Starting Crank

But I've been wrong before.

I set the choke according to the temperature and the throttle lever at medium idle. Then, WITH THE IGNITION OFF I pull the crank eight times, two for each cylinder.

This has the effect of ''priming'' the fuel system without straining the very original six-volt ignition system. (The original Farmall Operators Manual has more detailed instructions on this.)

Then, I climb in the driver's seat and, STILL WITH THE IGNITION OFF, I turn the motor over using the starter.

This way all the current the system can deliver goes straight to the starter motor.

After the starter has had a chance to pick up momentum (only takes a second), THEN I flick on the ignition.

This method has worked very, very well for me and can help start the tractor on a marginal battery, after it has been sitting a month or so. This is a working tractor so I need it to start and run reliably.

If I am demonstrating the tractor, this method does have the drawback of making it look like the tractor only fires when the second or third cylinder is pushed past top dead center, whereas in reality it almost always fires on the first cylinder.

Fortunately, it will also consistently start on the first pull of the crank with the ignition on, provided I have first primed the fuel system with the crank as above. This can really impress in a demonstration!

Little tricks like these are the equivalent of secret handshakes in our Great Six Volt Secret Society, membership in which absolutely guarantees trouble-free operation of six volt systems in all kinds of vehicles and which none of us can ever mention to non-initiates on pain of...aw, hell!

Thanks,Gene

Ps I will give it a try tomorrow morning on the ole M It has sat for about two months.

My electrical system certainly CAN handle the strain of "priming" (my term, not IH's) the fuel system. If the tractor has been run recently, or the battery has been on the charger, I just hop in the seat, yank the starter wire, and go.

The procedure I outlined is for those times when the C has a marginal battery or the state of charge is questionable and I MUST start it, right away.

That, or when I am showing off that it will fire and run on the first pull of the crank with the ignition on.

There is nothing weak or feeble about this system. I maintain it properly.

Starting a tractor is kind of like everything else; everyone has their own way of doing it, they all seem to work, and its really no person's business telling them how they should do it.