Cold, Ornery Diesel question

New last spring or not I would question how good your current batteries are if you are having to put a charger on them when it got down to 20.

Last summer I bought an old truck on a farm sale down by Denver. Owner had just put in a new battery to get it across the auction block.

I had to replace it within a week. Brand spankin' new and wasn't any good.

Allan

I'd throw that ether contraption in the dump. Buy a mid 80s Deere system, and take the can of ether to bed with you. Warm ether is much more effective than cold.

On batteries, I've run both two 6 volt in series and two 12 volt parallel, and as long as they had the same cranking amps I could see very little difference. Certainly never went out and spent money to change. I forget what amperage I ran but do remember all 4 diesels were the same. I have spent the money to buy all new battery cables. Did it once, noticed my Deere was a bit sluggish in early Dec., with 5 year old batteries. I bought all new cables exactly to factory specs. and 2 years 4 months later I bought new batteries. You old cables may look good, but very likely have leaks. I quite regularly do this even with my little Super A. It will just amaze you what new cables will do but make sure they are 00 gauge, with soldered on ends. No question those new cables on my Deere added 3 winters to the life of those batteries. The old cables didn't look bad, but if one looked at them with a mag glass, you could see breaks all along cable caseing.

This Deere was starting miles from any electricity at temps down to -30 and -35 F with just a wee squirt of warm ether almost directly from operators pocket. On the way to work he'd put the ether can on pickup defroster. I use to tell him to put the can of ether between he and the Mrs in bed. (just young couple) I said, "you'll rise in the morning earlier with a can of ether between you." I don't know as he practiced what I preached, we can only assume the Mrs. objected.

Check out your starter, make sure it's tiptop shape. Diesel starters must have bushing in top shape. As Allan suggested move that timing advance a wee bit.

My opinion is you have a whole lot of items a little bit wrong, and they all add up to trouble. One other item, your never going to get that Farmall to start miles from electricity, at -30F, with nothing but a wee shot of ether. Believe me, of my 4 - 6 cylinder diesels, 3 were Farmalls and 1 was Deere. The slogans should read nothing starts like a Deere and nothing runs like a Farmall. Seriously they are both good machines.

The first time I saw the IH mechanic pull that "timing trick", I thought he was crazy as a loon.

Had an old tractor that was really getting hard to start in the winter. Darned thing only had something like 2300 hours on it, but it was our "feed" tractor and just had to run every day.

I stood there and watched him scribe a mark across that pump body and the mounting cover. He advanced the timing the width of that mark and the difference was like night and day.

Cost me a service call, but that one was well worth the grits, 'cause from that point on, I changed that tractor's timing every winter.

Run like shut in the springtime tho, unless I remembered to pull it back. :>)

Allan

Two 12 volt 800 amp batteries in parallel is 12v 1600 amps. Voltage stays the same, amps add up in a parallel circuit.

If you want more cranking amps, hook two 12v batteries in parallel.

Brett

Has your engine got the Roosi-Master (I think that's how ya say it) injection pump on it?

Allan

It will throw a little grey smoke, "surge" a tiny bit and "flutter" at wide open throttle, but will start sooooo much easier in cold weather. Don't forget to move it back next spring.

I have double 12s on all my diesels; those big John Deere batterys. Can't really tell much difference from the old 6 volters tho.

Allan

If it is turning over hard and hasn't started since you tried the ether, the ether build up can dry up the cylinders and cause it to turn over hard. (lack of lubracation)

I would make sure I haven't over done the ether thing.

Gary

Gordo

I beleive those ether dispensers only give it one quick squirt when you push the button.

If you want more you have to keep releasing and pushing the button.

It won't give anymore while holding the button.

I could be wrong but I beleive thats the way they work.

Gary

Two 6V, 800CCA batteries in series is 12V and 800CCA.

Two 12V, 400CCA batteries in parallel is 12V and 800CCA.

Net gain: ZERO :(

In other words, all you're doing is throwing money at the tractor. The only advantage would be if the 6V batteries are old, and you're replacing them with new 12V. But, you still have to pay for new battery cables.

BTW, just because the pump was rebuilt doesn't mean it was rebuilt correctly.