6 VOLT STARTING PROBLEM.
Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 3:09 pm
6 VOLT STARTING PROBLEM
I had a problem with My 6 volt 26 open express. it has always chugged and turned over slowly since I have owned it. But it got to turning over slower and slower and one day I started smelling electrical wire burning and it wouldn't turn over. Turns out the fix was simple the cure a little more work. The lock washer on the battery side of the starter switch bolt went flat losing its tension allowing the nut to loosen up. causing a poor connection and the wire & lug to get hot and burn the insulation and discolor them. further investigation discovered the battery to starter switch wire was a small gauge cable 12 volt wire and the original heavy duty cable was being used as a ground wire. adding about three feet of unneeded small gauge wire between the battery and starter switch. I cleaned up all the connections and cable lugs replaced the lock washers. tossed the 12 volt cable. swapped the long 35" heavy gauge cable from ground to hot side of the battery and built a new 10 inch ground wire out very heavy gauge wire. WoW what a difference instead of chug-----chug-----Chug-----Chug. it's now Chug-Chug-Chug-Chug a slight hesitation on compression stroke but not much. it's 95 degree's and the oil is warm but hopefully it will still crank ok in the dead of winter but maybe slower. I wanted to see how 6 volt starting worked when all the connections were good and the cables the proper gauge and length of wire. While it does not wind up like My touring with 12 volts I don't haft to worry much about blowing a bendix either ? turns over fast enough to start the truck with no problem. Preaching to the Choir. But If You have a starting problems. check connections and cable size first before getting too excited. and don't forget the 6 volt battery. Keep a good automatic battery maintainer on it during the winter and long storage.
My 2 cents worth maybe less.
I had a problem with My 6 volt 26 open express. it has always chugged and turned over slowly since I have owned it. But it got to turning over slower and slower and one day I started smelling electrical wire burning and it wouldn't turn over. Turns out the fix was simple the cure a little more work. The lock washer on the battery side of the starter switch bolt went flat losing its tension allowing the nut to loosen up. causing a poor connection and the wire & lug to get hot and burn the insulation and discolor them. further investigation discovered the battery to starter switch wire was a small gauge cable 12 volt wire and the original heavy duty cable was being used as a ground wire. adding about three feet of unneeded small gauge wire between the battery and starter switch. I cleaned up all the connections and cable lugs replaced the lock washers. tossed the 12 volt cable. swapped the long 35" heavy gauge cable from ground to hot side of the battery and built a new 10 inch ground wire out very heavy gauge wire. WoW what a difference instead of chug-----chug-----Chug-----Chug. it's now Chug-Chug-Chug-Chug a slight hesitation on compression stroke but not much. it's 95 degree's and the oil is warm but hopefully it will still crank ok in the dead of winter but maybe slower. I wanted to see how 6 volt starting worked when all the connections were good and the cables the proper gauge and length of wire. While it does not wind up like My touring with 12 volts I don't haft to worry much about blowing a bendix either ? turns over fast enough to start the truck with no problem. Preaching to the Choir. But If You have a starting problems. check connections and cable size first before getting too excited. and don't forget the 6 volt battery. Keep a good automatic battery maintainer on it during the winter and long storage.
My 2 cents worth maybe less.