Hi,

I have a 1947 2N. It's 6 volt. It starts well above 25 degrees F. Below that, it will fire, but because the starter disengages after the slightest bump from a cylinder, the tractor doesn't start and the starter spins free until I release the button and it stops, then it will re-engage. If I could keep it engaged through a couple of cylinder firings, it would start, I am sure. My question: is it normal for the starter to disengage after the slighest firing of a cylinder, or should I take it apart, expecting to be able to fix something? If it is normal, is there anyone that makes a drive that will not disengage until the button is released, but will still free wheel so the starter isn't backdiven if the engine starts with the starter still engaged? Thank you.

btw - NO! I do not want to convert it to 12v, so don't even go there.

Marc

Do you have the proper size battery cables for a six volt system?

Yes - I changed them - 2 guage all the way to the starter and the positive ground braided cable is larger than the one I replaced. It does this in the summer also - it just doesn't matter because the engine can spin fast enough on one cylinder firing to start it (BUT - it has to be quarter - no more, no less - throttle and full choke until it just fires, then half choke, or it'll never start). Once I figred that out (and to clean or replace the plugs yearly), it's been extremely dependable - until this year when it's been consistently below 20 degrees F all day, and single digits (it's been 3 or lower) many nights. The one blasphemous thing I've done is to put an AGM battery in it. Yes, more CCAs - I am not ashamed.

AWG 2 is marginal for a 6V system.

AWG 0 is much better.

Sounds like your tractor still has the original style starter drive on it. Best bet would be to buy the later drive that stays engaged until the engine starts. Two words of warning tho, do not play around with it and extend it before you install it or it won't let you install it and you may have to enlarge the hole in the bellhousing a little to get it to fit as they are a little bigger in diameter and won't quite fit past the flywheel sometimes.

Thanks for the info. Who makes a good drive that stays engaged? Which one do you recommend? It looks like Steiner may have one - is this it (https://www.steinertractor.com/ABC129-Ratchet-Style-Starter-Drive-Bendix-)? Of course, I'll have to rebuild the starter while it's out, or I can just take it all apart again in a month when it decides I neglected it.

I'm not sure if that is the positive lock style or not. Some descriptions say it right in the specifications. I'm also not sure if you can even buy the original style anymore. Best I can recommend is to do good research on it before purchasing. Best of luck Greg NE

Thanks, Greg. I did order it from Steiner and will let you know. (I've made a lot of mistakes that have cost me a lot more than $30, so if it’s not correct, it'll still be a cheap mistake). I did also find some that were the original style, so I'm fairly confident the Steiner one will work.

Bingo.

My 9N 6v also does that. I don't use it in the winter so it does it at any temperature.I just work around it since I have had no problem getting it started. I suspect we both have an issue with the Bendix gear assy. on the starter. Maybe someday I will look further into it.

How can you not use it in the winter? I use it to move firewood using a trailer (about 3/4 of a cord at a time). It's a blast going down the hill in our yard hoping not to end up in the brook - especially when the ground is frozen. I have a Dearborn loader for it (hydraulic bucket). I had to find the drive shaft and the correct front axle pin and the correct pulley (mine has the crank boss on it). But I have it all now, and maybe, hopefully, this summer....(I said that last summer too). It's pretty much this loader https://youtu.be/9xrVfw1Nirc . I am nervous about the front seal when I change the pulley though - I don't know if it can be changed without taking half the tractor apart. But first, it has to start in the cold.