TCM 550 starting

[triple8s]

Went flying today and when a was restarting after fuel up I noticed my starter slipped just a tiny bit when starting up. I'm wondering how long I have till it has to have starter adapter work?

[Guest]

Now would be good, before it fails and leaves you stranded. Once it starts slipping it won't heal itself.

Clarence

[N222VS]

We had the same issue a few years back , we have a 2000yr model with the 550G. Ours actually started out gradually & never failed to start but it struggled really bad on a long cross country before we had the starter adapter replaced.

Our shop on our field removed the starter adapter & sent it to a place in KY for overhaul & that's when all the drama started!! The starter adapter we had had a few service bulletins & blah blah blah!!! When I talked to the guy @ the shop he couldn't believe that we were flying our plane with a part like this on it!!!! And some background on N222VS it is co- owned by 2 meticulous owner & gets the highest & best care possible!!!

Long story short our adapter was junk in every-way possible & couldn't even be rebuilt & not even good as a core!! The service bulletins called for checks @ a certain # of hours for leaks & then after another certain hours the part was considered QC'd & inspections we no longer needed ( gees thanks ) all of which happend before we purchased plane.

I finally found a place I think called AERO that had a NEW adapter & I paid to have our core reassembled & they took it for a core but I remember it was pricey. Then I had trouble getting the mounting gasket & when I found it the shop that had it, they had a twin In their shop with a 550g that had an in-flight failure due to the same issue!!!! So we had oil analysis done & filter cut open & everything looked good, so all that being said, Be careful with that issue , we had no ideal how big of a deal a starter adapter could be.

[triple8s]

Well like I said yesterday I noticed slippage yesterday and I don't want to create trash n the oil and ruin a 450 hr engine. I have read about leak issues but from what I understand that's with the adapters that have a shaft that sticks out the back of the adapter with a nut on it. I guess I'll start on getting an adapter exchange (sigh).......I got my IFR ticket fall of 2012 and traded planes, because of having to get my h/p endorsement I haven't shot many approaches nor flown enough IFR to stay current. Now this.

[N222VS]

I can look up exactly where I got the adapter & some of the details , I'd check all the SB's really close that pertain to yours. Yours could be ok with overhaul.

[Guest]

I ve used Niagara Airparts in Ontario, but they are also in Buffalo NY.

Clarence

[triple8s]

I have read up on the adapter saga and am now wondering if there is an alternative to the ISKRA adapter. AERO has an adapter in stock but if there is a better unit now is the time to make a change. Any thoughts?

[triple8s]

ISKRA is the starter. and I have been told that the combo of ISKRA and the adapter lasts about 400 or so hours and it is better to switch to the heavier Energizer(Hartzell) starter because the ISKRA doesnt spin back easily.

[Guest]

I've had lots of starter adapter failures with the Iskra starter motors aon TCM powered planes. On most older TCM powered planes these problems don't exist mainly due to older heavier duty and heavier weight starter motors. These new lighter starter motors don't have the guts to turn big engines.

You'll be trading a bit of useful load in favour of better starter adapter life.

Clarence

[N222VS]

I've had lots of starter adapter failures with the Iskra starter motors aon TCM powered planes. On most older TCM powered planes these problems don't exist mainly due to older heavier duty and heavier weight starter motors. These new lighter starter motors don't have the guts to turn big engines.

You'll be trading a bit of useful load in favour of better starter adapter life.

Clarence

I'm with you on this , when our problem started our field A&P orderd a lightweight gear reduction starter I can't recall the brand , but after reading all of the issues with the small lightweight starters we put the original heavyweight back on & put the small one on the shelf for a spare. We also didn't want a problem with the spin back , the original starter spins backward by hand with lower effort than the smaller one.