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F20 battery / starter trouble

D

doehmke

Member
Have added electric start components to my F20, which has an entirely rebuilt engine. The new 6 volt battery hardly turns it over and then stalls and have to release, wait and repress the starter button. And often, the battery just wears down without starting the tractor and have to recharge it. Took the battery to NAPA and it checks out 100% for voltage and cranking power.

So am wondering if it's the cables. I have a typical tractor scales cables --- I don't know the gauge --- for the positive and negative posts, but a lighter cable from the starter button on the steering column to the starter. In fact, it's two short and lighter cables bolted together --- these are standard battery cables from NAPA which only has the "lighter" ones.

The cables are all in new condition. Is it possible lighter cable is not heavy enough? Or that I'm getting weak electric due to the bolted together cables?
 
It could be any of the above issues that you mentioned as potential problems. But I will say from my experience.....I have a 1936 F-20 with the starter and generator on it. A 6 volt battery would hardly turn it over. Put a 12 volt on it and it starts easily now. Not what it was originally meant for, but it sure starts easy now.
 
Use a group 2 -6 volt battery, not the little group 1. Make sure
your battery cables are the gauge rated for 6 volt. Another
thing that helps run your ground cable to one of the starter
mounting bolts. I have a 36 f-20 mine starts fine on 6 volts.
Also own several old ford cars and pickups,all still on 6 volts.i
have group 2 battery's in them because that's what fords with
flathead v8s called for,they start easy for me. But of course
they are hobby vehicles and I don't depend on them for daily
use.
 
00gauge cables and soldered on terminals with shrink tubing to seal them to the insulation is really the ticket. Expensive, but starting is important. Jim
 
They can get 1ga just tell them thats what you want i get them. Has the starter been refreshed. What are you using for a starter. Thay also have a cable made just for starters its better than welding cable as it has larger wires and can have ends soldered to it.lRun the ground to the starter.
 
Eventually got to to where my H would not turn over. Ran the battery ground cable directly over to the starter mount bolt, scraped everythihng down to bright metal, and she fired right up. You have to avoid all the rusty connections, frame joints, bolts, nuts, washers....
 
The cable gauge should be printed or embossed into the insulation.

I'm betting your "heavy" cables are 2ga at best and the light cables are 4ga.

You're shooting yourself in the foot right there. If your local NAPA can't help you, go to a welding supply or a commercial truck shop. 0ga at least if not 00ga.

If that still doesn't help, your starter needs to be looked at.
 
My father put an electric start on our F20 in the forties. Over the years it would not spin over either. I replaced the starter switch and put new 00-2 gauge cables on it and now it spins over like when it was new with just a group one 6-volt battery. In my case it probably was the switch, but you do need the heavy cables for 6-volts. Al
 
If you have some heavy jumper cables you can
troubleshoot the problem. have someone hold the
starter button down and then you go directly from
the battery post to the starter post, having all
contact points clean. If it speeds up
significantly then you know where the problem is.
Do the same on the ground side, go directly from
the battery post to a clean shiny spot on the
starter. Do this one side at a time, although if
your cables are too small jumpering both sides may
be necessary.
 
you said rebuilt engine, can you turn it over with the crank? If that engine is really tight and you can't hand crank it, the starter won't turn it over either, you may have to pull it. If you can crank it ok, then do as the others say and you will have it going.
 
Yep, can crank or pull start. Runs very nicely. 2 of my cables, however, are 4 gauge...so will start with replacing those with 00 gauge or as close to that as I can find and moving positive ground cable to one of the starter mounting bolts.
 
Put on all new 00 cables, negative to switch, switch to starter and negative to starter mouting bolt. 6 volt battery with 640 cranking amps fully charged and checked by NAPA as all ok. Mashed the starter switch with excited anticipation...and nothing. Tried it again...and again. Switch started to smoke and once or twice got a click. But no movement on the starter. Rechecked all connections and tried again a few times. OK, figure swith is maybe fried. It's like the old dimmer switch on the floor of a car. Called NAPA to see if I they had a switch for my setup of cables and battery. They didnt come up with anything. Anyone have any recommendations?
 
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