Fooled again 300 u won't start in the cold.

[Paul 300 U]

Now that night temps are consistently in the single digits the 300 U won't start. The engine turns over slowly but consistently like it always does. I assume that 6 volt systems don't spin fast like a 12 volt. When is warm it fires right up.
I replaced 6 volt battery about a year ago. Connections are clean. Battery cables are about the diameter of my pinky. I did buy an alternator to convert to 12 volts a while back but it starts so easily in the warm weather that I began to believe there was no need to take on a new task. Now I'm back at square one. Do I fiddle with the 6 volt or begin converting to 12 volts. I admit I hesitate to work on the electrical since I'm not at all familiar with it. As much as I hate to do it I did start it using starting fluid. It started pretty quickly and ran great. Suggestions for starting in the cold and opiona on the 12 volt are welcome. Thanks Paul

 

[Andrew Z]

I personally would swap it to 12volt and be done with it especially if you run it in the winter. If you keep the 6 volt you will need everything 100 percent, 00cables, wires, plugs etc. More then likely what is happing is the battery has nothing left to the the coil resulting in a weak spark, hence when warm it starts. There are hundreds of posts in the archives about this.

 

[AJB-830]

I also have a 300-U still on 6-volts. But if the temperature is below 32, I first plug in the block heater, and if below zero, also connect up the battery charger. After an hour on the heater, it will start just like in summer. So my suggestion is to install a block heater and your winter starting problems will be over. I can send you some pictures as to how I have the block heater plumbed in on my 300U. Trying to start a 6-volt tractor in zero temperatures is really pushing the limits of the 6-volt system. Also in winter you need to have 10W30 or 5W30 oil in the crankcase. Al

 

[fastfarmall]

My dads M, after the the power craters were installed would barley turn over also, but it always started, usually when we let off on the starter button, at the right time, to give it a hotter spark, eventually the 12 volt was installed!

 

[Janicholson]

The copper in the wires needs to be the size of your pinkie. 650 CCA batteries are needed as well. Jim

 

[used red MN]

Well just like other members of the body, pinky fingers vary in diameter from person to person so an actual measurement is best. The copper conductors in the cables need to be an honest 3/8 inch in diameter 7/16 to 1/2 would be better. I will echo the change over to a 12 volt system is the way to go. Not much to it other than getting the alternator mounted and connected. Other than that just a few wire connection swaps. Also the light bulbs all need changed out to 12 volt. For the short term, I wonder if there are 12 volt boost packs available that switch on and off? You could connect it and then while cranking hit the boost pack on button. That way you would only be jumping the 12 to 6 volt while cranking which would be acceptable.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Engine block heater is the easiest way out.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

Try some lighter oil in the crankcase in cold weather. Most of the starting effort is trying to overcome the the drag on the cylinder walls. I dont know too much about multi-grade oils and temperature matching, we always used straight 10W in bitter cold up to maybe +30*F, then switched to 30W or 40W in mild weather. Battery cables as big as your pinky is not enough copper for that system.

 

[560Dennis]

Suggest a much lighter engine oil for single digits . What ever the Ih manual recommended.
Consider aftermarket market heater also.
I also think you can do a voltage drop test , that way you can tell exactly how far the voltage is dropping .

 

[the tractor vet]

On the 6 volt system your battery cables need to be the size of your thumb . Your starter may need a little work as in new bushings and new brushes . years back i kept my s/H here at the house intown for snow removal under a tarp . It was still 6 volt . The oil in it was 30 weight . It would start down to -35 below 0 , but refused to start at 38 below the two nasty winters we had it had to warm up a couple degrees . If the fan bald moved two blades it started . It had the org. coil on it and i had A C C 86 plugs in it and a two year old battery . No it was not happy about starting but it did start . I had the ing. timing set up 5 degrees advanced over the T D C . Valves set to spec.'s I H points and packard 440 ing wires . Carb adjustment done for best run and max load . So make a change on battery cables , do a tune up, make sure you have solid core ing. wires and do a carb adjust when it is warm for the slowest ideal and four to five turns off the set on the main load screw , Check ing timing at slow idea or around 450 RPM and bump it up a couple degree , no more then 5 . Battery cable size on a 6 volt is the biggie , yep they cost more then cables used on 12 volt .

