[AT] Starting Problem - Allis B

[Francis Robinson]

	Check the grounds...
	Check the grounds...
	Check the grounds...

	It could be a bad starter but maybe not.
	As I recall that starter mounts with a big setscrew and a locknut. My C
develops a ground weakness between the starter and the bell-housing now and
then. Usually pulling the starter out of its hole and cleaning all
contacting surfaces takes care of it. You can also disassemble that manual
starter switch under the starter and clean the contacts.
	Don't forget to check the tractor end of the ground strap. Also it could be
a bad inner surface in the battery end cable clamp. There is an action that
occurs which I can't explain but maybe someone else can. This action leaves
a surface on the inside of the terminal (and sometimes on the post) that is
like a different hard metal that is not a good conductor. I'm not talking
about just corrosion. This seems a little like the process they used to use
on the old aluminum block Chevy Vega's where they used process to remove the
soft material of the cylinder walls to leave a hard silicon? Surface a few
thousands thick. They then ran the pistons directly against the hard
material instead of sleeving. When that hard surface forms inside of a lead
terminal it is usually too hard to remove with a wire brush. I have a
tapered reamer made for battery terminals to clean them up to a new surface.
Hopefully someone else can explain this action better than I can. BTW, More
recently I have been buying all brass battery terminals and I like them a
"LOT" better.
	A trick I learned from a young mechanic some years ago was to go all over
spraying a tiny bit of WD-40 on each connection on the engine. Then when you
put the load on it any weak connection will smoke. Simple trick, but I have
found a lot of bad connections that looked good by doing that. I found one
like that on my old 4x4 truck last week on the starter side of the solenoid.
Actually I think I was using PB-Blaster then.
	I just bought  a  very nice well cared for 1999 8 passenger Chevy Astro
about a week ago to replace the 1975 WUV. I had the hood up and was looking
around. I can't claim to have actually seen it but logic tell me that there
absolutely must be an engine in there somewhere...   ;-)


--
"farmer"

The brave may not live forever but the easily frightened may never live at
all.

Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net

-----Original Message-----

Guys,

I have an Allis B that I'm having a problem starting.  The other weekend I
put in a battery and its spun it over and almost caught a few times.  Then
it gave up and so did the battery, actually the battery wouldn't turn it
over anymore nor on another tractor.

Anyway, I just got one battery charge which is a minor feat lately.  Anyway,
I used the battery to get a MH Pacer started and running.  Turned it over
fine.  Put the same battery in the Allis and it just fizzles.  You can here
the starter trying to do something but it just gets hot.   So I tried a 12
volt on the same tractor, same problem sits and fizzles.  So I took the 6v I
had just tried in the Allis (and had started the Pacer) and put it in my JD
40S.  Started it right up.

Ok, do I have a bad starter?  Anything I can try?  Suggestions?

LeRoy