Ford 2n starting issues

2n ford

Member
Looking for some options. Went to start my tractor and it wouldn’t crank. Pulled the battery and cleaned all connections and checked voltage. It reads 6.35 which is full charge on a 6 volt battery. It’s only 6 months old. Put it back together and still nothing when I pushed the starter button down. I pulled another tractor in and jumped it from the the other tractor to the starter and it fired right up. Is there a chance my battery could be bad. I was wondering if maybe the push button is bad. Don’t want to start replacing stuff for no reason. I did try and jump it directly from the battery on the tractor to the starter and it barely cranked then stopped like it didn’t have enough juice. The other tractor was 12 volt so it turned it easily and started. What should I do Thanks
 
From what you've described, the battery would seem to be bad. It can still register 6.35 volts and not have enough amps to turn the starter. If you have lights added, turn them on and if they light up, try to start it. If they dim or go out, it would be one more indication it has gone bad. Most auto zone type stores can test for amps. Over the years, I've had a few batteries that didn't hold up after a couple of charge cycles and had to be replaced; generally, most battery stores will trade it back at no cost. Your generator may also need testing.
 

6.35 volts does indeed indicate full charge. However, your test is without a load on the battery. I have seen batterys that show a good charge level when tested with a VOM (no load), show zero volts with the head lights on. In fact the last two batterys in my motorcycle failed that way.

Check the battery voltage with a load. My load tester places a 100 amp load on the battery for 10 seconds, for a 6 volt battery the voltage should not drop below 5.2 volts.
 
Seeing how I can jump the starter does this mean the solenoid could still be bad? I’m not good with electrical stuff so I apologize for the ignorance. How do you test the solenoid to see if it’s good? My gut tells me it’s the battery but want to make sure before wasting 70 bucks
 
2 and 9N?s did not come from the factory with solenoids. They all had mechanical starter switches. When you press the starter switch, it pushes a piece of linkage into the switch which manually closes the contacts and completes the circuit. Unlike a solenoid which electrically closes the contacts and completes the circuit.


Did you or someone else did a solenoid to your tractor?

You can string flashlight batteries together and get 6 volts; will that start your tractor? This is where a digital volt meter and a hydrometer comes in handy. A fully charged battery should read 6.32 volts with specific gravity at 1.265 in each cell. A battery at 50% charge will read 6.12 volts with a specific gravity of 1.190. And, at 6.03 volts and a specific gravity of 1.155, you only have a 25% charged battery. You need a strong battery to spin the starter, engage the Bendix and provide voltage to the coil. As the battery gets weaker, the first thing to fail is your spark. If the battery is almost totally dead, all you will hear is the solenoid clicking. The more current you use to spin the starter, the less you have for the ignition.


Check the battery with a hydrometer.
75 Tips
 
The age of a battery does not really mean much. I've seen a few bad out the door of the store. It is most important you A) have the correct style battery -GRP-1 for 6V, GRP-25 or GRP-35 for 12V, and B) a good brand -avoid the bargain house brands, even auto parts store brands. Most are junk and will only last a few years tops. No DEEP CYCLE or Golf Cart units either. Next is battery must sustain a full charge UNDER LOAD so get it tested to be sure. While being tested, go thru the entire wiring system. 99.98% of non-starting issues are due to poor/incorrect wiring, whether or not a 6V/POS GRN or 12V/NEG GRN system. Just because you have a 6V battery does NOT mean it is wired correctly. Your 2N should have a 1-wire starter with NO SOLENOID, but I think you meant to say the starter switch/button -often guys get these confused. Your 2N should also have a front-mount distributor, a 6V coil mounted on top of it, a 1-wire/3-Brush generator, A-circuit design, with the 3rd brush adjustment screw on the back end plate. It uses the round-can cutout circuit mounted on the back of dash on the steering box. There should be an AMMETER gauge on the LH dash and behind it on back dash panel the original BALLAST REISTOR. Any deviations from this basic config means it has been cobbled with. Conform wiring, then report back before applying power.

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Tim Daley(MI)
 
Hi 2N, I would take that battery to a auto supply place, preferably where you bought it 6 months ago and have it tested, it should be under some pro-rated warrenty. Then I noticed you said you don't want to waste $70. on a battery. What did you buy 6 months ago? Around here, a good 6 volt group 1 Ag. battery run around $110. But they last. The last one I had to replace was 10 years old and the reason I had to replace it was the contacts in the voltage regulator latched up (you don't have one) and boiled the battery.
 
thanks for the info! Yes it is a starter switch not a solenoid. Do you know how to test the switch to see if it’s bad? Seems like that might be the problem. Thanks
 

u could take the switch off the tractor and test for continuity between the two posts while u manually push the switch.
 
(quoted from post at 18:29:42 06/28/18) Looking for some options. Went to start my tractor and it wouldn’t crank. Pulled the battery and cleaned all connections and checked voltage. It reads 6.35 which is full charge on a 6 volt battery. It’s only 6 months old. Put it back together and still nothing when I pushed the starter button down. I pulled another tractor in and jumped it from the the other tractor to the starter and it fired right up. Is there a chance my battery could be bad. I was wondering if maybe the push button is bad. Don’t want to start replacing stuff for no reason. I did try and jump it directly from the battery on the tractor to the starter and it barely cranked then stopped like it didn’t have enough juice. The other tractor was 12 volt so it turned it easily and started. What should I do Thanks

Update: had to get some mowing done so I jump the tractor through the starter and did my mowing. After I got done I was able to start the tractor back up with no issue! I guess he generator maybe was the issue not being re polarized after I unhooked the battery? I went out today and it started right up like it should. Not sure what happened but at least I know the battery and company is not the issue. Thanks for the great info and I’m sure I will be back for more. Always learning and truly appreciate the help.
 

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