- Thread starter gblj
- Start date
Walston
Member
- Location
- Upstate SC
I recommend using them year round on your seldom used equipment. I use them on my tractors, but also my classic cars and motor cycle and they always crank right up and the batteries last and last.
Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
I use float chargers for two reasons: battery longevity and a sure start. Battery sulfation occurs at a specific rate at "X" temperature. Over time, sulfation reduces battery performance and eventually its effects are irreversible. Sulfation of batteries starts when specific gravity falls below 1.225 or voltage measures less than 12.4 for a 12v battery, or 6.2 for a 6 volt battery. Sulfation hardens on the battery plates reducing and eventually destroying the ability of the battery to generate current. Using a float charger significantly reduces sulfation. Your battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76?F; however, a fully discharged battery can start to freeze at 32?
I use Deltran battery tenders on all the tractors, the golf cart & the old cars. Pricey, but they work & have in-lines fuses. All are hard wired to the vehicles.
75 Tips
I use Deltran battery tenders on all the tractors, the golf cart & the old cars. Pricey, but they work & have in-lines fuses. All are hard wired to the vehicles.
75 Tips
Tim PloughNman Daley RIP
Well-known Member
Short Answer: Yes, use a float charger, not a trickle charger, whenever the battery is not in use. Long Answer: Longtime member and electrical technical adviser, Bruce Haynes, has posted this numerous times on all the Ford Tractor boards. Here it is once again in detail...
Hard starting in cold weather has a lot of likely causes. So take your time can read through this list. Oftentimes you will discover multiple problems.
No matter what else you do, the battery must be fully charged. A float charger is helpful; not a trickle charger, but a FLOAT charger. A battery charger, even a "trickle" charger, left unattended will eventually boil out a battery. I use float chargers for two reasons: battery longevity and a sure start. Battery sulfation occurs at a specific rate at "X" temperature. Over time, sulfation reduces battery performance and eventually its effects are irreversible. Sulfation of batteries starts when specific gravity falls below 1.225 or voltage measures less than 12.4 for a 12v battery, or 6.2 for a 6 volt battery. Sulfation hardens on the battery plates reducing and eventually destroying the ability of the battery to generate current. Using a float charger significantly reduces sulfation. Your battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76?F; however, a fully discharged battery can start to freeze at 32?F. So??keep the battery fully charged! If you have a digital volt meter, 6.03 volts on a 6 volt battery and 12.06 volts on a 12 volt battery is only a 25% charge! I use DELTRAN? battery tenders on all the tractors, the golf cart & 29 Ford. Pricey, but they work & have in-lines fuses. All are hard wired to the vehicles. (*see below)
If you need to jump it, see tip # 43. No, it doesn?t need to be 12v. Plenty of N?s start just fine on 6v in below 0* temps.
Clean grounds & battery terminals are always important. Don?t forget to loosen the starter from the block (see tip # 36) and polish the block & all starter mating surfaces w/ sandpaper to insure a good electrical ground.
If you can?t remember the last time you replaced the battery cables, it?s time to do it. Just because the terminals are clean doesn?t mean there is no corrosion under the insulation. And, this is another case where size matters (see tip # 41)
A charged battery, clean grounds & new cables aren?t going to mean much if the tractor needs a tune-up. At a minimum, every fall, remove the cap, check the points for pitting or burning, re-gap them & put a dab of lube on the cam. (BTW?..if you?ve wondered why some folks get years of use out of a set of points??.this is one of the reasons). See tips 66, 67 & 68.
Things that aren?t all that important in warm weather become serious when it gets cold?like timing. A few degrees of timing either way at 60 or 70* isn?t likely to result in a ?no-start? situation. Well, it can at 10 or 20*. Check the timing! Yes, you can set the timing on a front distributor.
Distributor gaskets are important on an angle-mount (sidemount) & critical on a frontmount, as is the gasket under the coil. Just like with the battery cables?.if you can?t remember when you replaced the gaskets, do it this year.
Push the clutch in when you start the engine (tip # 29)
Oil viscosity can make a difference. If the tractor is going to be consistently operated below 20* F, switch to SAE 10w30; at 0* go to SAE 5w30.
Pull the air cleaner cup & check for ice.
This tip won?t make it start easier, but it will make it run better: turn the main jet out ? to 1 full turn for cold weather operating. Cold air is denser so you need a richer mixture.
While each N has its own starting sequence, none of them will start well by just yanking out the choke rod & holding it out for 5 or 10 seconds while the engine cranks. This is a gravity fuel system on a low compression engine; it is easily flooded by too much choke.
