Jump starting from 12 to 6

The post on the starter is just that.. the insulated post going into the starter..... this is not the positive battery post that is either hooked up to a starter switch ( 9n/2n) or to the hot side of a starter solenoid ( 8n / Naa).

Also as a clarification. These 6v N's were positive ground. That is, the positive side of the battery was grounded to the frame, and the negative battery cable was the 'hot' line to the starter switch or solenoid. Though with only minor adjustments.. these N's run either way.. positive or negative ground.. though if done wrong, you can loose sprk power, or even burn up your genny.. etc. back to jump starting.

Hook up your donor 12v battery with jumper cables. Hook one side up to that big post on the starter, make sure you are in neutral...turn the ignition switch on.. make sure you are in neutral AGAIN, then hook the other up cable up to a convienient ground.. like the radious rod. As soon as you touch that cable.. the starter will spin ( unless it is hung up ). Notice I didn't give you polarities on the hookup.. that is becaus ethe N starter spins in the same direction regardless whether it is positive or negative ground. For safety, I would hook the donor battery up similar to the tractors electrical system.. I.e. use the same polarity for ground and 'hot'. Don't hit the big starter push button switch when jumping like this.. otherwise you can fry the ignition coil.

If this isn't an N you are jumping, I would deffinately pay attention to battery and starter polarities just to be on the safe side.

Hope that helps

Soundguy

Lots of places have switchable 6/12v chargers... cheaper ones are low amperage.. like 1.5 amps... more money for more amps...19.99 probably get you a halfway decent one. Also.. tractor supply has about the cheapest 6v batteries I've seen..29.99 etc.

Back to the clicking.. somehting is wrong... there should be NO SOLENOID clicking when jumping the starter... You are touching the post on the starter.. and not the incoming post on the solenoid right?

If you are getting clicking when touching the post on the starter with your jumper cables.. you've got wireing problems.

The oem 3 post solenoid is electrically hot, and it is important that it is mounted with the small 3rd post towards the engine block.. as the relay is internally tied to the incoming hot post, and when you hit the thumb switch, you are merely grounding the 'floating' end of that energized relay.. therby making it click.. if the solenoid is turned around with the third post pointing out.. then yes.. touching the starter stud would make the solenoid hot while jumping.. but then, it won't work the 'normal' way to start the tractor.

Give us some background info on this tractor.... has it been working normal?

One last possibility... perhaps when you hooked it up wrong earlier, you coocked the solenoids inards..
Make sure you are in neutral...
Disconnect the battery wire from the battery to the solenoid, but make sure the ignition is hooked up, if you are trying to start the tractor... jump from the 12v battery.. once cable on the starter lug one cable on the tractor frame... it should spin the starter.. If it doesn't... check like I said earlier to see if the starter is hung up in the ring gear... if the tractor rolls fine.. the starter probably isn't locked up..... time to pull the starter..
Loosen the two long bolts that go thru the starter.. but don't pull them out... the starter will fall apart. After you fish the starter out.. slip a nut on one of those lond bolts to hold it together, then go to a starter rebuilder..

Soundguy

This is looking more and more like a burnt up solenoid.. a realitively cheap part.

When i refer to a starter post for jumping.. it is always the stud on the starter.. not the solenoids post.. though, as you know... one post on the solenoid is tied to the starter lug.. the other is tied to the battery... so... I mean the lug on the starter just for ease of conversation.. etc.

see my other reply.. has some mor einfo in it for you.

Lots of people aren't mechanically or electrically inclined. Just adds a bit of challange for us here to help you.

In the end, if you still cna't get it to work.. you might need to have a friend come over for a soda/beer, and help...no biggie.. make a bar-b-q day out of it...

Soundguy

And yess.. if you hooked up wrond you may have smoked the relay.. though you should still be able to jump the tractor off. As for hte genny not charging.. that may have also not like the reverse current from the 'spark' episode.

Try repolarizing the voltage regualtor / genny by taking a piece of wire and momentarilly jumpering the batt terminal and the gen/arm terminal. Older egulators may say gen.. new ones may say arm. This should re-polarize it, if it is still finctional. Do this with the unit not running, and your 6v battery hooked up, etc.

Let us know what is going on after you do this.

Give us lots of details so we can try to help you get this going. It is already going to be challenging as we aren't there to help you diectly, orr see what is going on.. etc. Just try to give us as much info as possible.

Does it still have the oem 3 post starter solenoid? Still using the big thumb style starter switch?

Soundguy

Go ahead and charge the 6v battery while you are waiting.
It will need to be charged before you can polarize the reg/genny properly.

As for the clicking... did you hook the 12v batter up across the 6v battery then hit the starter button? that is about the only thing I can figure that would make it do that.

Was the tractor running fine before you left the lights on?

Any chance the starter is hung up in the flywheel? ( In neutral, can you roll the tractor? )

Basically... hooking the 12v battery directly to the starter should make it spin...if it doesn't.. you've got other problems.. and like I said.. the relay shouldn't click, as you are bypassing it...and hooking directly to the stud on the starter. ( unless the relay is hooked up backwards.. )

Soundguy

I think though that the solenoid may have some terminals internally shorted.. as it should not click when you jump the starter... try rapping on it with a scredriver.. see if it will free up. I'm guessing it won't though.

Coil probably survived the few seconds that the jumping ocoured.. though with reverse polarity in the system.. no telling what the points or the key switch contacts look like. Cross your fingers about the points.. they will take the most time to correct.. The key switch can be tested with a jumper wire once you have the 6v battery charged or replaced. Might not hurt to pick up that oem 3 termainal relay from Nh dealer or tractor supply co. I think they are only about 12 bucks... That is unless yours becomes un-stuck..

After battery is charged.. polarize regulator/genny, and then hook back up and try to start as normal..( 6v )

Also check wiring under dash.. look for 'smoked' wires..

P.s.

Everyone crosses a wire now and then... don't sweat it. At best, you've made a bit of work for yourself.. at very worst.. you may have damaged some electrical components... though pricey... not the end of the world...

Soundguy

Thanks, again, for all you time.

Paul

On to the ignition. First, pull a plug wire and hold it next to the block while cranking and the ignition on. If you se a constant tap.tap.tap fromthe spark.. that is good.

If no spark or real weak spark, somewhere you have a bad connection, burnt wire, burnt points or an open coil.

An ohm meter /vom or testlight will make this easier to troubleshoot.

Byt the way.. is this a front mount unit or a side mount unit?

Anyway, using the mete or test light check from ground to the side of the key switch hooked up to the battery... then check the other side with the key on. If you have volts go to the next connection.. if a front mount unit, check for volts on either side of the resistor.. if a side mount you will be checking for volts on the top of the coil.. wire from ignition switch.

Spin the ignition over .. by hand on the fan belt or the starter.. to see what the voltage does... on a front mount it will vary from battery volts to somehting lower.. but not 0.. side mount will bounce from batt volts to zero.

If you are not getting the changing voltage.. or if there is no voltage... post back with what you find.

Soundguy

And obviously it was weak to begin with as he was jumping it in the first place.

Soundguy