Pellet stove initial startup question?

It's just as you suspect. The motor is bad. You have a burned up winding. You are barely overcoming the "locked rotor amps" and you can barely sustain the "running load amps." You can either re-wind the motor or you can replace it. Make sure to get a new capacitor while you are buying a new motor or that 1,000 meter spool of motor wire. Who knows? Might be a good winter project.