This is the odd contraption that is on my grader

Thread: Electric start pony...why?

Its easy, and some these ponys need compression brought up by the extra spinning to START.

My old shoulders are happy using electric start ponys!

Today I went out and started my tractor again. The pony was being difficult. I think maybe the cylinders were a bit too wet. It just didn't want to start with all the pulling I was doing.

I think, maybe, if I spend a little more time letting the cylinders dry out maybe I would have gotten it to start, but I ended up doing something different.

I have a 24v starter for direct starting the diesel, but I can be lazy when it comes to carrying and hooking up the batteries. Pulling a rope a few times can be easier than carrying two 70+lb batteries.

So, I lugged my batteries onto the fender and hooked them up. I engaged the pinion and engaged the pinion clutch. Made sure the diesel was decompressed. Then cranked the starter to start my pony. It worked.

I then let the pony do it's thing to start the diesel.

I don't know if I'd make a habit of starting the pony in such a way, but I wonder what peoples thoughts are on "that" way of electric starting the pony?

It sort of seems like a best of both worlds to electric start the diesel and the pony with one starter. Though I wonder if there is significant wear risks or if the minimal amount of time it would crank to start the pony would even matter as far as wear?

Anyways, I do see how electric start can assist with a pony that chooses to be stubborn for no good reason.

I've heard of dat but I wouldn't do dat

I have heard of pull starting the main and using the running engine to start the pony. The guy who told me said "it grinds like hell but you can get in gear."

I wouldn't do dat either

What is the purpose of starting the pony motor after the main is running???? I agree with d2gary "I wouldn't do dat" Maybe a $37.000 surgery and nine month recovery will convince folks how easy it to push a button and start the pony motor. My father found joy in making everything he did difficult and the more people that he involved in his difficulty the better he liked it. Seems it was his way of punishing people for trying to help him. I never understood. bboaz

"8C wrote:

I have heard of pull starting the main and using the running engine to start the pony. The guy who told me said "it grinds like hell but you can get in gear."

I only indecent such as this, was told to me by a trucker pumping fertilizer into my storage tank. As a young man he worked for a Allis Chalmers farmer and had run AC crawlers. They borrowed the neighbors Cat with pony could not get the pony to run after a lot cussing and rope pulling. So tow started it. But the operator was still up set and wanted the pony to run. So attempted to use diesel to start pony. Ended with many broken parts and a very large repair bill. So may be much more than "it grinds like hell but you can get in gear".



So BigAgCat have you figured why electric starter on a pony is handy some days???

If he grind when you try to start you should have the brake or the collar worn

BigAgCat;241942 wrote:

Today I went out and started my tractor again. The pony was being difficult. I think maybe the cylinders were a bit too wet. It just didn't want to start with all the pulling I was doing.

I think, maybe, if I spend a little more time letting the cylinders dry out maybe I would have gotten it to start, but I ended up doing something different.

When my 4R pony doesn't start by the 3rd or 4th pull I've learned to clean the spark plugs. starts 1st pull after cleaning.