A couple of weeks ago, I decided to test the Sky-Tek light weight starter that I mounted on the O-320 on my RV-9A project. This was just a cranking test, and luckily NOT a first engine start.
At the end of a few seconds of cranking, the starter pinion was stuck on the flywheel... I could get it to let go, but it definitely did not release on its own.
So I called Sky-Tek and the support guy told me (as I suspected) that the starter would need to be shimmed away from its engine mount pad, and he sent me a Textron Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1447B. He also cryptically alluded to being able to make my own shim.
In that Service instruction, there are some dimensions for clearances to the flywheel, and a reference to shim P/N LW-16152. So of course I googled the shim P/N, and luckily I was sitting down, because at Sky Geek the price was $631.40, with a 49-52 Business day lead time!
Affordable to maybe Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, or Warren Buffett!
So firstly, I had not seen anyone post to watch for this possible interference with a Sky-Tek starter, so here's my story/warning for future reference. And just a shot, does anyone happen to for some reason have one of these shims, as I have access to a waterjet machine and could make some. And I'd be curious as to the thickness of the shim as a starting point. And/or I would like to hear of anyone else that has had to shim their starters, for the exact process they did. Otherwise I am sure I can fabricate a shim, and save the remaining balance of the $631.40, for something else on the project!
AC.
At the end of a few seconds of cranking, the starter pinion was stuck on the flywheel... I could get it to let go, but it definitely did not release on its own.
So I called Sky-Tek and the support guy told me (as I suspected) that the starter would need to be shimmed away from its engine mount pad, and he sent me a Textron Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1447B. He also cryptically alluded to being able to make my own shim.
In that Service instruction, there are some dimensions for clearances to the flywheel, and a reference to shim P/N LW-16152. So of course I googled the shim P/N, and luckily I was sitting down, because at Sky Geek the price was $631.40, with a 49-52 Business day lead time!
Affordable to maybe Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, or Warren Buffett!
So firstly, I had not seen anyone post to watch for this possible interference with a Sky-Tek starter, so here's my story/warning for future reference. And just a shot, does anyone happen to for some reason have one of these shims, as I have access to a waterjet machine and could make some. And I'd be curious as to the thickness of the shim as a starting point. And/or I would like to hear of anyone else that has had to shim their starters, for the exact process they did. Otherwise I am sure I can fabricate a shim, and save the remaining balance of the $631.40, for something else on the project!
AC.