Try this:
Key on, gas on 2 full turns, clutch in, 3/4 throttle, press the starter button. Let it crank for at least 3 - 4 seconds before you pull the choke rod. Then, don't hold it out for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
If you find out it will not start w/o excessive choking, you have problems.
If you flood it, the plugs are fouled & it will be it next to impossible to start. Replace the plugs. You don't need to toss them; heat the tips for a few seconds w/ a propane torch to burn off the invisible spark-robbing deposits from today's additive filled gasoline........or wash them in brake cleaner.
Folks who live in places a lot colder than I do here in VA will argue about battery blankets or magnetic oil pan heaters as compared to lower radiator hose heaters or dipstick heaters. While the consensus leans toward lower radiator hose heaters, I can?t offer a personal observation; the only thing I?ve ever used to heat an engine was a 100w light bulb laid against the intake manifold. Freeze plug heaters are difficult to find for N?s because of the limited space in the water jacket. Magnetic oil pan heaters on the intake manifold will help as well. And after you get it started, it will not run as well as it should in cold weather if the engine never gets to it's proper operating temperature. Use a thermostat! See tip # 25.
While water in gas today is unusual because of all the ethanol, it?s not unheard of. The problem stems from what?s called ?phase separation? in the gasoline. The alcohol binds to the water & it settles in the bottom of your tank. The way to mitigate that is to keep the tank FULL and use fuel stabilizer. Less air means less moisture in the tank for the alcohol to absorb. If you?re lucky enough to live in a state where you can buy ethanol free gas (and it does not require a bank loan to do it) then add alcohol to the gasoline. (e.g., ?HEET?) Otherwise, the 10% ethanol in the gas is more than enough to deal w/ the water.
And finally..............the tractor won't run very well with a cracked block! Check your anti-freeze; use a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water.
* Battery Tender website: http://www.batterytender.com/
http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/articles/artint268.htm
MY INPUT:
"BATTERY TENDER" is the trademark name of the DELTRAN CORPORATION for their float chargers. Other companies make float chargers as well, just be sure it is a float type charger and not a 'trickle' charger. The BATTERY TENDER units come in the 6-volt model called the "BATTERY TENDER JR." for about $30. They also make a 12-volt model for around $40 and a switchable 6 or 12 volt model for around $55. All are available at Walmart. You may have to special order the Tender 6-volt unit I found out.
Hard starting in cold weather has a lot of likely causes. So take your time, do a root cause problem solving method of determining the true problem. Do not just start replacing parts because you 'think it could be this'. The exception to this rule is if the sparkplugs get fouled from cranking. Always keep a good, clean set in the tractor toolbox. Once fouled, do not discard them; simply burn off the excess fuel with a hand-held candle lighter, propane torch, or equivalent, then brush off carbon with an old toothbrush or brass wire brush. Many with non-starting/non-running issues think the problem is due to the 6-volt system. Wrong thinking. Their 'solution' is to scrap the original 6-volt/positive ground system and install a 12-volt conversion. Wrong thinking. There are only about a handful of correct ways to do a 12-volt conversion. Use a Search Engine for "WIRING PICTOGRAMS by JMOR" and see all the correct ways for these Ford N-Tractors. There's nothing wrong with a 12-volt system, just do it for the right reasons, and certainly not when the engine won't start due to a hiccup in the normal operation flow chart.
The need for adding commercially sold 'fuel stabilizer' products is not needed. They all contain up to 92%-98% mineral spirits as their main ingredient, and the rest is just filler chemicals. It is the mineral spirits which keeps the fuel or oil thinned out and also will clean crud effectively without harming any internal parts. Don't believe it? Take a can of Kingsford Charcoal Lighter Fluid, it is 100% mineral spirits, and wipe or spray some on an area of your tractor all caked with grease, oil, and dirt and watch it work. Not saying the snake-oil products sold today don't work, they may or may not, but how do you know for sure? Folks will believe what they want to believe without doing the research and knowing the facts. If I'm spending my hard-earned cash, I would want the best product available.
N-SERIES sparkplugs: Original FORD spec was the 14mm Champion H-10 style gapped at .025" - .028"; however, since then, Champion introduced a hotter plug, the H-12, and it works very well. Another equally as good plug is the AUTO-LITE 437 sparkplug. The gap remains the same on both. FORD distributor point settings are: Front Mount = .015" and angle (side) mount = .025" +/- .001".
One final comment: If you are an N-Owner, you need some essential manuals to know the technical specs, part numbers, and the dos and don'ts of operating these machines. Three important ones are the I&T F-04 Manual; the '9-'53' MPC; and an Owner/Operator Manual. 9N and 2N use some different operating manuals and there are a few differences than the 8N model, so choose what is right for your model.
