Tractor Starter Life ?

[Stocker Steve]

Its is -26 this AM and I think I lost the starter on the FEL tractor. How long does a starter last for you? Do you see a lot of problems with remans? Do you see a lot of problems with the dinky starters on 5 series JDs?

 

[M-5]

Pull the end cap on the starter. They get fouled up with dust dirt and oil and it does not allow the brushes to make good contact. If that's not it the solenoid is most likely gone. A rebuild shop will fix it a lot quicker and cheaper than a new one or reman .

 

[Caustic Burno]

Its is -26 this AM and I think I lost the starter on the FEL tractor. How long does a starter last for you? Do you see a lot of problems with remans? Do you see a lot of problems with the dinky starters on 5 series JDs?

I have a 77 Massey still on the one that came on it. Alternators have given me a lot of problems through the years.

 

[Atimm693]

We have a Valtra 8350 with 5200 hours on the clock, original starter.

Climate and use will make the life expectancy vary a lot.. A field tractor in southern Kansas that works 10hr non-stop days will get a lot more life out of a starter than a loader tractor in Minnesota.

 

[Nesikep]

Our Massey 165 (1972?) has the original starter on it.. So does our Ford County from 1964, but it did get new brushes

Some remans are good, some are junk.. On our chevy truck the reman starter didn't last a year before the brush end bushing piled up.. I modified the cap and put a ball bearing on it, been good for 7 years since!

 

[Banjo]

I'm beginning to think I may have starter issues on my Mahindra. Been having trouble starting it in this cold weather even after being plugged up all night. Put a new battery in it yesterday and it started right up, but this morning .....no go....I had to put the charger on the battery for a few minutes then it started.
When I crank it ....it doesn't spin very fast. There is a bit of hesitation between each time it turns over.

The tractor is about 14 years old and never any thing done to the starter. With the size battery I put in it....it should spin it like a top. Is the starter the issue from keeping it from cranking fast enough?
Any ideas anyone?

 

[RanchMan90]

I'm beginning to think I may have starter issues on my Mahindra. Been having trouble starting it in this cold weather even after being plugged up all night. Put a new battery in it yesterday and it started right up, but this morning .....no go....I had to put the charger on the battery for a few minutes then it started.
When I crank it ....it doesn't spin very fast. There is a bit of hesitation between each time it turns over.

The tractor is about 14 years old and never any thing done to the starter. With the size battery I put in it....it should spin it like a top. Is the starter the issue from keeping it from cranking fast enough?
Any ideas anyone?

Check to if its getting voltage to starter. If so you can ohm out solenoid for resistance.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Is the starter the issue from keeping it from cranking fast enough? Any ideas anyone?

1) Clean all terminals. Scrape them with a knife, not one of those brush sets.
2) Was the new battery fully charged when you put it in?
3) It is hard on a starter if you lung it along with low voltage. Not sure how to check for wear.
4)

 

[Atimm693]

Take a multimeter, set it to DC voltage, stick one lead on the positive battery post (post, not the terminal), and the other on the big starter wire. While cranking the engine, the reading should be very low, .1 of a volt is ideal, but they say up to .4 is acceptable. You can do the same between the negative post and the engine block to test the ground side. This is the only way to effectively load test your connections. If readings are high there is excessive resistance somewhere, corrosion down a cable end, a bad terminal, etc.

If that checks out, the starter may be getting lazy. The bushings and bearings will wear and create a lot of drag.

 

[Banjo]

Is the starter the issue from keeping it from cranking fast enough? Any ideas anyone?

1) Clean all terminals. Scrape them with a knife, not one of those brush sets.
2) Was the new battery fully charged when you put it in?
3) It is hard on a starter if you lung it along with low voltage. Not sure how to check for wear.
4)

I assume so, one difference when I got it was it was warm(the battery). So it was working at full capacity.

The next morning 8 degrees, so the battery was cold....that does make a difference I am told, but still should be powerful enough to start it, plug heater plugged in all night. I'm inclined to think Atimm693 may be right in that the starter may be getting lazy.

 

[pricefarm]

Are u sure your heater is working ?

 

[Banjo]

Are u sure your heater is working ?

Yes, I can feel the engine is warm around the plug, however I checked the water/antifreeze level today and it need about a 1/2 a gallon of antifreeze.....that may make it circulate better.