Ac WD45 starting

I may need another coffee to clear my head.  I am not following how you have 12 volts at the starter unless you wired the two six-volt batteries in series.  If both batteries are wired to the starter they would be parallel and still only provide six volts at the starter (with greater CCA available from the combined two batteries).  If wired in series it doesn't seem it would charge both batteries or work properly as a straight six-volt system.  Do you have a 6/12 series parallel switch?

AC WD45 wrote: My 57 WD45 has a D17 kit. Still on the factory 6v system. The solution was to add a second 6v battery in a WC box on the frame rail where it would go on the WC. The holes are already there IIRC. We wired that battery to the starter. This gives the starter 12v when cranking and that tractor will fire off on the coldest day of the year. Cranks over nice and quick. 3 or 4 turns sometimes less and it fires.

If you truly have 12 volts to the starter that means you have the batteries wired in series (6 + 6 = 12), this also means you are trying to charge this 12 volt combined battery with a 6 Volt generator.

Unless, as was mentioned above, you have a 6/12 parallel switch, but if it is wired correctly it will then switch back to the equivalent of one big 6 Volt battery and will charge it as such.

You can put 16 6V Batteries in that Tractor, but if the Starter is completely shot it's gonna draaaaaag or do nothing!  As far as the cost of rebuilt Starters, it greatly depends on the Starter type and design. For a 6V Starter rebuild say for a B,C,CA Tractor, I charge $285. And that's with all new components, rewound Armature in it for a little more torque, and a new switch to boot.  For a few more bucks, I can set it up with a Starter solenoid getting rid of that PIA mechanical switch.  Different Starters have different components inside em'. so rebuilding prices vary. Also, it depends on what condition the Starter motor is in as well. Probably the hardest part of the whole thing now a days is finding a shop that still does a great job and does it right. Us older dudes are retiring or passing. I'm still hanging in there yet, but one day I"ll be hanging it up as well.

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Talking about 55' Fords with 6V systems, Jo Jo's T-bird was 6V with vacuum wipers. Wow, all that had ta' go. I wound up wiring that vehicle Headlight to Tailight and installing an electric wiper motor in the middle. Upgrade the blower motor to a 56' T-Bird motor (12V)  The main reason I did that is so I don't have to chase after her if she breaks down.  It also has disc brakes up front so it stops for the Deer around here, and an O.D. tranny in it out of a 86' T-Bird to cruise down the highways.  Oh yeah, and a Pertronix E.I. too!  That thing runs sweet!

Sometimes you're better off purchasing a new Starter if its available than trying to rebuild the original. All depends, on application, availability the individual that owns the vehicle, and the shop doing the work. Every year it gets tougher and tougher to get quality parts for these rebuilds. Its a good thing I bought inventory from old electrical shops years ago that closed up with this old stuff, so I have a little bit of inventory of parts myself. I don't have everything though that's fir' sure!

Steve@B&B