The Ford Barn

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 12:50 PM

My '30 A coupe barely turns over & won't start. I have 6.12V at the battery. I pulled both battery terminals & cleaned them. Body Ground seems solid. Pulled starter & bench tested, works perfect. Next steps?

Canton_Model_A's · 07-01-2025, 12:58 PM

How hard is it to turn over with the crank?

Charlie Stephens · 07-01-2025, 01:44 PM

Are your cables large enough? 6 volts uses larger diameter cables. The ones for the auto parts store are sized for 12 volts.

Charlie Stephens

Canton_Model_A's · 07-01-2025, 01:56 PM

Can you tell if the cables have been replaced?

ronn · 07-01-2025, 02:40 PM

2nd ground to chassis?

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 03:03 PM

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Not any different than normal.

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

Are your cables large enough? 6 volts uses larger diameter cables. The ones for the auto parts store are sized for 12 volts.

Charlie Stephens

They are quite large. Not sure if they are original, but definitely are not 12V size. It ran perfectly fine for years. It just started acting up last Summer.

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronn

2nd ground to chassis?

Where is the seond ground? The one coming off the negative on the battery goes to the chassis behind the battery.

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canton_Model_A's

How hard is it to turn over with the crank?

Same as it has always been.

Y-Blockhead · 07-01-2025, 03:42 PM

Have you done a Load Test on your battery. It may be dying. Your favorite battery store should be able to check it for you.

Big hammer · 07-01-2025, 03:45 PM

Load test the battery. Local auto parts stores an do the test, most likely for free, less your labor of r&r the battery

I type slower than Y - blockhead :-(

john in illinois · 07-01-2025, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfairty1

Where is the seond ground? The one coming off the negative on the battery goes to the chassis behind the battery.

The positive terminal of battery should hook to chassis.

John

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john in illinois

The positive terminal of battery should hook to chassis.

John

Previous owner converted it to negative ground system.

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big hammer

Load test the battery. Local auto parts stores an do the test, most likely for free, less your labor of r&r the battery

I type slower than Y - blockhead :-(

I bet this is it! Will know tomorrow! Thanks!

nkaminar · 07-01-2025, 05:38 PM

It can only be the battery, the starter motor, the starter foot switch, the wires, or the connectors. Eliminate one at a time.

dfairty1 · 07-01-2025, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkaminar

It can only be the battery, the starter motor, the starter foot switch, the wires, or the connectors. Eliminate one at a time.

I have eliminated the rest, so battery it is! Will try a load test tomorrow!

Gary WA · 07-01-2025, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Have you done a Load Test on your battery. It may be dying. Your favorite battery store should be able to check it for you.

Agree! Load Test Battery!!! Easy things first!

ModelA29 · 07-01-2025, 11:06 PM

Harbor Freight has a cheap load tester. https://www.harborfreight.com/100-am...ter-61747.html
Also just don't check that the contacts to the frame and starter are tight. Take them apart and clean them with scotch bright. Corrosion can form between the dis similar metals increasing the resistance.

Marshall V. Daut · 07-02-2025, 05:15 AM

Before pulling the battery, turn on the headlights and activate the starter with the ignition OFF. Either you or someone stand in front of the car while this is going on and see if the headlights dim way down as the starter turns. A slight dimming is normal, but if the headlights do dim noticeably and the starter turns the engine over even slower, the battery probably is weak, as has been suggested. Other than problems with the starter itself, this condition could also be caused by a bad ground, although you stated you checked that. You have also verified that the cables are the correct thickness and not auto parts store thin 12-volt cables. With a 6-volt system, good grounds (ground strap and an auxiliary cable) and the correct gauge cables are absolutely essential, something that you might skimp by on using a 12-volt battery. A 6-volt system is less forgiving.
Follow "ModelA29's" suggestion for establishing a good ground to the frame and use an external star lock washer to dig into the crossmember metal. Even though the ground here may look good, the mating area on the crossmember must be shiny down to the metal. I've been fooled by an otherwise clean-looking ground here that affected the starter's operation. Re-check this area and make sure you have the correct braided heavy-duty ground strap and that it is not frayed or corroded from battery acid. Be especially critical where the woven strap enters the attaching end. Often the two are separating from age, battery acid or over-torquing the strap at an odd angle.
Although engine pans only peripherally assist in the electrical system's performance, it's one more area that Ford engineers designed to complete the electrical path throughout the car. I'm not saying a lack of engine pans will cause a starter to turn over slowly. I'm just adding that the engine pans were designed to assist in the overall charging health of a Model A.
Marshall

Bob Bidonde · 07-02-2025, 08:29 AM

Here is how to install a second ground to the battery.

