F20 Electric Start

Frank Caldwell · Oct 29, 2014

I have a 1936 F20 that has only a crank start. I cannot crank start it anymore. Does anyone have any information on how to install an electric start? (Pictures, where to obtain starter)

DGinVT · Oct 29, 2014

Many, many years ago I saw one where the owner had rigged up a starter with bendix and wud crank his engine over using the starter drive. I don't remember the details of it but it seemed to work OK. Maybe someone in an auto shop would be able to advise you on how to make one. At the time it seemed a pretty clever idea and it did not mount on the tractor.

El Toro · Oct 29, 2014

If you have another tractor with a belt pulley I would belt start it. I do that on my old Toro
Whirlwind using my garden tractor. You can also pull start the F20. Hal

55 50 Ron · Oct 29, 2014

There is a fellow in Elnora, IN that has some F-30s with electric start. I saw them at a show in Hastings, MN several years ago.

What he had was actually one F-30 with 3 engines side by side. He started one with electric start, then had roller chain drives that turned the other two to start them. Appeared to be somewhat of a mechanical genius. The roller chains also allowed all 3 engines to provide power and he was plowing with a big plow. I don't remember how many bottoms.

He was quite old when I saw him and he may have passed away by now.

DGinVT · Oct 29, 2014

In thinking about this some more, the device I saw was a 6 volt electric starter with a frame that went around the starter. On either side it had two pipe handles welded to the frame(on for each hand)On the right handle was a starter switch. This thing looked very similar to those old geared down electric drills that took two hands to hold and operate. Electrical cables went from the battery to the the starter frame and to the switch(There may have been a starter solenoid on the starter. It was a pretty simple thing. The end of it had some kind of spring loaded bendix that engaged the front pulley crank slots and when the engine started the bendix wud retract and it was removed. At the time I remember he started several crank starts with it.

Old-F20 · Oct 29, 2014

lots of home made styles out there, just depends on what you want and how crafty you are.

if you want a nice clean looking setup, a Heisler style would be what you want.

you have to pull the engine to install it, but they are nice. I have some extra setups for sale if you're interested

robgIN · Oct 29, 2014

That would have been Harry Lee and yes he passed away a couple years ago.

Bob M · Oct 29, 2014

I saw a clever electric start added to a 30's era Case DC puller. The owner adapted a flywheel from a Toyota (model unknown) to bolt to the belt pulley flange. He then mounted a pair of Toyota starters to engage the flywheel.

The setup works great - it spins the engine up easily. And the installation is very neatly done; it almost looks "factory".

gene bender · Oct 29, 2014

Just mount a ring gear flywheel from an auto tranny on the out-put going to the tranny and then mount a matching starter.

Bob M · Oct 29, 2014

Here's the late Harry Lee and his F30 "tri-motor" at Bloomsburg PA a few years ago.

Clever old guy!

Tom Fleming · Oct 30, 2014

Frank, if you don't mind me asking, how hard is your F20 to start? If the carb, mag, and plugs are right, these are NOT hard to start. My 1938 F30 cold starts with just 2 up swings on the crank handle. Up swing defined by starting at 6 o'clock position and pulling up through the 9 oclock position. It just needs to fire on 1 cylinder, and the old girl takes off 99% of the time.

You might want to consider investing in getting the fuel and ignition systems into tip-top shape, and you won't have an issue cranking it.

If you can, take a look at this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bX6wYJBHNc

Not sure what your situation is, but I am going to assume you are in similar or better physical condition that Bud is in the video.

Here is another even bigger beast that Bud starts with ease:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dW5U-YGOO8

DC Snider · Oct 30, 2014

Those video's were impressive mechanically and physically...

I want my F12 will start like that eventually and hope if I ever get around to restoring my Regular it will also

Not to mention still doing that when I'm Buds age.

rhtx55 · Oct 30, 2014

The most popular electric start kit for the F20 & Regular was available from Heisler.
1. Bell housing
2. flywheel ring gear
3. Starter
They offered the generator bracket & dual & single pulley to add
a generator also.

You will also need to add
1. battery box to mount on the frame rail.
2. generator with cut out relay
3. v-belts
This does not include wiring & battery cables.
These become available from time to time on the web but they are quite pricey, as very many weren't sold much to begin with, then after 1939 the H with electric start became available.

fireballv82003 · Dec 11, 2014

Frank,
I have a t20 mccormick crawler we are rebuilding
in my High School Ag shop.
I saw your post about the Heisler elect start kits
for the F20 farmall.
I want to put a flywheel ring gear on.
Any idea what/where to get a ring gear for my t20
crawler?
THe t20 has the same engine as the t20.

thanks

steve il · Dec 12, 2014

(quoted from post at 23:37:09 12/11/14) Frank,
I have a t20 mccormick crawler we are rebuilding
in my High School Ag shop.
I saw your post about the Heisler elect start kits
for the F20 farmall.
I want to put a flywheel ring gear on.
Any idea what/where to get a ring gear for my t20
crawler?
THe t20 has the same engine as the t20.

thanks

theres an old post on smok stak showing a neat looking starter set up on the front of the engine of a t20. its under the radiator. it envolved a small foreign car starter and flex plate. I guess it could be found in the archives?

fixerupper · Dec 13, 2014

Years ago, back in the 60's I used to drive a neighbor's F20 with a Heisler type starter setup. It was a late F20 with 36 inch rear wheels. The starter tucked up under the left frame rail if I remember right but it's been a long time ago. There was a small push button for starting so it must have had a solenoid. I always thought it was factory till I was told otherwise at our local threshing show a while back. That tractor is still witting in a shed in the neighborhood but hasn't been run for many years. Jim

F20 Electric Start

Frank Caldwell

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DGinVT

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El Toro

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55 50 Ron

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DGinVT

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Old-F20

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robgIN

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Bob M

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gene bender

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Bob M

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Tom Fleming

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DC Snider

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rhtx55

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fireballv82003

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steve il

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fixerupper

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