FORD 9N & 2N ESSENTIAL MANUALS:
FORD 8N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL MANUALS:
Tim Daley(MI)
Hard starting in cold weather has a lot of likely causes. So take your time can read through this list. Oftentimes you will discover multiple problems.
No matter what else you do, the battery must be fully charged. A float charger is helpful; not a trickle charger, but a FLOAT charger. A battery charger, even a "trickle" charger, left unattended will eventually boil out a battery. I use float chargers for two reasons: battery longevity and a sure start. Battery sulfation occurs at a specific rate at "X" temperature. Over time, sulfation reduces battery performance and eventually its effects are irreversible. Sulfation of batteries starts when specific gravity falls below 1.225 or voltage measures less than 12.4 for a 12v battery, or 6.2 for a 6 volt battery. Sulfation hardens on the battery plates reducing and eventually destroying the ability of the battery to generate current. Using a float charger significantly reduces sulfation. Your battery loses 33 percent of its power when the temperature dips below freezing, and over 50 percent of its power when the temperature falls below zero. A fully charged battery will not freeze until -76?F; however, a fully discharged battery can start to freeze at 32?F. So??keep the battery fully charged! If you have a digital volt meter, 6.03 volts on a 6 volt battery and 12.06 volts on a 12 volt battery is only a 25% charge! I use DELTRAN? battery tenders on all the tractors, the golf cart & 29 Ford. Pricey, but they work & have in-lines fuses. All are hard wired to the vehicles. (*see below)
If you need to jump it, see tip # 43. No, it doesn?t need to be 12v. Plenty of N?s start just fine on 6v in below 0* temps.
Clean grounds & battery terminals are always important. Don?t forget to loosen the starter from the block (see tip # 36) and polish the block & all starter mating surfaces w/ sandpaper to insure a good electrical ground.
If you can?t remember the last time you replaced the battery cables, it?s time to do it. Just because the terminals are clean doesn?t mean there is no corrosion under the insulation. And, this is another case where size matters (see tip # 41)
A charged battery, clean grounds & new cables aren?t going to mean much if the tractor needs a tune-up. At a minimum, every fall, remove the cap, check the points for pitting or burning, re-gap them & put a dab of lube on the cam. (BTW?..if you?ve wondered why some folks get years of use out of a set of points??.this is one of the reasons). See tips 66, 67 & 68.
Things that aren?t all that important in warm weather become serious when it gets cold?like timing. A few degrees of timing either way at 60 or 70* isn?t likely to result in a ?no-start? situation. Well, it can at 10 or 20*. Check the timing! Yes, you can set the timing on a front distributor.
Distributor gaskets are important on an angle-mount (sidemount) & critical on a frontmount, as is the gasket under the coil. Just like with the battery cables?.if you can?t remember when you replaced the gaskets, do it this year.
Push the clutch in when you start the engine (tip # 29)
Oil viscosity can make a difference. If the tractor is going to be consistently operated below 20* F, switch to SAE 10w30; at 0* go to SAE 5w30.
Pull the air cleaner cup & check for ice.
This tip won?t make it start easier, but it will make it run better: turn the main jet out ? to 1 full turn for cold weather operating. Cold air is denser so you need a richer mixture.
While each N has its own starting sequence, none of them will start well by just yanking out the choke rod & holding it out for 5 or 10 seconds while the engine cranks. This is a gravity fuel system on a low compression engine; it is easily flooded by too much choke.
Try this:
Key on, gas on 2 full turns, clutch in, 3/4 throttle, press the starter button. Let it crank for at least 3 - 4 seconds before you pull the choke rod. Then, don't hold it out for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
If you find out it will not start w/o excessive choking, you have problems.
If you flood it, the plugs are fouled & it will be it next to impossible to start. Replace the plugs. You don't need to toss them; heat the tips for a few seconds w/ a propane torch to burn off the invisible spark-robbing deposits from today's additive filled gasoline........or wash them in brake cleaner.
Folks who live in places a lot colder than I do here in VA will argue about battery blankets or magnetic oil pan heaters as compared to lower radiator hose heaters or dipstick heaters. While the consensus leans toward lower radiator hose heaters, I can?t offer a personal observation; the only thing I?ve ever used to heat an engine was a 100w light bulb laid against the intake manifold. Freeze plug heaters are difficult to find for N?s because of the limited space in the water jacket. Magnetic oil pan heaters on the intake manifold will help as well. And after you get it started, it will not run as well as it should in cold weather if the engine never gets to it's proper operating temperature. Use a thermostat! See tip # 25.
