[AT] 8-volt batteries in 6-volt tractors

[Greg Hass]

Basically, I agree with what everyone has said so far, including keeping a 
tractor in tip-top starting condition.  However, there are exceptions to 
every rule and one of the exceptions is bad engineering on certain 
tractors.  An example is the Super-C we had when I was growing up.  We 
tried everything, including having a third bearing installed in the center 
of the starter.  It must have started when it was new, but I was too young 
to remember.  The last 5 years we owned it we crank-started it.  Some might 
say, had we fixed the proper things it might have started like it started 
when it was new.  However, (at least in our area) the Cs, 200s, 230s, and 
340s all had a reputation of not starting on 6-volts.  If it had not been a 
problem M&W would not have made an after-market gear reduction system for 
those starters.  We had our tractor before 12-volt conversions were popular.

I have a 574 diesel which I have owned for 33 years and for 29 of those 
years it would not start without ether below 60 degrees, even though it had 
a 1000 amp battery.  This same battery will easily start the 706 diesel 
engine in my combine in almost any weather.  The solution recommended by a 
neighbor and our local starter repair shop was to use two 12-volt batteries 
hooked in parallel.  Now it will start down to freezing on the second turn 
with no ether.  Just plain bad engineering, as my brother bought a 584 with 
the very same engine, but it is equipped with a different style starter 
which rolls it over twice as fast with the same battery.  We had an M and a 
350 which started just fine on 6-volts even though we had had them many years.

Greg Hass
Bad Axe, MI
floating out into Lake Huron on Michigan's Thumb