TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Tractor Battery

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

J Coleman

10-28-2006 10:24:10

Report to Moderator

I have a 1968 Ford 2000 3 cyl. diesel. I'm wondering that if I drain all of the old water and acid out of the battery and put all new acid back in, will it make my battery better. I've had it on charge for over 24 hours on two amp. trickle charge and it didn't help. Cost of a new one is almost $150.00 and am just trying to save some money.

Thanks in advance

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Don't know, but

10-28-2006 19:57:57

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

check me out!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Matt Kane

10-28-2006 17:48:34

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

We have a business close to here that sells used and refurbished batteries, also new. Dad bought a new battery for his Ford 5000 Diesel for around 60 dollars. And theres a decent warranty on it. Anywhere else its somewhere near a 150.00 battery, also its diesel rated. Look for a battery place that deals like this and you will find a deal. The battery was a monster.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ken in texas

10-28-2006 17:23:59

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

Talking from experence I have had only bad results trying to revive old batteries .The plates dry out and become hard and will not absorb the acid. acid dosent go bad only contaminated .You should be able to buy acid in sealed containers at battery wholesalers up to several gallons at a reasonable price

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ken in texas

10-28-2006 16:43:28

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

I dont recall whitch battery size fits the ford but may require a special size to clear hood and fit the box. It may be a 4dlt used on some ford diesels .It's difficult to find a lower priced battery that will fit. Try group size 65 used on ford auto and trucks and are high amps and should clear hood.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RM in Va.

10-28-2006 15:06:07

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

If a new battery is almost $150, then I'd replace it with an Optima battery. Only a few bucks more. Starting this spring I bought the first Optima for a tractor. Then in the summer I bought two more for a diesel pickup. From here on out I'll buy Optimas. No liquid acid to spill and no dirty battery cables.

I had one battery to spew out acid and it was mounted in front of the radiator on the tractor. Never again as long as I can find an Optima. Almost lost the rediator. Also had a cruise control on a Dodge pickup that got eat up with battery acid.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

msb

10-28-2006 17:28:34

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to RM in Va., 10-28-2006 15:06:07

I second the motion.Buy an Optima and it well could be the last battery you will buy for your tractor.Its not unusual for Optima batteries to last 15 years.No water to add ,ever and they don't corrode,ever.The only downside is don't try to fast charge one.Optima batteries are all I will buy now.I replaced the 2 batteries in a 4430 with one Optima and it starts in both winter and summer.Was lucky to get 2 or 3 years out of the old lead/acid batteries in my tractors.Auto Zone has the best deal on them. About $119.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RM in Va.

10-29-2006 06:14:01

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to msb, 10-28-2006 17:28:34

I bought the first Optima after reading a post you made. And a belated thanks to you for good information.

With the reserve power these batteries have, it's much easier on a starter in cold weather. Every battery I replace I buy the same size Optima for all. That way if I trade a truck,car or tractor in ,I'll keep the battery for something else.

For charging I use one of the new Vector chargers. The first Optima I bought wasn't charged. Like you said it takes a while. It's like filling a 55 gal. drum with a tea cup. Once it's fully charged it has plenty of power.

The last two I bought I got from Jegs. They were both charged out of the box.

Local vol. fire dept. has one truck that had two regular acid batteries in it. They used one yellow top now and it cranks better than two regular acid batteries.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ErnieDD

10-28-2006 11:32:22

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

A fully charged battery is spongy lead and acid. As the battery discharges the spongy lead is converted to lead sulfate and the acid becomes weak(er). The lead sulfate is brittle, vibration and fast charging causes it to flake and fall to the bottom of the cell, never to make it back to the plate. If the sediment of sulfate gets too high the cell shorts out.

Putting more acid in the battery will work to the extent you have spongy lead to work with.

