35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

Any experience with improvements by switching from a 6 volt battery to an 8 volt battery on a 35 pickup ?. Better starting,etc ??.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

There have been several past threads on this topic, most negative.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

You will get a more lively starter action about as good as a optima but the same can be achieved with larger cables ,you may blow bulbs but you can use your 6 volt generator .I am converting one now from 8 to 12 since the customer wants it due to the cost of battery's ,I am using the 6to 12 cut out

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

6 volts is just fine. You need clean connections and grounds and LARGE cables. Makes a huge difference.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

A lot of folks go looking for a replacement starter or battery cable and they end up with the easiest thing to find which is usually some kind of aftermarket cable that is made to work with 12-volt systems. I find this stuff on 6-volt systems quite often. Ford likely used a relatively decent 2-AWG (American Wire Gauge) back in the day. Getting 150 amps to a starter depends on well insulated and clean copper wire conductor and the gauge depends on the current drawn and the length of the wire. The longer the wire, the larger the AWG size is needed to carry it. Some folks use up to 00-AWG wire which is pretty big stuff. A system will likely only need 0-AWG wire to have a safety factor and account for some deterioration and tarnish on the copper over time. If you have a modified car with the battery in the trunk the you would need 00-AWG size cable due to the distance to the trunk.

A lot of folks just need the correct cable for there battery and starter to keep the system functional for a long time. Using an 8-Volt battery is a waste of time in my book. Adjusting a 3-brush to put out more amps is easy but adjusting it to put out more voltage is not so easy. Later 2-brush generators with 3-pole voltage regulators can be adjusted up to 9+ volts but that is pushing the VR to its limits. It's easier to get the right cables than it is to jack with the system voltage.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

Jakno, I agree with rotorwrench 100%. All good information.
And just as an aside, there are quite a few newbie jury-rig modifications out there, but the 8Volt mod tops the list to get sneers, guffaws, and just plain polite silence at most any Thursday night drive-in car show you can find. I know you don't want that to happen!

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

A lot of people change to 8 volt because they have no idea how to get the 6 volt system working correctly and the reasons are about the same as why they change to 12 volt ,I say all power to them if it keeps there car on the road ,Also there are far more 12 volt accessorys available and more likely to be available on the side of the road .A man came into my shop with a overheating 38

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

Thanks everyone for the advice. I currently do have 00copper battery cables but will go back over them and check all connections to be clean and tight. With your help we'll get to where we need to be.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

Great Plan, also double check and make sure you have all the correct grounding spots and they are clean and secure too

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

Not sure if you have a 6 volt radio in your truck, but I think an 8 volt battery will "fry" it. Agree with all advice above. Clean up your grounds and you should be very happy with the results!

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

While you are checking all of the connections it would be a good idea to apply a light coat of grease to each connection. Also be sure that the starter it self has a clean ground. Additional grounding can help if it is not already present.

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

rockfla, when you refer to correct grounding spots are they places such as , engine to frame, etc ?. I also need to make sure as rotorwrench points out that all cables and connections are sized to handle 150 Amps

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

All of this battery/cable/ connection information is indeed very good--However, your ignition components must be properly matched and in good condition--If not, no matter how well the engine turns over, especially when hot, you will continue to have poor starting--

Re: 35 pickup 8Volt battery
 

A lot of hype over nothing.. I lived in Eastern Idaho for many years until the mid 1950's when I bailed for California.
I used an 8v battery in my 36 for years. The only alterations I had to make to the vehicle was to adjust the voltage regulator up to 8+v in lieu of 6+v. I had converted the generator to a two brush '39 with a regulator in 1952.
Never had a problem with bulbs, heater or original radio. The Harmon-Collins ignition in my car was not effected by the added voltage.
The added power, volts, etc., were a big help in sub zero temps.