Tankerpilot75
Well Known Member
Background: I’ve got a Superior XPIO-360 B1AA2 engine with I believe a SkyTech 149-12LS starter. This engine has always (since I purchased the RV in 2015) been a little slow to “initially” turn over. Thinking it was a battery power issue I replaced the battery (PC680 to ETX900), then the starter relay on the firewall, and then the cable going from firewall relay to the starter. Everything I did made an initial improvement but overtime the slow to initially crank problem returned. It’s always cranks quicker after the first few start attempts.
On this year’s CI my A&P and I noticed the starter solenoid on the starter will rotates approximately 10 degrees inside it’s housing on the starter. After moving it several times inside it’s housing I subsequently went to start the engine and it immediately spun up - quicker than I’ve ever seen it. This made us both think the solenoid is loose in its housing and not making positive electrical contact with its ground.
Questions: Have others experienced this issue with SkyTech starters? Can the solenoid be R&Rd or should I just replace the starter before it totally fails? If the solenoid can be R&Rd how big a job is it. My A&P is not familiar with SkyTech starters so he suggested contacting Hartzell and query VAF to explore my options.
On this year’s CI my A&P and I noticed the starter solenoid on the starter will rotates approximately 10 degrees inside it’s housing on the starter. After moving it several times inside it’s housing I subsequently went to start the engine and it immediately spun up - quicker than I’ve ever seen it. This made us both think the solenoid is loose in its housing and not making positive electrical contact with its ground.
Questions: Have others experienced this issue with SkyTech starters? Can the solenoid be R&Rd or should I just replace the starter before it totally fails? If the solenoid can be R&Rd how big a job is it. My A&P is not familiar with SkyTech starters so he suggested contacting Hartzell and query VAF to explore my options.