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What is a 'lazy' starter ????

Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse

Well-known Member
Using the same 6 volt battery on three different tractors shows quite a difference in the battery's ability to spin the starter. On a Cockshutt 30, it spins it like it's a 12 volt, on a Massey Harris 20, it is sorta OK, not great but not too bad. On a Massey Harris 101 Junior, the battery really struggles to spin the starter at a decent rate.

I've heard the term 'lazy starter' ..... can someone explain what it means and what the solution is (assuming it is the starter at fault)? Maybe there are other factors that might cause this difference.
 
Battery cable gauge and condition ground strap condition and clean tight connections . Old dragging starters
 
I have always considered a lazy starter as one that has had a lot of use and abuse. It is getting to the point where it is drawing/requiring extra current/amps to keep doing its job. The only solution is to rebuild or replace the starter.
 
(quoted from post at 19:29:04 10/15/21) Using the same 6 volt battery on three different tractors shows quite a difference in the battery's ability to spin the starter. On a Cockshutt 30, it spins it like it's a 12 volt, on a Massey Harris 20, it is sorta OK, not great but not too bad. On a Massey Harris 101 Junior, the battery really struggles to spin the starter at a decent rate.

I've heard the term 'lazy starter' ..... can someone explain what it means and what the solution is (assuming it is the starter at fault)? Maybe there are other factors that might cause this difference.
Click to expand...
would consider a starter with sloppy bushings to be a lazy starter.
 
Did you swap the battery cables as well? If they have high resistance it will make the starter 'lazy'. Or just plain slow.

The necessity of good battery cables was reinforced to me about a month ago. I ended up with my uncle's Farmall Cub when he went to the rest home about four years ago. It was easy enough to start with the crank but would hardly ever start with the starter. While doing some other maintenance I noticed the long battery cable under the platform was wrapped with pieces of heater hose and electrical tape. (You have to know my uncle to appreciate this.) A trip to the parts store and one good big 72 (or so) battery cable later and it cranks just fine with the starter.
 
Could be worn starter bushings causing the armature to drag inside the field windings.

Six volt battery cables need to be big! Size 0 or 00, not automotive cables.

Any high resistance connection, loose cable at the starter or solenoid/contactor, the ground connection, the connection between the starter case and the engine (paint is an insulator), burned, dirty, corroded contacts on the solenoid/contactor.

Even cold stiff oil in the engine and transmission can make a difference on a 6 volt.
 
Well since you tried the same starter on 3 tractors with different results on each of them I would try swapping the batteries from the 3 tractors through the one that worked the best if you get the same results with the same battery I would guess it is your battery rather than the starter. If the starter works the same on all the batteries at the one tractor then I would guess it is your starter.
 

The 2 not so great starters need cleaning, lubing, maybe bushings, maybe a rebuild. Chances are they are 60-70 years old. Time takes it's toll.
 
Cat Guy: Same battery on the three different tractors so I suspect the starters, especially the one on the 101 Jr which is pretty feeble. From all the comments, going through the starting system (cables, ground connections, etc) is the best place to start and then after that, starter disassembly on that last one mentioned. Thanks for the replies everyone .....
 
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