 

[caterpillar guy]

You need bigger cables in the OO size with heavy ends on them. Not those cheap 12 volt car cables sold in auto parts stores. GO to a truck parts house and ask for those size cables with the appropriate ends for your job. they can fix you up. Yes it will cost more cash but it will start. Our H will start at -20 with good cables when we used to have it on 6 volt. IT had to start as it was the only tractor back then unless we used the Cat. Since we needed to do other jobs like cut wood or cut some logs for lumber it was the one we used for those jobs in the winter. Get the biggest 6 volt battery you can find for it also . Amps are what makes it turn, voltage is what starts it. As for the oil that is not a big deal. We used to use 20/20W in everything year round lighter in winter and heavy enough for summer use. Never have had an oil caused engine failure on anything. Currently use 15-40 in the same H as we have had for decades.

 

[dhermesc]

I don't see using ether being much worse than starting with full choke and unburnt gas washing down the sides of your cylinder walls. If all it takes is a little snort I would say problem solved. Much cheaper (especially if you only use the tractor occassionally) than digging through the electrical system and using trial and error with parts trying to get it to start easily. 50-60 years ago its to cold to start was an answer on some equipment.

 

[Pete in Holland MI]

6 volt systems, due to too-small replacement cables, poor connections, rust between joints, struggling starter, will cause more juice being fed to the starter in cold months and barely enough to run the ignition system. Learned this on my Dad's Jubilee. Struggled to start on 6v, but when 12v started directly to the starter, it fired right up. Converted it to 12v and it starts with the touch of the button even at -10F.

Yup...some will say to do what I need to to preserve the 6v system, but for a working tractor........convert to 12v.

 

[300guy]

I have a 300 and when it is cold it spins over just as good as a 12 volt system. I have 6 volt, use 5w-30 oil and have had the starter overhauled 20 years ago. Also I bought the biggest cold cranking amps battery from NAPA I could. And as everyone says the cables are heavy duty, bigger than my little finger. I feel the oil, a starter in very good condition and a very good battery will make it turn over as fast as you need it to. Also I removed and cleaned all the connections on the ground cables where it attaches to the top deck many years ago.

 

[Janicholson]

Now that night temps are consistently in the single digits the 300 U won't start. The engine turns over slowly but consistently like it always does. I assume that 6 volt systems don't spin fast like a 12 volt. When is warm it fires right up.
I replaced 6 volt battery about a year ago. Connections are clean. Battery cables are about the diameter of my pinky. I did buy an alternator to convert to 12 volts a while back but it starts so easily in the warm weather that I began to believe there was no need to take on a new task. Now I'm back at square one. Do I fiddle with the 6 volt or begin converting to 12 volts. I admit I hesitate to work on the electrical since I'm not at all familiar with it. As much as I hate to do it I did start it using starting fluid. It started pretty quickly and ran great. Suggestions for starting in the cold and opiona on the 12 volt are welcome. Thanks Paul

Block heater is not to invasive and works well. A battery heater under the battery also is of benefit. Cable copper needs to be first knuckle of index finger, not pinkie, and insulation around that Ogauge or 2Ogauge. Even if on 12v, the changes can add life to your sensibility/ Jim

 

[J.Wondergem]

Try multi weight synthetic oil, it helped mine before I switched it to 12volt.

 

[Paul 300 U]

Try multi weight synthetic oil, it helped mine before I switched it to 12volt.

Thanks for the reply J wondergerm. This post is s few weeks old. I actually completed the 12 volt conversion and right now I couldn't be happier. I haven't started the tractor in over a week. Yesterday it was 5 degrees. Tractor fired right up! Thanks Paul