Starter question

Went flying today. Go to crank the engine for start, nothing. Turn the
key, got like a jiggle of the prop. Turn all electrical things off,
figuring the battery drained, and then started just the alt and bat, same
thing, jiggle of the prop. Tried once more, and got the prop to turn and
fired right up.

Just had the durn starter replaced in July with a new one.

I don't think it was the battery, as nothing moved when I turned the key,
just a strange noise, no clicking like it would sound with a dead
battery. When I fired up the master and alternator, I heard a noise
sounding like something was draining the battery, yet the meter was
stable in the middle, not indicating any discharge.

Last week, when I cranked it, it struggled on the first turn of the prop,
but it started, so I had attributed it to maybe my battery being low, it
being very cold by MS standards, but after today, watching the electrical
amnmeter, the load was fine once the engine was running.

Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Grant you, I try to fly two times a week, but I would think I would have
gotten more starts out of this starter then 6 months worth.

Plane normally starts with one or two turns of the prop, so it's not like
the starter is running for any period of time or been abused.

Allen

On Jan 29, 6:34 pm, A Lieberma wrote:
Went flying today. Go to crank the engine for start, nothing. Turn the
key, got like a jiggle of the prop. Turn all electrical things off,
figuring the battery drained, and then started just the alt and bat, same
thing, jiggle of the prop. Tried once more, and got the prop to turn and
fired right up.

Just had the durn starter replaced in July with a new one.

I don't think it was the battery, as nothing moved when I turned the key,
just a strange noise, no clicking like it would sound with a dead
battery. When I fired up the master and alternator, I heard a noise
sounding like something was draining the battery, yet the meter was
stable in the middle, not indicating any discharge.

Last week, when I cranked it, it struggled on the first turn of the prop,
but it started, so I had attributed it to maybe my battery being low, it
being very cold by MS standards, but after today, watching the electrical
amnmeter, the load was fine once the engine was running.

Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Grant you, I try to fly two times a week, but I would think I would have
gotten more starts out of this starter then 6 months worth.

Plane normally starts with one or two turns of the prop, so it's not like
the starter is running for any period of time or been abused.

Allen

Get a voltmeter and use the troubleshooting procedure outlined here...

http://www.skytecair.com/images/Troubleshooting
%20Diagram_5.0.pdf

Could be a cable problem or something similar. Take the starter to an
Autozone or similar store and have them test it for you (they can do
the same for your alternator).

Regards,
Bud

wrote in
oups.com:

Get a voltmeter and use the troubleshooting procedure outlined here...

http://www.skytecair.com/images/Troubleshooting
%20Diagram_5.0.pdf

Could be a cable problem or something similar. Take the starter to an
Autozone or similar store and have them test it for you (they can do
the same for your alternator).

Tbanks Bud for the great reference!

Allen

"A Lieberma" wrote in message
. 18...
Went flying today. Go to crank the engine for start, nothing. Turn the
key, got like a jiggle of the prop. Turn all electrical things off,
figuring the battery drained, and then started just the alt and bat, same
thing, jiggle of the prop. Tried once more, and got the prop to turn and
fired right up.

Just had the durn starter replaced in July with a new one.

I don't think it was the battery, as nothing moved when I turned the key,
just a strange noise, no clicking like it would sound with a dead
battery. When I fired up the master and alternator, I heard a noise
sounding like something was draining the battery, yet the meter was
stable in the middle, not indicating any discharge.

Last week, when I cranked it, it struggled on the first turn of the prop,
but it started, so I had attributed it to maybe my battery being low, it
being very cold by MS standards, but after today, watching the electrical
amnmeter, the load was fine once the engine was running.

Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Grant you, I try to fly two times a week, but I would think I would have
gotten more starts out of this starter then 6 months worth.

Plane normally starts with one or two turns of the prop, so it's not like
the starter is running for any period of time or been abused.

