Farmall H starter questions

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 9, 2013

I have been trying to fix a Farmall H that I got at an auction in May. It has been sitting all summer because the starter I had to put in that tractor died as I was trying to get it running. I tried another used starter and it did not work, but I assumed that it was just another dead starter. I finally gave up and got a brand new starter and tonight when I put it in I still did not get anything out of it. I have good voltage to the stud on the starter and I know the engine is not locked up because I can turn it by hand. The starter does not make any response at all. Is there anything I can check with a cheap digital multimeter to see what is wrong, or anything I should try? If the new starter is no good I will send it back, but I am wondering if something else on the tractor could be the problem.
Zach

Pete_5959 · Sep 9, 2013

When you are checking the voltage at the starter stud where are you placing the positive lead for your ground connection? Place it right on the starter case. If you measure 6v between those two points you have a bad starter. If you do not you have a grounding issue at the battery to chassis connection or at the starter to chassis connection point.

Bob M · Sep 9, 2013

Zach - Make certain you have a good battery before digging too deep.

Just this past weekend a friend asked me to help diagnose a "no crank" condition with his Cub (it had a freshly rebuilt starter, new switch, new cables and a new battery but refused to crank). Problem turned out the new battery was NG. It showed 6.2 volts open circuit but 0 volts when the starter switch was pulled. Replacing the battery with a 2nd new one solved the problem.

Dave_Id · Sep 9, 2013

If you are running 6 volt, make sure your cables are heavy enough. I always used 00 for 6 volt... Also check to make sure all your grounding connections are clean.

Janicholson · Sep 9, 2013

Pete 5959 is on track. Put one of them in a bench vice and run a known good battery to it with jumpers. if it spins like tomorrow, it is probably a bad ground or cable.
To check, start across the battery and see how much the voltage drops when trying to crank. Then go across the starter switch, and continue till you find the issue. Jim

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 9, 2013

Thank you all for the advice. I have tried the following: I moved the ground cable to the starter mount bolt. I borrowed the 12v battery out of the 300 and tried that. Still nothing. Now I can't get battery voltage at the stud on the starter. When I put the lead on the battery side of the starter button I read battery voltage. When I press the button the voltage drops to 0, when I let go it hops back up to 12.4. I think there must be something I am doing wrong.
Zach

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 9, 2013

Thank you. I was already typing my other reply and missed yours. I will try that tomorrow.
Zach

neblinc · Sep 10, 2013

Battery cables can get corrosion on the inside that would prevent your starter from getting any voltage. Try a different set of cables.

Randy

kevinj54 · Sep 10, 2013

You need to spend some quality time with that meter. It should pretty easy to take a reading at each terminal while pressing the button and see which component is defective.

You want to take readings on the studs or battery terminals and on the connected wire terminal to be sure the connections are good.

I checked one for a guy at a show and we found bad connections, failed switch and a bad starter.

Farmall H starter questions

Zachary Hoyt

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Pete_5959

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Bob M

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Dave_Id

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Janicholson

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Zachary Hoyt

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Zachary Hoyt

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neblinc

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kevinj54

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