Carrier Battery

[Tom Millward]

Hello to all,

I have just picked up my new Mk1* Carrier after it's trip from New Zealand. I have a few things to tune up and would appreciate some advice from the collective experience of the group. The first thing though is that I need a new battery. I thought the old battery from my Wife's Discovery would do, but it could barely turn the engine!

What size battery do you guys use in your Carriers, in terms of Cold Cranking Amps. Unfortunately my local battery shop couldn't give any advice, as they don't get many requests Ford Flat head V8s

[ajmac]

Tom,
If everything is original it will be 6 volt, rather than 12 volt. Personally if you have a few pounds to spend I would fit a modern geared high torque starter and a 12v system which will mean tweaking the dynamo and ignition..talking of which, again I’d go modern and fit electronic ignition. It might sound like cheating, but if you want to enjoy the vehicle and not hate it it’s worth considering a few discrete upgrades. This of course is just my opinion.

[Tom Millward]

Hello Alastair,

Mine has already been converted to 12V, but the electronic ignition sounds like a good option. Do you know where to get an ignition unit and high torque starter?

Mine is misfiring when under load on the turns at the moment, so I am suspecting ignition, or fuel mixture, or just plain inexperienced driving!

[Richard Salter]

Hi Tom
Try O Niel's vintage ford they do every thing V8 Ford/Flathead they on the web

Thanks
Richard

[RichardT10829]

IMHO you don't need a high torque starter.....

if you want to go electronic ignition you need to consider what distributor you have fitted. My last engine I removed the divers helmet distributor and used a crab style one instead.

I then used the Pertronix kit which IMHO are the best on the market.

Contact Jim Turnbull at Royal Kustoms in Poole.... very very very clued up on these engines.


As for your battery, I converted my carrier from 6V + earth to 12V - earth. Some creative wiring was required to make my switch panel and gauges all work as they are 6v.

misfire could be any number of reasons, timing being just one of them.



Cheers

Richie

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Tom.
argree with Ajmac and Richard.
Pertronix. A 6 volt starter on 12 volt is fine, but I hear they can blow the drive to bits. I am running mine as standard, but there is a modern replacement available from Macs that is supposed to be reliable. Sorry I cant suggest a particular battery size.

[Andrew Rowe]

We have never had any " blow to Bits". You may get an odd time the bendix spring on the end crack, and you can easily replace this. Ford 6volt Starter
motors will only destroy themselves from driver abuse, ie holding your finger on the button for a very excessive time, and being impatient with starting procedures, Cheers Andrew.

[Jim Burrill]

Had two restored Mk1's and a Mk2. In all three, I kept the original 6v battery and lamps, starter, generator, cut-off, etc, but added a 12v in the Wireless battery Box,a nd a 6v solenoid to the engine compartment wall. and then disconnected the heavy gauge wire from starter button (mk1) to the starter, and instead, ran a thinner gauge wire (18Ga?) from the starter button to the 6v solinoid. That then passed 12 v directly to the battery to the starter only.

Spun the starter like a top! No damage to starter and I could take a 12v jump from modern cars and other vintage that ran 12v.

Only downside is that the 12v was not in any charging circuit. I would use a charger before the event to top it off. I always took a spare 12v to events that was also the same size as all the other 12v we used, so we could swap around and know they would fit.

The Mk2 was similar, but simpler - just a new heavy cable from the 12v battery to the 6v starter, and then used the manual starter lever.

In all cases, used a quick disconnet terminal connection.

[Mike Gurr]

My No2 Mk 2* is still on the standard 6v system throughout using an Optima battery which all works fine. It turns over quickly and smoothly and starts well. The advantage of staying standard is that all the instruments , lights and gauges work without any need to start changing the electrics. My advice (personal opinion based on my vehicle only) is that if the wiring and starter etc are all in good condition there is no reason not to remain all original.
Electronic ignition my be of benefit to avoid having to muck about with points but I would still remain with 6v.

[Russell Boaler]

Tom, if you're already running on 12 volts then the engine should turn over quickly with any healthy 12 battery. Have you been through and checked that you haven't got a bad connection on one of the battery leads or earths somewhere?