Starter Problems Ovation 3 w/IO-550-G

[David Lloyd]

I had a Bonanza with an IO520, later an IO550, thousands of hours and never once had a starter adapter slip.  Three engines were factory remans going to 1950, 2350 and 1550 hours.  The last engine was a Western Skyways overhaul and had about 1300 hours when sold.  Each engine after break-in used Aeroshell 15W-50.  No Camguard.  Most of this was before the internet so I didn't know.  At the time (now?) AS 15W-50 was an approved lubricant.  I must have been lucky.  A friend had his IO550 rebuilt, the shop owner said never use the AS 15W-50, "it's too slick."  So he ran AS 100W.  300 Hours, the starter began slipping.  New adapter required. Once it slips, it won't get better.  The more it slips, the more it costs to repair.

For years our company sold industrial speed reducers, some with sprag or spring style backstops to prevent reverse rotation.  Despite dire warnings in the instructions (one manufacturer, it was 8 times in the instruction booklet) to never use any lubricant with EP additives if equipped with a backstop, every year some customer would use the improper lubricant with somewhat predictable results. A loaded inclined conveyor would shut down, backstop would slip and dump tons of rock at the tail section of the belt.  Nothing like several tons of coal from an elevator boot on a 100 degree day!  Every one I investigated, yep, wrong lube.  EP additives would be too slick for the sprags or spring wrap to grip the shaft.  So there is probably some truth to the too slick theory.

[carusoam]

So....

Knowing this coming one day...

I spoke to the guy who rebuilds the starter adapters....

A small company showing their product at KOSH...

Adapters wear...

Cam guard makes them slip earlier than without...

And... if it has slipped already, and has lots of hours on it...

Be ready with getting it OH/swapped out...

Find somebody familiar with your engine... the airframe familiarity won’t be very helpful....

M20Doc has supplied a few pics of what these things look like mounted in the plane/engine...

PP thoughts only, hope that helps some....

Best regards,

-a-