Starter issue

[orionflt]

Comedy for a Saturday...So, I get out to the airport. Find my plane pre-heated thanks to the SwitchBox and my battery fully charged thanks to my overpriced, "aviation" battery charger.Now for the comedy... I'm in the process of pulling my airplane over the lip in my hangar and manage to catch a nice piece of ice while I'm in my full human tug mode. After I realized that the reason I was on the ground wasn't because I was back in my college ball days and a middle linebacker had laid me out, I began the process of collecting my belongings. Granted, I have been hit hard enough to see my snot fly, but I would have never thought I could knock BOTH shoes off by pulling an airplane out of a hangar! At least I got a free back crack in the process...Now back to the airplane. I need your advice here. Yesterday, the plane would not turn over at all. I could hear the whine but no engagement. Today, when I went to start it, the first attempt was a whine. The second attempt the starter engaged and the plane started. I'm trying to understand whether or not my starter truly is bad or if my 9, soon to be 10 year old Concorde battery is just on it's last legs. What is troubling is the whine before the engagement. If after charging all night, I would have expected the battery to have the juice to engage it. Thoughts?

Sounds like the starter gear was not engaging, when it gets very cold out the grease, dirt and anything else that has accumulated on the starter shaft can keep the gear from sliding out and engaging the fly wheel. It can usually be fixed by flushing the great and shaft with carb cleaner or starting fluid then re lubricate the area, I like to use a silicon based lubricate instead of lithium grease or an oil based lubricant.

[Marauder]

Quick update. I am going to install a SkyTech starter. Went back through my logs and found that the starter has been installed for quite a while. It was never replaced at the last overhaul, so it has a lot of years and hours on it.

 

My mechanic offered a bendix replacement. Considering the length of service it gave, it owes me nothing. And knowing my luck, the motor will give out.

 

So -- my question on the Sky-Tec. Which one would you install? The XLT, NL or HT series?

[Marauder]

Thanks Jim. i just started reading up on them. Like the fact they don't use a bendix approach.

[fantom]

After researching, I went with the 149NL several years ago....easy install and zero issues.

[Marauder]

After researching, I went with the 149NL several years ago....easy install and zero issues.

 

Thanks Gary. I like hearing others are having no issues.

[Shadrach]

FYI: regarding my earlier post; Skytec has offered to refund the difference meaning my cost will be $431. The confusion was due to a core charge that should not have been added...

[isaacpr7]

I got a overhauled original in a box, never installed since overhaul I'd let it go for $200.

What is the make and model for the overhauled starter that you have?

[isaacpr7]

Ours has been doing this and it's easy to fix. Remove the starter, remove the bolts holding the nose on the starter, then remove the housing. The bendix comes off the end of the starter motor. Now rotate the gear on the bendix until it extends. There is a helix UNDER the gear that you can't get to without disassembling and removing The bendix from the starter. Clean this area well with mineral spirits then let dry and lubricate te area behind (and under) the starter gear with moly disulfide grease. A very light coat of the special Dukes grease for the landing gear actuator is great. Now reassemble and reinstall. After starting it the bendix retracts. Lube that exposed shaft with silicone spray. I just did this in 4 hours on a J model and it now works perfectly.

 

StarterBendixDrive.gif

 

a4fb97b3.jpg

Thanks,

I will give this a try. Eventually I will have it replaced but hopefully this works. I don't know anyone who does not like to save a buck

[isaacpr7]

Ours has been doing this and it's easy to fix. Remove the starter, remove the bolts holding the nose on the starter, then remove the housing. The bendix comes off the end of the starter motor. Now rotate the gear on the bendix until it extends. There is a helix UNDER the gear that you can't get to without disassembling and removing the bendix from the starter. Then extend it by pulling the gear forward on the shaft, its easy.  Clean this area well with mineral spirits then let dry and lubricate te area behind (and under) the starter gear with moly disulfide grease. A very light coat of the special Dukes grease for the landing gear actuator is great. Now reassemble and reinstall. After starting it the bendix retracts. Lube that exposed shaft with silicone spray. I just did this in 4 hours on a J model and it now works perfectly.

 

StarterBendixDrive.gif

 

a4fb97b3.jpg

Thanks Jetdriven.

 

I followed the steps you recommended except removing the starter. I used WD-40 in the shaft in front and behind the starter sprocket using the red straw. I also used the straw to spray everything inside and viola. I have not had issues ever since with the starter

BTW, your pictures helped a lot.