Hard Starting Golden Jubilee

[Dusty Deere]

I have a Jubilee that is extremely hard to start in cold weather. I have to crank it several times, basically flooding the tractor before it will fire. When it is warm it starts like a champ. Drained the carburator once and a lot of junk came out, put seafoam carb cleaner and it runs really good. Any ideas what is causing the hard start when it is cold?

 

[Dell (WA)]

Dusty........enny time you have "starting issues" changer yer sparkies, NO ARGUE!!! Don't throw yer FLOODED sparkies away, just clean'n'dry them, one-atta-time in HOT running engine and save'um fer the next time. (and there will be a next time)

Recommend AutoLite 437's gapped 0.025"

Usually hard starting in cold is incorrect use of choke. Don't pull yer choke knobby until at least 2-rumpas and let the carb choke spring puller back in. Its like kickin' yer foot throttle in yer BelchFire-V8 first. Tractor carbs don't have accelerator squirt'ums, that is WHY you quick-pull AFTER 2-rumpas.

2nd cause of HARD STARTING is LOW compression. (worn engine) Ford specs: 90psi min Dry. ........Dell

 

[Dusty Deere]

Thanks for the great tips and info. I will try that trick the next time I get the cold weather starting. Compression is good on the tractor. Checked that before as I thought the same thing and compression tested the motor and got good compression readings back. Thanks again!

 

[Geo-TH,In]

My jubilee was converted to 12v. I pull the choke and crank it about 4 times. Get off the starter and it starts. Either the coil produces more spark when the starter isn't cranking. Or is it possible that the carb was designed to work when the tractor is hand cranked? Either way, try my technique works for my my tractor.

Some will say I have a battery issue, which I don't. I even modified the coil circuit to get full voltage when cranking.

Try different things and see what works for you.
George

 

[Dusty Deere]

Mine is also 12 volts but with a 6v coil. Do you have a 12v coil? How did you modify the coil to get full voltage when cranking? Thank you for the advice!

 

[GLC]

Also, make sure your points are good and set correctly.

 

[DustyDeere]

Points are gapped correctly and in good working order. Thank you!

 

[Geo-TH,In]

No, my coil has a ballast resistor. I modified my ignition circuit by connecting the +12v from the starter to a diode and then to the coil. Tractor still starts better after I get off the starter. Go figure. Try it and let me know if it works for you. I use full choke until the tractor starts, then go to half choke until it warms up.

 

[souNdguy]

what are points gapped at.

if using a 6v coil.. i'd get a ballast resistor with a temperature /resistance coeficient.. otherwise just use a 12v coil... a good machine should start without ignition bypass.

what's spark look like?

 

[DustyDeere]

I do have a ballastic resistor to the coil from the battery/ignition. I have a 12 volt coil I bought for the tractor but never put it on for fear I would have to change out the points and condensor at the distributor. Can you tell me if I would need to change points or the condensor? Also, the spark is strong as it starts well in warm weather even when it has been sitting for sometime with out running. Thank you again!

 

[souNdguy]

why would you have to change out points and condensor???

condensor insulation is good for a couple hundred volts.

points are a switch... you ever see a different part number for 6v, 8v or 12v points..

soundguy

 

[DustyDeere]

I didn't think so, but I wanted to make sure. Do the points need to regapped for the 12 volt coil? Thank you

 

[souNdguy]

you recall seeing any different gap specs?

think back to high school physics. what you have with a coil and spark plug is a spark gap. ie.. and air gap that a spark jumps. that air gap ( and atmospheric pressure, and makeup of the atmosphere at the gap, and air temp ) effects at what voltage the spark occurs. for instance. say you have your spark gap adjusted so that it takes 20000v to jump that gap under cyl pressure... what does that mean? that means that when the potential of 20kv builds up.. it jumps. it doesn't matter if your ignition system is capable of making 80kv, the spark jumps at the minimum kv necescary to jump the gap. that means that you MUST have that minimum kv to jump that gap. that means that primary voltage is more or less irrelevant to spark potential voltage as long as it is sufficient .. and you know if 6v is sufficient.. that 12v is going to be sufficient.

now.. for someone that had an engine that they increased the compression on, they would need a higher kv.. they could also increase the skark gap to increase kv.. if you had an 80kv capable system ( think gm/delco HEI ).. you could get away with a higher compression and higher spark gap and make use of some higher KV...

thus...

primary voltage is the only thing that changes when you change 6v to 12v. ( there are some wattage and current specs as well as the impeadance and dc resistance differences.. but unless you are a guy that speaks e=ir don't worry about it.


no.. noi pointsgap or spark plug gap change

soundguy

 

[DustyDeere]

Thank you sir for the detailed answer. I appreciate it. I will try that and let everyone know how it works out. Thanks again!

 

[36 Coupe]

Diodes have a voltage drop of .7 volts so you are putting a lower voltage to the coil during cranking.

 

[souNdguy]

good luck.. but you won't need it. should work fine as advertised.

soundguy

 

[Geo-TH,In]

12v minus 0.7v for the diode, minus the cranking voltage of perhaps 1 to 2 volts. The coil is still more voltage than it gets when the tractor is running with the ballast resistor.

I tend to think there is something to with the design of the side draft carb. Keep in mind the carb was designed for hand cranking and the slow cranking of a 6v battery.

All gas engines have their quirks when it comes to starting. My 13 hp honda pressure washer wants full choke and throttle set a an idle to start. 6.5 hp briggs wants full choke and full throttle to start. 20 hp kohler wants fast idle and pull the choke after 3 cranks and then get off the choke after one crank. My farmall C wants an idle and no choke. I could continue, my point is that all engines have their quirks when it comes to starting.. go figure why.