For best battery life anchor the battery down to avoid vibration and avoid deep discharge, rapid recharge situations.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

CRUSADER

10-28-2006 11:21:03

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

Hello J Coleman,
This isn't a fix, but may give you some temporary monetary relief. Take your battery tester and find out which cell(s) is bad. Then go down to your nearest auto parts store and get a tube/bottle of the battery renew (I think that's what it was called) and put it in the bad cell(s). When you start and run your tractor this should put some charge on the battery and should revive it enough to give you some time before needing to buy a new battery. Keep in mind this isn't a "fix" for your battery problem but should give you a few more months of service out of it before having to replace it.

I've done this a few times with old pickups and tractor batteries and managed to prolong the expense of replacing the battery on one of them for almost eight months.

Good luck with your task.
Jim

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

sammy the RED

10-28-2006 11:03:04

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

Go to Wally World and get a battery for about 1/2 that price.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Gerald J.

10-28-2006 11:01:59

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

The money you try to save on battry by dumping, washing, and installing new acid will be more than taken up with the clothes destroyed along with the damage to the sink or work area.

And it probably won't do any good. If 2 amp for 48 hours doesn't charge the battery about 2/3, its either sulfated from being left set discharged or being left discharged has pushed most of the active material off the plates to make the sludge you would have washed out, or plates have broken off the connecting bars in some cells.

In the really old days, batteries were rebuildable, but that is no more. An old battery has some trade in value. Shop around, you will make more money shopping than you will trying to restore a gone battery. You battery has value only as raw materials for making a new battery, it can't be restored.

Gerald J.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Lou

10-28-2006 10:44:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

Im not a pro but have 3 tractors, 2 diesils and buy used batteries from my neibor who is a car dealer. All my tractors start in cold weather and I spend about $20. per battery. Do some shopping.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Kelly Campbell

10-28-2006 10:44:34

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

I think that your safest bet is to replace the battery, you'll be better off in the long run

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

jdemaris

10-28-2006 10:43:25

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

Putting new acid in it will gain you nothing. If it does anything - it will shorten the life of the battery - if it has any left. When new - the conventional flooded lead-acid battery has an approx. mix of 35% sulfuric acid and the rest water. Usually, the acid does not disappear - but depending on the state of charge - it can stay in suspension in the liquid, or cling to the lead plates as sulfur. When the battery won't hold a charge, the sulfur stays on the plates - i.e. the battery is sulphated. Sometimes some overvolting-overcharging can bring it back - but quite often - it is simply no good any more. By draining the liquid out of your battery, and putting in a fresh batch of new electrolyte - you'll be screwing up the PH balance that is suppoosed to be there.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Aowner

10-28-2006 10:42:43

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

There was a post on here a while back and someone said that they flushed out the battery with vinegar. Then put in new acid. Never tried it and don't know.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Patchfarmer

10-28-2006 10:47:18

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to Aowner, 10-28-2006 10:42:43

I read that post also and it was also mentioned that someone else flushed their battery with muratic acid.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RusselAZ

10-28-2006 10:35:12

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

A junk battery is a junk battery. Replace it. It won't have any power to start on a cold morning.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

farmallman

10-28-2006 10:26:12

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to J Coleman, 10-28-2006 10:24:10

If the cores are not bad, it should work. Although, I have never heard of anyone doing this. However, it's worth a try.
Let us know how it works out

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

BigMarv1085

10-28-2006 12:26:56

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to farmallman, 10-28-2006 10:26:12

Once you start having a battery problem, just go ahead and replace it.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RodInNS

10-29-2006 09:22:56

Report to Moderator

Re: Tractor Battery in reply to Trkr, 10-28-2006 14:10:02

You'll get a battery for less than that. You won't get a 4DLT for much less than that, and if you do, you'll probably wish you spent the bit more and got a good one. The cheapest of them that I've seen are around 150 Cad.... so about 135 US funds. More often they're about 180 Cad.
For less money you can buy a car battery that will work for a while but never have the reserve capacity that that tractor demands.... or you can go buy a Group 31 truck battery that won't fit under that hood. The only commercial battery that I've aware of, that will fit in that hole is the 4DLT...
The best cure for a dead 4DLT is a new 4DLT.

Rod

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy