Quick Question. My A starts great when warm out. I replaced the ground cable fired right up. The next day I went out to start it and it tried to but I ran the 12 v battery down. I have noticed that when it is cold it is hard to start and once it does there is a lot of smoke and fumes that are are now there that was not there when it is warm. Is there a trick to cold weather starting that I am missing.My bn sits next to it and fires right up with no issue.
- Thread starter Todd Heck
- Start date
Janicholson
Well-known Member
If you leave the fuel turned on it might be leaking fuel past the needle when stopped. This floods it and would cause the issue. I would try shutting off the fuel to see if it stops the problem. (always shut off the fuel on all tractors, gravity feed systems can fill an engine, or run fuel on the groung) If it does fix the issue, it will eventually need a needle and seat in the carb, Jim
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Cold is relative. I live in central MN, and we use battery warmers that plug in, and block heaters as well, on timers that start warming 2 hrs before firing it up. A blanket is not warm unless the thing in it is warm. What is cold where you are? Jim
Nebraska Cowman
Well-known Member
Those old gassers are temperamental each one has it's own personality. You have to experiment and find out how much to choke or not to choke, how much to open the throttle and how long it needs to warm up before you can move it. It ain't like starting your wifes car. I have a WD Allis Chalmers that I feed with. It is parked outside and starts every morning. But I've used that tractor since 1997 so I'm used to it's little ways.
My Super A has no trouble starting in temp way below zero (could be -20). I have the original 6 volt system. As others have mentioned, I always turn off the gas. Years ago someone on here mentioned that if you don"t move the thottle position when you start it seems to help. Well, over the years I"ve adopted it out of habbit, and I"ve never not had it start. It should fire up like your other one. Since we"re on the topic of cold etc. The only time I had a issue with the tractor is when I left it too long to warm up, I ended up fouling a plug-so try to avoid.
Good luck !
Good luck !
James Babcock
Member
This may not relate to your problem depending on how they set up the 12V conversion. My 240 was converted to 12 but they used a 6V coil with a ballast resistor. When it"s cold, I have a jumper wire to temporarily bypass the resistor and get 12V to the coil to start it.
James Babcock
Member
Oops, I should have typed 230 not 240.
Cowman's pretty much covered it. You gotta learn what your tractor wants.
Sometimes you luck out and you'll get a tractor that starts as if it has electronic fuel injection. Most of the time it requires some combination of throttle and choke.
Cold air is denser and drier. It requires more fuel to get the right mixture for starting. That's why you need to choke the engine more in winter.
Also consider keeping a "battery tender" or similar device on the battery during the winter months. That keeps the battery "warm" and ready to go all the time.
I keep a Schumacher Battery Maintainer on my 6V Super A all winter, and it fires right up on the coldest days, even with SAE30 oil in the engine.
Sometimes you luck out and you'll get a tractor that starts as if it has electronic fuel injection. Most of the time it requires some combination of throttle and choke.
Cold air is denser and drier. It requires more fuel to get the right mixture for starting. That's why you need to choke the engine more in winter.
Also consider keeping a "battery tender" or similar device on the battery during the winter months. That keeps the battery "warm" and ready to go all the time.
I keep a Schumacher Battery Maintainer on my 6V Super A all winter, and it fires right up on the coldest days, even with SAE30 oil in the engine.
This year on my 68 cub lowboy I use for plowing, I use a magnetic heater on the oil pan for about an hour, then use a blow dryer,and blow hot air in the intake while starting. Set the idle at near low. It is 12 volt, so that may help too. I also use a 10w 30 in it. I live in Northern Il, so far started in 5 degree weather. Works for me so far. They guys are right, they all have their personalities. Steve
This year on my 68 cub lowboy I use for plowing, I use a magnetic heater on the oil pan for about an hour, then use a blow dryer,and blow hot air in the intake while starting. Set the idle at near low. It is 12 volt, so that may help too. I also use a 10w 30 in it. I live in Northern Il, so far started in 5 degree weather. Works for me so far. They guys are right, they all have their personalities. Steve
teddy52food
Well-known Member
Why don't you complete the by-pass circuit so you don't have to jumper it?
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
I can get them from A&I
greyfoxxca
Member
Hey todd
I am very interested in your coil set up on this tractor. Is the old coil still being used with a resistor? Did the conversion consist of putting in a new 12 volt coil with no resistor? If you look at the coil and see no resistor in front of it we can assume that it is a 12 volt coil(3ohms). If you are handy with a multimeter you could measure the resistance of the primary circuit to check out the ohms.
IMHO
It would be much cheaper for you in the long run to make sure your tractor is set up with a bypass low ohm coil(1.3) resistor type coil set up for cold weather starting than farting around with plugging it in and warming your battery. My old tractors with mags start very well down to -15 degrees .
and always shut the gas off , and check your oil before starting. If the oil level is high , drain it and refill before starting the tractor. It means gas has gotten into your oil. I feel comfortable with the old brass needles that leak , and shut the gas off every time I stop the tractor. If you do a carb job do not put in float needle that has a nitrile (rubber)tip. These start sticking closed and are the biggest pain.
good luck
George
I am very interested in your coil set up on this tractor. Is the old coil still being used with a resistor? Did the conversion consist of putting in a new 12 volt coil with no resistor? If you look at the coil and see no resistor in front of it we can assume that it is a 12 volt coil(3ohms). If you are handy with a multimeter you could measure the resistance of the primary circuit to check out the ohms.
IMHO
It would be much cheaper for you in the long run to make sure your tractor is set up with a bypass low ohm coil(1.3) resistor type coil set up for cold weather starting than farting around with plugging it in and warming your battery. My old tractors with mags start very well down to -15 degrees .
and always shut the gas off , and check your oil before starting. If the oil level is high , drain it and refill before starting the tractor. It means gas has gotten into your oil. I feel comfortable with the old brass needles that leak , and shut the gas off every time I stop the tractor. If you do a carb job do not put in float needle that has a nitrile (rubber)tip. These start sticking closed and are the biggest pain.
good luck
George
James Babcock
Member
Teddy, I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're asking me. I have a ballast resistor in series on the hot wire from the switch to the coil. When I need a hotter spark (which is very rare) I just get a wire and bypass the resistor.
I am not that handy when it comes to elec. I can send a few photos of the set up. For now I can not start it. I pulled the starter off of it and put it on my BN so I can plow show. The place that is rebuilding the starter is having a hard time finding a armature or the starter. I was told not to try and hand crack it since I have a bum shoulder.
Thanks for all your help
Thanks for all your help
teddy52food
Well-known Member
On the coil side of the resistor you should be feeding full battery voltage while cranking. If your tractor doesn't have a solinoid(Ford type with 2 small terminals) just put a diode in the wire from the starter stud and the ign coil. The diode will feed cranking voltage(9 or 10 volts) but will prevent a drain back from ign to the starter when not cranking. Very simple circuit.
James Babcock
Member
Oh, OK, thanks for the reply and the idea. I have to bypass the resistor so infrequently that I never felt a big push to "fix" it. I had thought about the solenoid idea and will probably take that route when the contact-style pushbutton starter switch gives out again. Thanks again for the help!
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