[TR] TR 2/3 Issues pt2

[Randall]

>   What are the pros and cons of the high torque starter?

The only "cons" I know of are non-originality, and that it doesn't sound
like a TRactor motor cranking anymore.  With the rising note of the gear
whine, it sounds more like a jet engine spooling up!

I opted to keep the original solenoid on the firewall functional, but did
not route the new starter current through it.  Instead, the old solenoid
only supplies current to the new solenoid (which also keeps the pushbutton
on the dash from having to handle the higher current of the new solenoid).

> Would a high torque starter help with the starting in the cold?

Honestly, I never had any trouble with the original starter in the cold, as
long as I had a big, beefy battery well charged (100 AH Group 27 plus a 60
amp Ford alternator; car would start even when more modern cars wouldn't).
I would guess that your old starter has been sick for a long time (it's a
4-pole motor, so if there is one broken connection or bad brush, it will
still 'kind of' work on the other pair of poles).

But the gear-drive starter will do a lot better with a marginal battery,
cold or hot.  Draws less current too, which should lead to longer battery
life (for a daily driver).

Make sure which flywheel you have (you should be able to see the bolts for
the ring gear through the starter hole) and be sure to get the matching
starter.  Only the number of gear teeth is different between the 'early' and
'late' gear-drive starter.

Randall