best bet as only 90 crankshaft degrees between firing.

Machnegative · Jan 28, 2015

We have a couple v4 Wisconsins at work, one a 6 volt gas on a grain auger and another a 12 volt propane in a man lift. Both are pretty cold blooded. Doesn't take much to heat them up with a torpedo heater for starting. This is much better than ether-ing them. Had one that was over ether-ed and had to helicoil spark plugs when they mushroomed and stripped the aluminum heads.

Wisconsin VF4 Winter Starting

Larry in WNY

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Duner Wi

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Machnegative

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