O/H'd Generator pulley issue

[J0nathan225]

So after me emergency landing at KEXX, Superior aero has diagnosed it to be a failed/failing generator.They ordered an O/H'd unit (I assume from Aspruce), but the generator didn't come with a pulley and the paper work for the core and for the new unit says opening up the generator voids the warranty/core exchange. Superior is calling the manufacturer to see what they can do, but as of right now they can't swap the pulley without losing my core deposit. Anyone run into this issue or have any advise? I was hoping to pick the plane up Saturday, but not it looks like it'll be 3+ weeks of no flying. 

[Guest]

They should be able to remove the pulley from your old unit.  No disassembly required.  The returned core will now be the same as the supplied unit.

Clarence

[steingar]

Why not put in an alternator while you're at it?

[J0nathan225]

1 minute ago, M20Doc said:

They should be able to remove the pulley from your old unit.  No disassembly required.  The returned core will now be the same as the supplied unit.

Clarence

They are saying they have to open it up to remove and install the pulley. Hopefully the manufacturer can explain how to swap without voiding stuff. Otherwise they are currently thinking they need to reorder and get a differnt unit... Hopefully I'm not paying the learning curve time on this. 

 

ALT is a lot more $$$/downtime and another STC is required for oil cooler. I dont see any real benefit other than a few LBS which has never been needed for me. 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, J0nathan225 said:

They are saying they have to open it up to remove and install the pulley. Hopefully the manufacturer can explain how to swap without voiding stuff. Otherwise they are currently thinking they need to reorder and get a differnt unit... Hopefully I'm not paying the learning curve time on this. 

 

ALT is a lot more $$$/downtime and another STC is required for oil cooler. I dont see any real benefit other than a few LBS which has never been needed for me. 

The pulley being aluminum doesn’t take well to being put in a vice.  Have them wrap the pulley with an old drive belt and have someone hold it, then another tech using a pneumatic impact gun loosen the nut.  Far easier on the bearings than beating a ratchet handle and socket.

A bit of heat from a propane torch will expand the pulley from the shaft.

Hold the pulley the same way and torque the nut with a torque wrench.

Clarence

Edited October 25, 2018 by M20Doc

[N201MKTurbo]

I used a hole saw to cut a hole in a piece 3/4 inch oak. I then beveled the holes with the router table and cut it in half with the table saw. Took about 15 minutes. I used the two blocks in the vice to clamp the pully. You could easily loosen the nut with a breaker bar and use it to torque the new one on.

[Shadrach]

I just happened to have a core in my garage at home.  I cannot for the life of me understand why the the generator would need to be disassembled to remove the pulley. 

There are 5 components involved in this task: generator, pulley, woodruff key, split lock washer and nut.  I braced the pulley in a vice using wood to protect the pulley.  I broke the nut loose with a breaker bar (likely unnecessary) and then tapped the shaft with a drift from the front. It was not a complicated undertaking.

 

 

[J0nathan225]

3 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

I just happened to have a core in my garage at home.  I cannot for the life of me understand why the the generator would need to be disassembled to remove the pulley. 

There are 5 components involved in this task: generator, pulley, woodruff key, split lock washer and nut.  I braced the pulley in a vice using wood to protect the pulley.  I broke the nut loose with a breaker bar (likely unnecessary) and then tapped the shaft with a drift from the front. It was not a complicated undertaking.

 

 

I think I spoke to them, right after they had opened the box and not much thought had happened yet as to what to do. They have figured it out, there biggest concern was the language on the return/void paper work and what if anything they could do. All is well and I should still be able to pick it up Saturday. 

[carusoam]

This challenge happens all the time in the auto world...

If you use the slightly wrong size pulley it will let you get about 45 miles away from home before it shreds and takes out everything in its way....  which for me was the belt to the water pump... 

Drive a mile, stop, hand operate water pump, drive another mile, repeat until you get to a mechanic...

getting the old pulley off with An electric impact driver works... the magic is the motion of the driver, not the torque...

Putting it back on, make sure it is in the always tightening direction or it may fall off...

Do not use goofy auto advice on aviation equipment...  

Best regards,

-a-

[J0nathan225]

...And now apparently the starter is broken after generator was installed. Half an AMU is now well over a full AMU and won't be getting it back this weekend! 

[neilpilot]

5 minutes ago, J0nathan225 said:

...And now apparently the starter is broken after generator was installed. Half an AMU is now well over a full AMU and won't be getting it back this weekend! 

Sounds like too much of a coincidence..

[cliffy]

What happened to the starter? Did they try to clean and dry lube the Bendix unit? That is usually what hangs up on starters. No new one needed. Did they remove it and try it on a bench with a good battery to see what might be wrong or did they just say it wouldn't operate and you buy a new one? Doesn't sound like there's much trouble shooting around the shop with what you a relaying. How old is your starter? 

[Guest]

On 10/26/2018 at 12:15 PM, J0nathan225 said:

...And now apparently the starter is broken after generator was installed. Half an AMU is now well over a full AMU and won't be getting it back this weekend! 

Maybe the Bendix is “stuck” in the engaged position and they think it’s broken?

Clarence

[J0nathan225]

Skytec 149-PM currently installed, I don't know how old it is. Not sure what happened, but it's apparently broken from the shop so I elected to go with the 149-NL which weighs 2lbs more, but is HT and should be "better"?

[J0nathan225]

@AGL Aviation planning to get my plane to you when able, lost any faith in the current place. While I get older planes may have issues, it's every week a new issue is "discovered". New (O/H) generator is apparently not pushing out power, it's being trouble shot. While installing cowl today the exhuast was discovered to be apparently sheered/has exhaust leak. Ive given instruction once it produces electrical power I'm going to come up and get the plane to AGL. Any chance anyone can give me a ride back to my rental car at the other airport time TBD?   Very frustrated at this point. 

[Gary0747]

How many hours on the old generator?  Not much to wear out other than brushes which can be replaced. I would suspect a voltage regulator problem might have been an issue