07-01-2025, 12:50 PM	#1
dfairty1 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Kent, CT Posts: 24	'30 Model A barely turns over My '30 A coupe barely turns over & won't start. I have 6.12V at the battery. I pulled both battery terminals & cleaned them. Body Ground seems solid. Pulled starter & bench tested, works perfect. Next steps?

07-01-2025, 12:58 PM	#2
Canton_Model_A's Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Canton, Michigan Posts: 321	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over How hard is it to turn over with the crank? __________________ --------------------------------------- 1929 Model A Tudor - "Darla" '29 Model A: Old enough to start with a crank, young enough to steal the show! "Stay away from negative people, they have a problem for every solution" Model A Ford Club of America Model A Restorers Club Motor City A's Club

07-01-2025, 01:44 PM	#3
Charlie Stephens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 7,305	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Are your cables large enough? 6 volts uses larger diameter cables. The ones for the auto parts store are sized for 12 volts. Charlie Stephens

07-01-2025, 01:56 PM	#4
Canton_Model_A's Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Canton, Michigan Posts: 321	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Can you tell if the cables have been replaced? __________________ --------------------------------------- 1929 Model A Tudor - "Darla" '29 Model A: Old enough to start with a crank, young enough to steal the show! "Stay away from negative people, they have a problem for every solution" Model A Ford Club of America Model A Restorers Club Motor City A's Club

07-01-2025, 02:40 PM	#5
ronn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ Posts: 7,647	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over 2nd ground to chassis?

07-01-2025, 03:03 PM	#6
dfairty1 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Kent, CT Posts: 24	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Not any different than normal.

07-01-2025, 03:42 PM	#10
Y-Blockhead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 6,644	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Have you done a Load Test on your battery. It may be dying. Your favorite battery store should be able to check it for you.

07-01-2025, 03:45 PM	#11
Big hammer Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 3,430	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Load test the battery. Local auto parts stores an do the test, most likely for free, less your labor of r&r the battery I type slower than Y - blockhead :-( __________________ Don't force it with a little hammer tap, tap, tap get a bigger hammer tap done

07-01-2025, 05:38 PM	#15
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 5,855	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over It can only be the battery, the starter motor, the starter foot switch, the wires, or the connectors. Eliminate one at a time. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.

07-01-2025, 11:06 PM	#18
ModelA29 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,152	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Harbor Freight has a cheap load tester. https://www.harborfreight.com/100-am...ter-61747.html Also just don't check that the contacts to the frame and starter are tight. Take them apart and clean them with scotch bright. Corrosion can form between the dis similar metals increasing the resistance.

07-02-2025, 05:15 AM	#19
Marshall V. Daut Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 2,626	Re: '30 Model A barely turns over Before pulling the battery, turn on the headlights and activate the starter with the ignition OFF. Either you or someone stand in front of the car while this is going on and see if the headlights dim way down as the starter turns. A slight dimming is normal, but if the headlights do dim noticeably and the starter turns the engine over even slower, the battery probably is weak, as has been suggested. Other than problems with the starter itself, this condition could also be caused by a bad ground, although you stated you checked that. You have also verified that the cables are the correct thickness and not auto parts store thin 12-volt cables. With a 6-volt system, good grounds (ground strap and an auxiliary cable) and the correct gauge cables are absolutely essential, something that you might skimp by on using a 12-volt battery. A 6-volt system is less forgiving. Follow "ModelA29's" suggestion for establishing a good ground to the frame and use an external star lock washer to dig into the crossmember metal. Even though the ground here may look good, the mating area on the crossmember must be shiny down to the metal. I've been fooled by an otherwise clean-looking ground here that affected the starter's operation. Re-check this area and make sure you have the correct braided heavy-duty ground strap and that it is not frayed or corroded from battery acid. Be especially critical where the woven strap enters the attaching end. Often the two are separating from age, battery acid or over-torquing the strap at an odd angle. Although engine pans only peripherally assist in the electrical system's performance, it's one more area that Ford engineers designed to complete the electrical path throughout the car. I'm not saying a lack of engine pans will cause a starter to turn over slowly. I'm just adding that the engine pans were designed to assist in the overall charging health of a Model A. Marshall