using 24 volt on 12 volt diesel

Got Cockshutt 40 diesel out. Been is shed for 14 months. Both 6 volt hd batteries shot. Just 5 years old. Just put 2 12 volts in
series to try as had previously had to grind and use starting fluid.Thing took of only 3 seconds. I do believe in this case 24 volts for very few
seconds is better than grinding with starting fluid. Do recall using 28 volt starting starting machine couple times when airplanes
had sat few days on line in zero degree winters. Never any problems with master switch off .

My old Galion grader I used to have was 12 Volt, I wired it up to use 24 V. Started much easier. Still had the 12V starter on it.

I think it worked OK to start it once, I think two high CCA 6v, or 2 12v wired in parallel are a better solution. Battery cables should be 2-O or O gauge, and clean terminals. That said, the tractor is increasing in value and in my opinion should be kept kinda original. If changing to an alternator happens, Keep the gen and reg for a future day. Jim

One of mine with a six volt starter has been starting on twelve for about fifteen years. Starts almost instantly so there is much less wear on the starter the way I see it.

May work well for awhile, but there's more chance the starter nose could break in the future. Had that happen on a Delco starter years ago when 24V was tried on a tired Perkins the owner didn't want to fix right. Started great about a dozen times, then the nose snapped off.

sure keeping it original not painting as only original once. Have a fifty diesel fixing to start on soon. Sadly to rusted to keep original. First time I recall liking something , buying several, then value starting to increase.Now if Edsel's just get popular. lol

If I'm not mistaken, the Fords retained their 6v starters when they went to 12v systems. I have heard of it before. Only thing is don't stay on it and if you have starting problems, give the starter time to cool off (between whacks).......that too was part of the tale. Course it makes sense. Double the voltage, double the current and quadruple the power dissipated. Will get hot pretty quickly.

I don't remember if my JD 4010 and 4020 had 12v starters or not. I know the 20 had a 24volt system and the starter got 24v. It was a split system and the circuits were split into + and - 12v running the other 12v components off 12v. I don't remember on the 10.

24v isn't going to hurt a 12v starter but it will take a little rewireing to keep batteries charged and lights working. I would clean up the starter,replace brusshes and bushings then use 2 12v in parlell

Why not fix it right instead of band aiding the symptoms ?
Two group 31 batteries in parallel , good cables, low resistance connections and a fresh 42MT starter and it will wail over faster than the 24V does now with worn components .

I bought a '79 4230C (100 hp, 404 cu in engine as I recall) with the OEM 6 volt on each side with the right side - tied to the engine block, a 0 wire
from the + across to the left side 6v - and that + to the starter solenoid. Lazy starts.

I went to the local OTR trucking co. who buy size 31, 12V sealed, 950 CCA batteries by the pallet (great prices) and bought a couple. Then I had
him make up a set of 00 cables running 2 of those across to the right side battery and paralleling to the left side. Tied the left side - to a freshly
shined up starter bolt and the + to the solenoid.

Talk about a spin up. Yepper, mission accomplished. No more starting aid in the winter.

Cranking an engine faster gives the compression less time to leak down when starting. So you may have a compression issure if it's not starting well on 12 volts.

A diesel engine fires from "heat of compression".

If a 12 volt starter will operate correctly & be reliable when attached to 24 volts I wonder why manufacturers went to the trouble/expense to build a 24 volt starter?

Some fords do use the same starter, also I believe IH a few have the same armature for 6 and 12 volt.

I will attempt to answer all the post on this one . Tractor is approximately 65 years old and just a toy for me. I am 72 ,
possibly only going to start this tractor till I am 82. I only start once a year at best.To fix it correctly would require
pulling the engine for a total rebuild. Pistons and liners , rings for this engine approx 1200 bucks plus labor. Cam grind with
new bushings 600.00 . Total head rebuild, valves, guides, springs possibly 1000.00. Injectors 1000.00. Bearings and crank
service seals , new oil pump 1000.00. Gaskets 300.00. Sixty five year old radiator?? Re core 500.00. Water pump rebuild
100.00.Labor at least 1000.00. New batteries 200.00. This is motor only. If all that expense should not the transmission and
differential be rebuilt?? This is for an engine I will only start 20 to possibly 30 times in my life?? The 12 volt batteries I
used are 3 to 4 year old batteries removed from two DC Case tractors where batteries are removed for winter. Those batteries
are previously removed from pickup therefor may well be much older than 3 or 4. Thus the batteries are not giving all the torque
new 12 HD batteries would have. As old friend George has stated he used older 12 volt on his farmall to prevent starter Bendix
damage.Tractor does have excellent battery cables of heavy gauge. Therefore in my opinion when the engine starts so well in
very few seconds on 24 volts, I do not run long enough to consider charging , therefore generator wire unhooked, It is just not
proper to repair correctly for this old man.

(quoted from post at 02:19:03 09/26/16) If I'm not mistaken, the Fords retained their 6v starters when they went to 12v systems. I have heard of it before. Only thing is don't stay on it and if you have starting problems, give the starter time to cool off (between whacks).......that too was part of the tale. Course it makes sense. Double the voltage, double the current and quadruple the power dissipated. Will get hot pretty quickly.

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Yes, that's mostly the case. If tuned properly it only takes a second to start one on 12V. I jump my 6V 8N with a 12V jumper and it fires instantly, well, almost. Don't want to buy another 6V battery right now as I want to convert the whole thing to 12V.