Not enough information. Are we dealing with a 6 volt battery here? If so, battery terminal voltage will be around 4.5-5.0 volts during cranking. As soon as the generator starts charging, the voltage should rise to 6.5-7.0 volts within a few seconds, and after several minutes of running at a fast idle, the voltage should stabilize at about 7.5V.
If you've got a foot-stomp starter, press the pedal and crank the engine with the ignition off for 15 seconds, and check the battery voltage while the engine is still turning. It should not drop below 4.5 volts during the test. Do not repeat the high-load test more than once every 30 minutes or so- - - -a starter runs in a virtual dead short condition, and it needs at least 20 minutes of cool down time after 30 seconds of continuous operation.
The best way to check your battery for full charge is to use a hydrometer on the electrolyte. Full charge specific gravity should be approximately 1.265. If the specific gravity is below 1.250, the battery needs recharging. Test all the cells- - - -the acid concentration should be approximately equal on all of them, within 10 points or so.
If the starter is refusing to crank, or doing so intermittently after a thorough cleanup of the cables and using a fully-charged battery, the problem is internal to the starter. Take it off the engine and find someone competent to rebuild it.
I have made the above reccomendations many times, and most people ignore me. This is the way I taught battery servicing and starting system diagnosis for 30+ years, and I can assure you the system works. Good luck!
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 04/13/2014 5:02 AM.