While water in gas today is unusual because of all the ethanol, it?s not unheard of. The problem stems from what?s called ?phase separation? in the gasoline. The alcohol binds to the water & it settles in the bottom of your tank. The way to mitigate that is to keep the tank FULL and use fuel stabilizer. Less air means less moisture in the tank for the alcohol to absorb. If you?re lucky enough to live in a state where you can buy ethanol free gas (and it does not require a bank loan to do it) then add alcohol to the gasoline. (e.g., ?HEET?) Otherwise, the 10% ethanol in the gas is more than enough to deal w/ the water.
And finally..............the tractor won't run very well with a cracked block! Check your anti-freeze; use a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water.
* Battery Tender website: http://www.batterytender.com/
http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/articles/artint268.htm
MY INPUT:
"BATTERY TENDER" is the trademark name of the DELTRAN CORPORATION for their float chargers. Other companies make float chargers as well, just be sure it is a float type charger and not a 'trickle' charger. The BATTERY TENDER units come in the 6-volt model called the "BATTERY TENDER JR." for about $30. They also make a 12-volt model for around $40 and a switchable 6 or 12 volt model for around $55. All are available at Walmart. You may have to special order the Tender 6-volt unit I found out.
Hard starting in cold weather has a lot of likely causes. So take your time, do a root cause problem solving method of determining the true problem. Do not just start replacing parts because you 'think it could be this'. The exception to this rule is if the sparkplugs get fouled from cranking. Always keep a good, clean set in the tractor toolbox. Once fouled, do not discard them; simply burn off the excess fuel with a hand-held candle lighter, propane torch, or equivalent, then brush off carbon with an old toothbrush or brass wire brush. Many with non-starting/non-running issues think the problem is due to the 6-volt system. Wrong thinking. Their 'solution' is to scrap the original 6-volt/positive ground system and install a 12-volt conversion. Wrong thinking. There are only about a handful of correct ways to do a 12-volt conversion. Use a Search Engine for "WIRING PICTOGRAMS by JMOR" and see all the correct ways for these Ford N-Tractors. There's nothing wrong with a 12-volt system, just do it for the right reasons, and certainly not when the engine won't start due to a hiccup in the normal operation flow chart.
The need for adding commercially sold 'fuel stabilizer' products is not needed. They all contain up to 92%-98% mineral spirits as their main ingredient, and the rest is just filler chemicals. It is the mineral spirits which keeps the fuel or oil thinned out and also will clean crud effectively without harming any internal parts. Don't believe it? Take a can of Kingsford Charcoal Lighter Fluid, it is 100% mineral spirits, and wipe or spray some on an area of your tractor all caked with grease, oil, and dirt and watch it work. Not saying the snake-oil products sold today don't work, they may or may not, but how do you know for sure? Folks will believe what they want to believe without doing the research and knowing the facts. If I'm spending my hard-earned cash, I would want the best product available.
N-SERIES sparkplugs: Original FORD spec was the 14mm Champion H-10 style gapped at .025" - .028"; however, since then, Champion introduced a hotter plug, the H-12, and it works very well. Another equally as good plug is the AUTO-LITE 437 sparkplug. The gap remains the same on both. FORD distributor point settings are: Front Mount = .015" and angle (side) mount = .025" +/- .001".
One final comment: If you are an N-Owner, you need some essential manuals to know the technical specs, part numbers, and the dos and don'ts of operating these machines. Three important ones are the I&T F-04 Manual; the '9-'53' MPC; and an Owner/Operator Manual. 9N and 2N use some different operating manuals and there are a few differences than the 8N model, so choose what is right for your model.
FORD 9N & 2N ESSENTIAL MANUALS:
FORD 8N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL MANUALS:
Tim Daley(MI)
As usual picked up a ton of useful info from Tim's post. For example, I've been using Stabil in my small engines and the hot rod for 15 years, and Tim says it's basically Mineral spirits. Never heard that. Let's have a look at the MSDS for Stabil.
https://lakeland.edu/PDFs/MSDS/1538/Sta-Bil Fuel Stabilizer (Gold Eagle) 3-11-2010.pdf
Distillates is a generic term including Mineral Spirits, Kerosene that confuse folks and allow the manufacturer to conceal contents.
https://lakeland.edu/PDFs/MSDS/1538/Sta-Bil Fuel Stabilizer (Gold Eagle) 3-11-2010.pdf
Distillates is a generic term including Mineral Spirits, Kerosene that confuse folks and allow the manufacturer to conceal contents.
Tim PloughNman Daley RIP
Well-known Member
yes, but it is all the same. You can buy MS in bulk and make your own or waste $$$ and buy the premixed crap. MSDS sheets tell it all. If a company won't post a MSDS sheet, claiming 'proprietary information' aka 'secret ingredients' walk away.
Similar threads
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.
Copyright © 1997-2024 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