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John C, To better answer your question, I need to know if when you jump it and it starts okay as you claim, are you attaching your jumper cables at the batteries OR are you attaching them direct down at the starter and frame ground somewhere down near the starter????? Are you attaching one jumper cable to the frame and the other direct to the starter????? ????? OR one to the frame and other to the input (from battery, NOT the terminal to starter) side of the solenoid????? ? I will run through the various combinations of how youre attaching the jumpers, and explain where the problems could be accordingly, assuming its like you say and it does indeed start better using jumpers. ********** (A) IF JUMPING AT BATTERY *********** 1) If you are attaching the cables right at the battery posts (outermost + and - series connections) and it starts good that way, its probably NOT A CABLE OR STARTER OR SOLENOID PROBLEM, ITS MORE LIKELY A BATTERY PROBLEM assuming BOTH cable ends to those batteries are good. HOWEVER, it could still posibly be a cable problem and its just that the added battery capacity allows her to start better if jumped (see below). To be safe and sure, remove, clean and wire brush and re attach and tighten ALL FOUR cable to battery connections. That includes the one to ground, one to starter, and BOTH the tie cable ends where the 2 batteries are joined in the center. The 2 batteries in series (assuming its a 12 volt system and you are using two six volters in series) makes up 12 volts and I am also assuming youre using 12 volts as your jump, correct???? I have seen two 12 volt batteries used in parallell also, but so long as its 12 volts (series or parallell) and youre jumping with 12, most of that below still applies. 2) If its at the batteries you are attaching the cables and all 4 ends are good per the above
and she still starts good USING JUMPER CABLES but not otherwise, I suspect one or both the batteries may be bad (even though it could still be a bad cable, see below). Inspect both and all cells to make sure electrolyte is above all plates and no cells have a gray or milky appearance. If possible an auto or parts shop can load test them for you. On dual battery systems, even if only one is bad it hurts performance, so one or both may be bad. Also, that tie cable between the batteries has to be good plus both its ends. 3) One last thing to try is to place one jumper cable to the outermost ungrounded battery post which leads to the starter and the other direct to a good clean frame ground. If it starts good that way (but not otherwise) then the ground cable or ground path may be bad. If so, remove clean and wire brush and re attach the ground cable (at ground point, not battery end) or especially if its tied to a sheet metal surface like a battery or seat box, try re attaching it to a good clean frame embedded bolt. A poor ground attachment can hurt cranking which jumping (if you jump to ground other than at battery post) might cure, so check out the ground cable at the tractor end if direct to frame jumping improves performance.
************* (B) JUMPING AT STARTER ***********
4) If BOTH batteries load test good, electrolyte above all plates, no gray or milky colored cells, good center tie cable and ends, and if you apply the jumpers DIRECT AT THE STARTER AND FRAME GROUND and she starts MUCH BETTER that way, THEN THE CABLES OR THEIR ENDS MAY BE BAD. I recommend heavy duty at least 0 Gauge Copper battery and ground and starter cables, as lighter cheaper cables with stamped on terminal ends may appear fine outside but have carbon underneath them. 5) When tryign to start without jumpers, do any of the cables get hot????? ? Is there any smoke or sizzling sounds at any battery posts or connections???? 6) FINALLY: If it starts BETTER with jumpers (on battery posts) than without,,,,, but still starts MUCH BETTER if jumped direct to the starter and frame ground,,,,, , and BOTH batteries load test good, then I suspect the cables. Again, remove, clean and wire brush and re attach ALL battery ends and grounds and to solenoid and starter connections and see what happens. SUMMARY: HAVE BOTH BATTERIES LOAD TESTED ONE OR BOTH MAY BE BAD If jumping AT THE BATTERIES starts better than no jumping and all cables and ends are good, its probably a battery problem. If jumping DIRECT at the starter and frame ground starts well and its MUCH BETTER than just the batteries or even a jump at the batteries, that its likely a cable or a ground problem. Especially check the to ground connection if on a seat or battery box and try a better direct to frame ground bolt connection as that may be the whole problem. If a jump to the ungrounded to starter battery terminal and frame ground improvres things, again, suspect the to ground connection point. Post back your findings and any questions and/or e mail jmn50@msn.com and we will proceed from there. Is the ammeter showng a good charge??? Thats a whole other post, so let me know. Maybe you just have a charging problem causing weak batteries which jumping helps????? Good Luck n God Bless ya John C John T
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