Allen

Check to make sure your engine is properly grounded to the airframe.
Sometimes you get a loose connection, sometimes the connections corrode. In
either case, the juice may try and find an alternate path, which can ruin
throttle cables, P-leads, and other potential ground paths that are not
sized for starter sized loads.

KB

What engine?




A Lieberma wrote:
Went flying today. Go to crank the engine for start, nothing. Turn the
key, got like a jiggle of the prop. Turn all electrical things off,
figuring the battery drained, and then started just the alt and bat, same
thing, jiggle of the prop. Tried once more, and got the prop to turn and
fired right up.

Just had the durn starter replaced in July with a new one.

I don't think it was the battery, as nothing moved when I turned the key,
just a strange noise, no clicking like it would sound with a dead
battery. When I fired up the master and alternator, I heard a noise
sounding like something was draining the battery, yet the meter was
stable in the middle, not indicating any discharge.

Last week, when I cranked it, it struggled on the first turn of the prop,
but it started, so I had attributed it to maybe my battery being low, it
being very cold by MS standards, but after today, watching the electrical
amnmeter, the load was fine once the engine was running.

Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Grant you, I try to fly two times a week, but I would think I would have
gotten more starts out of this starter then 6 months worth.

Plane normally starts with one or two turns of the prop, so it's not like
the starter is running for any period of time or been abused.

Allen

Newps wrote in
:

What engine?

Lycoming AK4 360 in my 76 Beech Sundowner.

Allen

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in
:

Check to make sure your engine is properly grounded to the airframe.
Sometimes you get a loose connection, sometimes the connections
corrode. In either case, the juice may try and find an alternate path,
which can ruin throttle cables, P-leads, and other potential ground
paths that are not sized for starter sized loads.

Thanks KB,

From hearing noises in the headset when I switch on the master, my thoughts
are it's a grounding or wiring problem. This was new on the last start,
never heard any type of electrical noises.

Will be sure to bring this up to my A&P.

Allen

A Lieberma wrote:
Went flying today. Go to crank the engine for start, nothing. Turn the
key, got like a jiggle of the prop. Turn all electrical things off,
figuring the battery drained, and then started just the alt and bat, same
thing, jiggle of the prop. Tried once more, and got the prop to turn and
fired right up.

Just had the durn starter replaced in July with a new one.

I don't think it was the battery, as nothing moved when I turned the key,
just a strange noise, no clicking like it would sound with a dead
battery. When I fired up the master and alternator, I heard a noise
sounding like something was draining the battery, yet the meter was
stable in the middle, not indicating any discharge.

Last week, when I cranked it, it struggled on the first turn of the prop,
but it started, so I had attributed it to maybe my battery being low, it
being very cold by MS standards, but after today, watching the electrical
amnmeter, the load was fine once the engine was running.

Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Grant you, I try to fly two times a week, but I would think I would have
gotten more starts out of this starter then 6 months worth.

Plane normally starts with one or two turns of the prop, so it's not like
the starter is running for any period of time or been abused.

Allen

Connection corrosion is common.

To see if that's the problem, go to each connection, both on the + and
- side of the battery, loosen it just enough to be able to wiggle the
wire/connector a few times to break through any corrosion and retighten.

There is probably a connection from the - side to the engine, and
engine to airframe; don't forget that one because if that one has
problems all kind of bad things can happen.

If this solves the problem, it will likely only solve it temporarily,
in which case you need take each connection apart and clean it up until
the metal is shiny.

This check is at least free other than some time spent.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

A Lieberma wrote:


Am I having a bad run of starters, or should I be looking elsewhere for a
problem?

Once it started, was the ammeter displaying a similar indication as it
does after a start?

We've had one occasion where we had dirty battery terminals and another
where the battery was heading south. With the dirty terminals, the
ammeter didn't show a strong charge after start. With the bad battery,
the ammeter showed a much higher after start charge rate. When all is
normal, the reading was in between the two.

We also changed our '76 Sundowner starter in July, but it got stuck
engaged twice.

Check the starter switch. The start contact may be worn out.