Slow cranking TD80D

[DwayneB]

I bought this tractor about a month ago. It had been sitting a while and had to be jumped. I drove it around and played with it for about a half hour. It would start on its own then. Ever since I've gotten it home I've been going over it and fixing little things. It's still getting cold at night here in Kentucky. It turns over slow and won't start after getting cold.
I've put a new battery in it thinking it was just weak but, it still won't start when it's cold. A quick boost and it fires right up. Even after the engine gets warm it still seems to me that the starter isn't spinning the engine very fast but it starts no trouble.
The tractor only has 500 hours on it and it runs perfectly. It has been left outside its whole life and at this point I'm thinking the starter probably has some rust inside causing it to be draggy.
What say you. Would you guys try pulling it out, taking it apart and cleaning it up or, just bite the bullet and get a new starter?
When I say cold I'm talking 40 degrees. The starter should spin the engine pretty easily at those Temps. I hate to have to put a starter in such a low hour tractor but, I know being left out in the weather can wreak havoc on them.
I guess I'd just like some conformation that I'm correct in thinking I have a bad starter.

 

[Harry in Ky]

It might only have 500 hours, but it's ten years old. Have you removed/checked/cleaned the bolt securing the ground cable to the frame?

 

[Peter 315]

Might need new battery cables Did you clean the posts and cables , They will corrode under the plastic cover

 

[Bigfoot62]

Before you chunk that starter, you need to check a few things. This is not a comprehensive list, just what I came up with off the top of my head:
The new battery needs to have sufficient Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) capacity. If you took a 900 CCA battery off, and replaced it with a 600, that could be the trouble. The physical size of the battery is not as important as CCA. If you're boosting it, and everything works normal, you're probably not getting enough Amps to the starter.
Check the cables, from the terminals to the other end. The copper can actually oxidize inside the insulation. (you can usually spot that from a bulge or split in the insulation)
Check the starter bolts for tightness. (where it bolts to the bell housing) It probably has only two or three bolts. I had a Kenworth that was doing the same thing occasionally. Boost it and it would start. Then, I noticed that one of the 3 starter bolts was missing. The other two were loose. Replaced the missing bolt and tightened the others. Problem solved.
With the negative post disconnected, check all the electrical connections on the starter and solenoid. DON'T over-tighten! Some of them are copper and will strip out or break off easily. Just make sure that you can't move them by hand. If all of the above check out, then, and only then, move on to the starter itself.

If you're convinced it's the starter, ask around. Someone in your area probably knows of a reputable starter shop.
Pull it off and take it to them. They can bench test it, and make the necessary repairs. Even if they have to completely rebuild it, you're probably looking at 25-30% of the cost of a factory new starter. I recently had a starter rebuilt for an outboard engine. It cost me $80. A new one from Yamaha was $680!

 

[DwayneB]

Lots of good advice here guys. I'll look in to all the suggestions tomorrow. I'll report back if I find anything or not.

 

[DwayneB]

Lots of good advice here guys. I'll look in to all the suggestions tomorrow. I'll report back if I find anything or not.

And I did replace a 950 with a 950 CCA.

 

[DwayneB]

It might only have 500 hours, but it's ten years old. Have you removed/checked/cleaned the bolt securing the ground cable to the frame?

I'll do that tomorrow as well as looking at all the cables and connections.

 

[RickB]

It might only have 500 hours, but it's ten years old. Have you removed/checked/cleaned the bolt securing the ground cable to the frame?

#1 trouble spot for slow cranking speed when “everything” has been tried. Have seen brand new Workmasters and T4’s with bad connections at the chassis end of the ground cable.

 

[Bigfoot62]

And I did replace a 950 with a 950 CCA.

Good. Start checking connections, bolts, and cables.

It might be the starter, but that's the most expensive part in the cranking circuit. You want to check everything else first.

 

[DLTTrekkers]

I had to lenthen my groundcable to the starter to get in started