I have an original 39 Pontiac coupe with original 6 volt stuff. I bought a new battery from NAPA, but they said they had little demand for them so had to order from their warehouse to get it. I have no 6 volt experience, but I know the weak voltage is why everyone swaps to 12 volt. I want to keep six volt, but question how good the battery I was given is, even though it was new. I can only crank the car about 20-30 revolutions before the battery runs out of juice. No big deal when the car is warm because it starts right away. When I first crank it takes a while to build fuel into the carb. Now I cannot get the car started without being hooked to a battery charger. Is that just 6 volt, meaning you only get about 30 revolutions before dead, or do I have a weak battery?
The only way I know of to positively prove the output of a battery is a load test. Most auto shops and parts stores will load test a battery for free. The battery needs to be fully charged before the test.
The problem with 6 volt systems is that they are extremely sensitive to dirty connections and bad grounds. To work well, all connections need to be very clean. In my experience, a good 6 volt system will actually crank the engine longer (but slower) than a 12 volt system before it begins to slow down.
You might also try a different battery charger, especially if the one you are using is a newer one. Seems like battery chargers made in the last few years barely work at all...but that's a subject for another thread.
I get my 6v batteries from tractor supply company.. sounds like you got a weak battery... my '51 Chevy often has to crank 20-30 times to start after it's been sitting for a few months, but the battery always has some life to spare
When I first crank it takes a while to build fuel into the carb. Now I cannot get the car started without being hooked to a battery charger. Is that just 6 volt, meaning you only get about 30 revolutions before dead, or do I have a weak battery?
You have some other issues that need to be addressed- IF- the car's not starting right up after sitting for a short time- like overnight or even a couple days.
In that short length of time, there should be no need to crank the engine over more than a couple revolutions before it catches.
If the engine isn't starting easily, there are several things it might be- but the first thing I would want to know is whether or not the choke is working- and if you know how to set it, if it is.
I'm not just blowing smoke here- my avatar is my DD '40 Pontiac that we had for YEARS.
You are right about other issues. The fuel line evaporates back to the pump, so when the vehicle sits for a long time it has to pump about two feet of fuel line. Whenever fuel is in the line, it starts right away. If it sits 3 months then it has to crank 20 times. Today I drove it the longest ever. Put about 40 miles on it and all was fine except the brake lights went out again. That a whole different issue from the battery.
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