So I keep forgetting to ask this question as it's mostly a nuisance, but it would be nice to some day not have to have it happen anymore...
I wired my starter solenoid and starter per plans. That extra wire (WH-K910) that is on the "I" terminal of the solenoid on the firewall connects to the starter, and I removed that factory installed jumper jumper on the starter.
I'm thinking that the way it works is, if you left the jumper in place and excluded WH-K910, then when you hit the key, the big starter wire WH-P16 just energizes both the starter solenoid and the starter motor at the same time.
But, if you remove the jumper, then the "I" terminal which also gets +14V when cranking, will activate the starter solenoid on the starter, and the firewall contactor closing will feed the primary power to the starter to crank the engine too.
Somewhere on the forum I once read something to the effect that the WH-K910 is there for preventing some noise that bothered pilots that happened after the engine started. It maybe helps the starter retract quicker or something like that. I can't remember anymore. But I just wired per plans and figured I'd be good to go.
Anyway, what happens to me often enough is that when I hit the key, I hear the firewall mounted contactor close, but the starter does nothing. It just sits there. If I hit the key a few more times, it may or may not start...but eventually by letting the key off and hitting it again, the starter engages and the prop spins just fine. It may not happen at all, or it may take me 2, 3 or probably the worst I've had is 5 or 6 clicks before the engine cranks.
I haven't done any testing with meters or anything while cranking, because it's really just a nuisance, and I'm not wanting to remove the cowl and hook up all sorts of wires and crank the engine to just check for voltage. It seems that whatever the issue is, should be easy enough to figure out. But I'm still at a loss.
Either the firewall contactor isn't closing enough and feeding the fat wire, which I doubt is the problem because the contactor makes a heathy clunk when you hit the key, or the "I" terminal wire isn't sending the +14V to the starter to tell it that it's time to engage, or, the 2 wires ARE supplying the +14V to the starter and something is just being sticky in the starter and it isn't engaging. I'm just not sure which. Whatever it is, it's been happening since the first engine start, but not all the time...probably ever 2nd or 3rd flight I have to hit the key more than 1 or 2 times.
I know it all works fine when it works, so if anything, the biggest reason I want to get it working better is to get rid of the embarrassment that happens when you give someone a ride. When they see the starter not crank 4 or 5 times in a row, they may start to wonder if they should be riding in this contraption.
Anyone have any good advice on where the most typical issue is with this setup? Stock IO-390 from Van's, per-plans wiring, Van's provided solenoids...
Otherwise, everything has been humming right along. I may have a slight prop hub seal leak, as I've seen very small amounts of prop grease on my cowl and on the windshield. Hoping that doesn't turn into an $800+ re-seal job like what happened on my RV-10. Right now it's pretty minor. I'm going to see if the only reason I'm seeing it is all the unusual attitudes the plane has seen lately. Maybe on an x/c flight I wouldn't get anything.
I wired my starter solenoid and starter per plans. That extra wire (WH-K910) that is on the "I" terminal of the solenoid on the firewall connects to the starter, and I removed that factory installed jumper jumper on the starter.
I'm thinking that the way it works is, if you left the jumper in place and excluded WH-K910, then when you hit the key, the big starter wire WH-P16 just energizes both the starter solenoid and the starter motor at the same time.
But, if you remove the jumper, then the "I" terminal which also gets +14V when cranking, will activate the starter solenoid on the starter, and the firewall contactor closing will feed the primary power to the starter to crank the engine too.
Somewhere on the forum I once read something to the effect that the WH-K910 is there for preventing some noise that bothered pilots that happened after the engine started. It maybe helps the starter retract quicker or something like that. I can't remember anymore. But I just wired per plans and figured I'd be good to go.
Anyway, what happens to me often enough is that when I hit the key, I hear the firewall mounted contactor close, but the starter does nothing. It just sits there. If I hit the key a few more times, it may or may not start...but eventually by letting the key off and hitting it again, the starter engages and the prop spins just fine. It may not happen at all, or it may take me 2, 3 or probably the worst I've had is 5 or 6 clicks before the engine cranks.
I haven't done any testing with meters or anything while cranking, because it's really just a nuisance, and I'm not wanting to remove the cowl and hook up all sorts of wires and crank the engine to just check for voltage. It seems that whatever the issue is, should be easy enough to figure out. But I'm still at a loss.
Either the firewall contactor isn't closing enough and feeding the fat wire, which I doubt is the problem because the contactor makes a heathy clunk when you hit the key, or the "I" terminal wire isn't sending the +14V to the starter to tell it that it's time to engage, or, the 2 wires ARE supplying the +14V to the starter and something is just being sticky in the starter and it isn't engaging. I'm just not sure which. Whatever it is, it's been happening since the first engine start, but not all the time...probably ever 2nd or 3rd flight I have to hit the key more than 1 or 2 times.
I know it all works fine when it works, so if anything, the biggest reason I want to get it working better is to get rid of the embarrassment that happens when you give someone a ride. When they see the starter not crank 4 or 5 times in a row, they may start to wonder if they should be riding in this contraption.
Anyone have any good advice on where the most typical issue is with this setup? Stock IO-390 from Van's, per-plans wiring, Van's provided solenoids...
Otherwise, everything has been humming right along. I may have a slight prop hub seal leak, as I've seen very small amounts of prop grease on my cowl and on the windshield. Hoping that doesn't turn into an $800+ re-seal job like what happened on my RV-10. Right now it's pretty minor. I'm going to see if the only reason I'm seeing it is all the unusual attitudes the plane has seen lately. Maybe on an x/c flight I wouldn't get anything.