How long should a starter last?

[Tim Jodice]

My starter has no been so enthusiastic lately. It has always started but it has a hard time getting over  that compression stroke. Sometimes not all I would release the key and hit it again and that would get it over the hump. It does it with a hot or cold engine.

Battery had a capacitive test last week it passed at %114 capacity. It is only 5 months old so I expected it to be in great shape I just didn't want to overlook something. Voltage drop is .9-1.2 volts from the battery post to the starter post. 

It is a Skytec 149-NL and it is 5 years old.

[Rookie]

You may want to check these voltages at the starter. Current goes through a starting solenoid before it gets to the starter. There can be some drop in amperage before getting to the starter.

[Guest]

From the Sky Tec website, some troubleshooting guidance.

Clarence

[231MJ]

I had the same issue and a rebuilt starter made a big issue.  Mine was about 15 years old.   New battery and cleaning all the cable connections did not help.  Rebuilt starter is not terribly expensive.   

[Steve2]

Don't lose sight of the fact that there are 2 paths from the battery to starter - battery+ve post to starter post & battery -ve post to starter case. From M20Docs post above #2 Is the most significant measurement using the starter case or one of the mounting studs as the ground to measure from.

[N201MKTurbo]

8 minutes ago, Steve2 said:

Don't lose sight of the fact that there are 2 paths from the battery to starter - battery+ve post to starter post & battery -ve post to starter case. From M20Docs post above #2 Is the most significant measurement using the starter case or one of the mounting studs as the ground to measure from.

You are absolutely correct in your thinking, but take it one step further and measure the ground voltage drop between the starter case and the battery negative post. You will need a long piece of wire to do that.

I once fixed a hard starting problem by re-bonding the avionics/battery shelf in the tail where it attaches to the airframe.

 

[Guest]

Also check the braided ground cable from the engine to the co pilots footwell.

Clarence