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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Slow cranking when engine is warm

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Slow cranking when engine is warm     jyakel 09-25-2022 @ 4:01 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 79 Joined: Oct 2014 Gentlemen, I need your best advice. I have a 1950 Ford Custom Fordor, 6V system, with a flathead V8 3 speed tranny with overdrive. When starting the engine cold (1st start of the day) the engine starts fine. By fine I mean the typical slow 6V starter speed starting the engine. However, warm starts the starter labors like it is starved for power. I cleaned the battery terminals and that helped a little, but not much. The battery terminals showed no corrosion. The NAPA 6V battery is about 7 years old but still tests at 6.24 volts. When the engine is running the battery is getting about 7.24 volts from the generator. A few years ago I took the starter to a local starter/alternator shop and had new brushes installed. It bench tested just fine. So, what is going on? What do I need to do? Any help will be greatly appreciated. John sarahcecelia 09-25-2022 @ 5:48 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1193 Joined: Mar 2013 Make sure the the cables to the solenoid, and the one from it to the starter are approximately 1/2 inch at their outer diameter. If not, buy the ones needed that are not. Also clean all 6 contacts; battery (3), solenoid (2), and starter (1). You might just have just enough resistance to make the starter turn slowly.It is also agood idea to make certain the your starter is grounded. I've heard that Some people add a ground cable from the starter bolt that mounts it to the bell housing,and the other end to a good ground! Regards, Steve Lee This message was edited by sarahcecelia on 9-25-22 @ 5:51 PM Robert/Texas 09-26-2022 @ 5:24 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 108 Joined: Dec 2009 I have Optima 6 volt batteries in my old Fords. They crank the engines a lot faster than the wet cell batteries do and last a lot longer. jyakel 09-26-2022 @ 6:06 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 79 Joined: Oct 2014 Steve and Robert, Thank you. All good advice here. I only checked the battery terminals I did not look at the starter solenoid or starter, but I can do that. Robert, the Optima battery, that's the one that looks like a 6 pack of Coke right? John pauls39coupe 09-26-2022 @ 8:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 205 Joined: Jul 2014 You need to check your battery under load. A seven year old wet cell is probably at the end of its useful life. 6.24 volt may drop to 3.5-4v or less when cranking a warm engine. Have it load tested then go with the Optima as has been suggested. sarahcecelia 09-26-2022 @ 8:22 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1193 Joined: Mar 2013 I have 6 volt battery in my '50 Crestliner and it cranks like champ-even after it sits for weeks! Of course I keep a 6 volt "Battery Tender" on it all of the time!I keep them on all of my classic cars! (3 of them) Regards, Steve Lee Robert/Texas 09-27-2022 @ 5:02 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 108 Joined: Dec 2009 Yes the Optima battery is ugly. The one I have in my '37 Ford is disguised by a cover that I bought on eBay some years ago. It looks like a wet cell battery without any brand name on it. I put a Ford logo decal on it but I don't think that would fool anyone here. jyakel 09-28-2022 @ 2:41 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 79 Joined: Oct 2014 Gentlemen, I may have a 12V battery cable for my positive ground, not a 6V one. How do I find out the gauge of the battery cable? A 6V battery cable would be a gauge 0 correct? John sarahcecelia 10-01-2022 @ 5:56 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1193 Joined: Mar 2013 The ground cable is a flat one; it is a steel mesh. Look on the parts vedors and you'll see the right one for the ground with 6 volts. Regards, Steve Lee jyakel 10-07-2022 @ 5:57 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 79 Joined: Oct 2014 Slow cranking problem solved! Here is what I did: 1. I took my battery to NAPA for a load test. It tested okay under load but the battery case was swollen in some places and the battery was 7 years old. So new NAPA battery (not an Optima unfortunately). 2. I look my battery cables and starter cable to a local place, Joseph Wade & Co., that makes cables, hoses, and hydraulic cylinders and more. I had them make me new ones in gauge 00 size. I found that I had gauge 1 size on my Ford when I bought it. Wow, what a difference. I now have plenty of 6V cranking power. I did not go with the flat steel mesh ground which would probably be period correct for my '50 Ford. But I am happy with the results. I now have a safe, reliable weekend driver. Thanks for your help everyone. John

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