With close to 1600 hours on the Valkyrie, it is no surprise that some of the original components might be ready for replacement. For the past few months, I have noticed some intermittent starting (actually cranking) issues on some flights. I remember a few months back when I hit the starter switch, and got nothing but a ?click?. But when I tried it again, it cranked fine?.so I kept an eye on it, and kept flying. Occasionally, the cranking seemed slow?but then it got better. Again, I watched it. Just before this current trip, I gave a call to SkyTec to see what they thought about the performance of the starter, and they (rightfully) said that they have had great luck with the Flyweight installed on the airplane, and that they would be happy to go through it if I sent it in ? but they bet it would be fine.
Well sure enough, it worked just fine all the way to Oregon ? and then on the ramp at Aurora, all Louise got was that ?click? ? over and over. SHe and Joe rolled it in to the Van?s hangar, and we pulled the cowl. I grabbed a piece of hinge pin and bent it into a ?U? shaped jumper wrapped it in a rag, and jumped across the solenoid terminals ? and got the best cranking prop I?ve seen in a long time! Now seeing as I was sitting in the mother ship?s hangar, I had a hunch that it might not be hard to find a brand new starter solenoid?.and I could even save on the shipping! Sure enough ? Daryl had one in my hands by the time I had pulled the old one, and we were putting things back together in no time. I can?t say enough good things about the ?magic door? in the back of the Van?s hangar. Rap on the door and say ?1/2 box end??and one magically appears?.
The Prototype Shop guys seem to have a good life!
I saved the old solenoid, and will do an autopsy on it when we get back to Houston ? I expect to see burned and pitted contacts providing a high resistance. Pictures when I have them?. In the meantime, if you have a lot of starts on your system, and you are experiencing problems, it might be a good time to suspect the solenoid- they are actually pretty cheap!
Paul
Well sure enough, it worked just fine all the way to Oregon ? and then on the ramp at Aurora, all Louise got was that ?click? ? over and over. SHe and Joe rolled it in to the Van?s hangar, and we pulled the cowl. I grabbed a piece of hinge pin and bent it into a ?U? shaped jumper wrapped it in a rag, and jumped across the solenoid terminals ? and got the best cranking prop I?ve seen in a long time! Now seeing as I was sitting in the mother ship?s hangar, I had a hunch that it might not be hard to find a brand new starter solenoid?.and I could even save on the shipping! Sure enough ? Daryl had one in my hands by the time I had pulled the old one, and we were putting things back together in no time. I can?t say enough good things about the ?magic door? in the back of the Van?s hangar. Rap on the door and say ?1/2 box end??and one magically appears?.
The Prototype Shop guys seem to have a good life!
I saved the old solenoid, and will do an autopsy on it when we get back to Houston ? I expect to see burned and pitted contacts providing a high resistance. Pictures when I have them?. In the meantime, if you have a lot of starts on your system, and you are experiencing problems, it might be a good time to suspect the solenoid- they are actually pretty cheap!
Paul