Trainzkid - thank you, I'll have a look at the Optima Redtops for sure.  Compact is definitely better.

You are right I'm sure about having the pony motor.  I just checked with the seller and the pony was working and has no major problems, probably just needs a service, perhaps new spark plug and some electrical set up again.  So yes I will do that in due course and have it there as a back up.

Hi Keloz, thank you for the description of your dozer - incidentally I just had an offer yesterday of an old D6 that is "broken", hasn't run for about 10 years. No idea of age and condition yet.  So your knowledge of that machine may come in handy!

That is good to know about the glow plugs.  The seller currently just tow starts the grader when they need to use it, so it sounds like it's not averse to starting cold, but I'm sure that glow plugs would help.

That's nice too that you have the 24 volt generator - makes everything much easier!

they might be towing it with the de-compressor released and thus are building heat that way.

clean the carb, fuel tank and the mag points probably all thats wrong with it. todays fuel is just rubbish and loses its omph very quickly.

I dare say that you are right about that Trainzkid. 

I might get the mechanic to take a look at the pony motor as well then.  As you said, makes a good back up.  If it's good, then who knows, I might just end up using that.

Has anyone seen this solution for a 24 volt alternator conversion? It seems like the logical way to go about it, but would the alternator work at the same RPM as the original generator?

www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=12421

Dates back to the late 90's and I can't see any other references to it online.

trainzkid88 wrote:

they might be towing it with the de-compressor released and thus are building heat that way.
 

When you tow start a vehicle you can spin the engine much much faster than using the starter motor or pilot motor.

I read a lot on these forums about how important it is for a pilot motor to be used to preheat the engine and to build up oil pressure but if the engine is in good condition then they are quite capable of starting without a pilot motor. Oil pressure builds up the same as any later electric start engine. Obviously in a cold climate a preheat method would be important.

My father used to park his D8 15A on a hill and reverse down the hill to run start it. Started it that way for twenty years or more with no damage to the engine. Never needed ether to start.
Having said that though, my D6 5R would not start using batteries only with the pilot motor but that is because it needs a set of rings. I also have an International tractor that you can tow around all day and it will not start unless you use the glow plugs.

I was told by my TAFE teacher that one of the reasons that alternators were invented was due to the fact that generators do not charge at low revs and people driving short distances were flattening batteries. I would assume that an alternator that fits in the same place as the generator and runs at the same speed would be more efficient than the generator especially if the alternators rated output is much higher than the generator

Hi John, yes from research it seems that alternators make peak output at around 6000 rpm.  I don't know what the minimum is though.