Hello All
Over the weekend, I tried to start my 6v 356 for the 1st time after being off the road for 16 years and a full resto. I had (what I think is ) a good battery in it but the starter is cranking very slow. So I tried putting a used 12V in tandem by connecting the 12v to the 6v battery using jump leads. Again, cranking very slow. What should I do? The engine is full reco'd but not the starter. Could it be the starter? Should I connect the battery directly to the starter to eliminate any problems with the wiring? How?
Thanks in advance
Raf

It sounds totally rooted! I think I'll have to help here, by taking it to the dump for you ...Don't worry about thanking me, thats what forum buddies are for

Wheres the motor in a car or on the floor or what.:duh

Check that the earth strap is tight and clean, and that all power cable joints between battery, ignition and starter are tight and clean.

If that doesnt help, then it sounds like the starter.

OF course, this is assuming you are confident in the state of the battery - there is not a lot of margin in a 6V system - maybe stick the battery on charge overnight and try again ?

Engine in car. I tried all of the above already. All connections are clean. Strap from body to g/b is there and clean but I am still unable to get it to crank fast enough. I did some testing with my voltmeter. Battery terminals showing 6v (no load) and showing about 5.5 at coil. Under load, the battery terminals are showing under 5v and about 3.5v at starter. So I am assuming I will never start a new (tight) engine with 3.5v at starter.
I am going to stick a 12v battery in it tomorrow. I will keep everything off. I was told the worst it can happen is blow the instrument globes, correct? No harm to relays or coil?

You may blow your 6v regulator Raf!

Make sure you connect the 12v battery to the 6v one and dont just install the 12v one.

Steve

Hey Raf, I've still got my 6V battery and starter(vw) if thats any use to you...

what ive doen with the t34 is to have a 12v battery wired to the 6v with an isolator switch. i know youve said youve tried this, but use the isolator switch. for me it is rare the 6v can kick the car over ( always i try and sometimes it does), but i use the 12v to start and then as soon as start i switch off the isolator and the car runs on the 6v system fine.

first up, look at your jumper leads. if you paid less than $50 for them throw them in the bin. Most cheap jumper leads are made from shit wire and half the time when they crimp the alligator handles onto the wire they do so through the plastic insulation, and the contact point is absolutely shithouse.

a short term solution is to cut the leads, bare back the ends and solder them with a propane torch to the handles.

if that's all ok, wind the motor over by hand to make sure it isnt rust in the bores or something causing you trouble. Also, connect the leads straight to the starter (+) and motor (-) not straight to the battery. sometimes the contacts under all the battery wires are crap with age.

oh, and get the battery load tested. batteries we "think" are ok, usually arent.

Tx all, still fiddling around with it. 2G what's an isolator switch? Chris is your 6v battery any good?
Cheers

its a switch that stops the current. i got mine from supacheap when i got the battery cables to connect to the other battery. comes witha key taht you turn and can remove.

[Edited on 24/11/2004 by twoguns]

it was fine last time i touched it - about a year ago. If you charged it up, I dont see why it wouldn't perform...

I'd be sus on a battery that's sat for a year myself...

you still got the 6V charger Raf? give it a punch and see how ya go if ya want...

OK, I managed to get the car started. If you are interested, the problem was a combination of poorlyvcharged battery and lack of petrol in the carbies after the engine beenvsitting for 3 months.
Anyway, it started this morning but the generator light stays on, brightvred. Now keep in mind, this car just came off a full resto so the problemvcan be anywhere. It could be a faulty generator, faulty regulator, wrongvwiring (at the generator or the combo gauge) or even a faulty gauge.
Unlikely to be the last one because the battery actually went dead after thevengine ran for 5 minutes so its not charging. Where do I start? Should Ivstart the car again then put my voltmeter across the + & - on the generator?
Will this tell me if the generator is operational? If its ok, then how do I test the regulator?
Thanks
Raf

OK, I managed to get the car started. If you are interested, the problem was a combination of poorly charged battery and lack of petrol in the carbies after the engine been sitting for 3 months.
Anyway, it started this morning but the generator light stays on, bright red. Now keep in mind, this car just came off a full resto so the problem can be anywhere. It could be a faulty generator, faulty regulator, wrong wiring (at the generator or the combo gauge) or even a faulty gauge.
Unlikely to be the last one because the battery actually went dead after the engine ran for 5 minutes so its not charging. Where do I start? Should I start the car again then put my voltmeter across the + & - on the generator?
Will this tell me if the generator is operational? If its ok, then how do I test the regulator?
Thanks
Raf

RAf,

If you want me to take a pic of the regulator on my 356 so you can cross reference the wiring I can. Five mins to flatten a battery sounds a bit suss to me. I drive from Nambucca Heads to Sydney with a duff generator and the red light on, and I used the sidelights from 80kms from home.

I would elimate as much wiring as possible and then work back from there. Disconnect the regulator and the main feed to the harness and just supply a positive to the starter and to the coil and start it up with a switched wire going between the positive battery and the solenoid.

I reckon it should run for a couple of hours set up like this.

You can get your generator rebuilt for 12v for about $350 and use a beetle 12v starter if you want to go 12v on your 356.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Mate, the battery was a bit dodgy to start with so I am not surprised it was flat after 5 minutes. Here is a pic of the regulator before I stuck the engine in. I am seriously considering 12v now but I will at least drive the car for a week or 2 with 6v to see what its like.

Here is another with it fully wired

push start..... u will get fit

Charged the battery again and started the car. As soon as I disconnect the -ve battery lead, the engine dies. Is the generator cactus then?