Starter Binding Issues

Hey All,

I"m having a situation with a binding issue on my
newly overhauled Farmall B. It is a 6v system and
it will slowly turn about a half a turn and then
bind up. The crazy thing is if you take the spark
plugs out and release compression it spins like a
sewing machine! Let me list for you what I"ve
tried thus far.

-Switched to a new, known good, starter. Same
result.
-Took the plugs out and it spins fine.
-Took the manifold off and checked for
obstructions. It"s clear.
-Checked the valves since I thought it was a
compression issue. They are perfect in clearance
and functionality.
-Pull started it! It runs like a top. (I"m excited
it was my first overhaul ever) I let it run and
hoped by some miracle it would "loosen up"
something seized I wasn"t seeing.

None of this has helped the starter issue. Any
ideas?
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That's what I was wondering. What size cables? If they're new,off the rack,made for 12 volt you can loose 2/3s of your amperage through them. For 6 volt,those things need to be about as big around as your thumb.
 
The original starter works fine on my H. Also, I put a 12v battery to the starter to see if it would free up with more power. It didn"t.
 
(quoted from post at 11:15:26 04/27/14)
(quoted from post at 11:12:49 04/27/14) Is the ground corroded or something?


No, brand new cable. It's getting almost 6v. I'm stumped.

It should be 7 volts if your battery has a full charge, but as Randy says you need both voltage and amps to turn the starter. I had one once that the connection looked perfectly good until I happened to look at the terminal in the right light and saw that there was a coating of gray oxide on it.
 
(quoted from post at 13:02:23 04/27/14)
(quoted from post at 11:15:26 04/27/14)
(quoted from post at 11:12:49 04/27/14) Is the ground corroded or something?


No, brand new cable. It's getting almost 6v. I'm stumped.

It should be 7 volts if your battery has a full charge, but as Randy says you need both voltage and amps to turn the starter. I had one once that the connection looked perfectly good until I happened to look at the terminal in the right light and saw that there was a coating of gray oxide on it.


I just went and bought 2 two Aug cables. I also cleaned the starter bolt where I have it grounded. The battery is down, we'll see what happens when I get some charge.
 
(quoted from post at 13:02:23 04/27/14)
(quoted from post at 11:15:26 04/27/14)
(quoted from post at 11:12:49 04/27/14) Is the ground corroded or something?


No, brand new cable. It's getting almost 6v. I'm stumped.

It should be 7 volts if your battery has a full charge, but as Randy says you need both voltage and amps to turn the starter. I had one once that the connection looked perfectly good until I happened to look at the terminal in the right light and saw that there was a coating of gray oxide on it.


I just went and bought 2 two Aug cables. I also cleaned the starter bolt where I have it grounded. The battery is down, we'll see what happens when I get some charge.
 
You'll need to do a "load" volt test.

With the battery charged, put the volt meter across the battery terminals, directly to the terminal posts, not the cable ends.

Hit the starter and watch the meter. If the voltage drops to near zero, the battery is bad or the starter is drawing too many amps.

If the starter is drawing too many amps, the cables should be heating up. No heat from the cables means the battery is not supplying the needed amperage.

If the voltage does not drop, as in staying up around 5 to 6 volts, then the current is not getting to the starter.

Start moving the volt meter leads down the line, as in one lead on the battery post, the other on the same cable end. Hit the starter, look for voltage. If 0 volts, the connection is good. Move one lead to the other end of the same cable, test under load again. If 0 volts, cable is good. Keep moving the test leads along each cable, cable end, solenoid, starter terminal, etc., until you get a volt reading up around 4 to 6 volts. That's where the bad connection will be. Hint, feel for hot spots as you go.
 
Wait a minute. You said you bought 2 new cables. What about the third one? You need one from battery to ground,one from battery to starter button and a third one from starter button to starter. They all need to be the big cables.
 
(quoted from post at 06:23:41 04/28/14) Wait a minute. You said you bought 2 new cables. What about the third one? You need one from battery to ground,one from battery to starter button and a third one from starter button to starter. They all need to be the big cables.

There are only two. There is no starter button. it is a pushrod to the switch/connector on the starter.
 
(quoted from post at 08:00:05 04/30/14)
It only turns ok with the plugs out! Any other time it makes about a 1/3 turn and binds.

Carleton pretty much everyone here who has been trying to help you, from their experience, has been telling you that your starter is not binding, it is coming up against compression.
 
I agree. Everything is new & tight. Remove the sparkie plugs, squirt a few pumps of oil in each cylinder & spin it over a couple dozen times. Then put the plugs in & chain start it. After 20-30 minutes of running to lube everything up, it should start a lot easier.
Willie
 
(quoted from post at 18:30:10 04/30/14)
(quoted from post at 08:00:05 04/30/14)
It only turns ok with the plugs out! Any other time it makes about a 1/3 turn and binds.

Carleton pretty much everyone here who has been trying to help you, from their experience, has been telling you that your starter is not binding, it is coming up against compression.

I think you are the first, other than me, to mention compression. Everyone else has said it was electrical. I have always thought it was a compression issue which is why I checked the manifold for obstructions and reset the valve clearances as stated in my first post.

I have worked with the electrical suggestions to no avail. I have oiled the pistons from the topside. I have previously ran the tractor after pull starting it for about ten minutes.

Maybe it just needs to run longer to break it in.
 
(quoted from post at 19:44:05 04/30/14)
(quoted from post at 18:30:10 04/30/14)
(quoted from post at 08:00:05 04/30/14)
It only turns ok with the plugs out! Any other time it makes about a 1/3 turn and binds.

Carleton pretty much everyone here who has been trying to help you, from their experience, has been telling you that your starter is not binding, it is coming up against compression.

I think you are the first, other than me, to mention compression. Everyone else has said it was electrical. I have always thought it was a compression issue which is why I checked the manifold for obstructions and reset the valve clearances as stated in my first post.

I have worked with the electrical suggestions to no avail. I have oiled the pistons from the topside. I have previously ran the tractor after pull starting it for about ten minutes.

Maybe it just needs to run longer to break it in.

Your starting system, battery wires starter need to be up to the task of overcoming the resistance which is the combination of the engine friction and compression. You haven't yet told about the results of testing your battery. In a situation like this I would be using the combination of a good battery and my jump pack.
 

Hey guys,

Thanks for your help. After I had completely went through everything I decided to have my NEW battery tested even though I tested it and it looked good. The auto parts store but a battery tester on it and told me it was weak and needed to charge. However, this made me suspicious b/c I had had it on charge for nearly 48 hours. They argued with me that it was good.

I took it to O'Reilly's and they ran it through their big battery tester, doing whatever it does, and it showed it was deeply discharged and bad.

After a fight, the other auto parts store replaced it as it was still under warranty. The new battery turns the starter over just fine.

I don't understand what happened here. I'm glad I got the fix. I'm not glad I don't understand what the issue was with the battery. How can the O'Reilly's machine show it bad, and be right, when myself and the other store show it is just weak? You guys are great!
 

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