OK all you Electronic Ignition folks can stop reading now - this is all about those of us stone-age people using old-fashioned Mags, sitting around campfires to keep warm, and tossing old spark plugs at noises in the night....
Are they gone?
OK folks, some really basic questions. Here I sit with 600 hours on my engine, and I flew right past the 500 hour recommended maintenance point on my Slick mags. My old Grumman went about 1100 hours on a set of mags before I finally realized that the hard hot starts (just didn't want to fire!) were due to the mags being way beyond the conventional-wisdom life, and my mechanics said "hey, they're Slicks - throw them away and order new ones!", which is what we did, and the engine started up better than ever.
However....I have been re-educated by Mahlon who said that I should just due the routine maintenance, and they should last to TBO. Hey, I like that idea! The question is...how do I do the routine maintenance without a lot of downtime. Never having worked on the inside of a mag before, I am hesitant to buy an overhaul kit and try it myself - sounds like a good way to end up with a broken mag that was working beforehand. (I've read through the manual - looks like I'd need some special tools, and there might be a few tricks to learn by experience) I don't really think I want the local shade-tree types opening them up - does anyone send them to a mag shop that can turn them around quickly? And, if so, what does it generally cost? I mean...new mags are about $600 - if the maintenance cots is half that, I have to wonder if I shouldn't just order some.
I can't really say I am having any problems, except for an occasionally longer cranking period when hot starting - it might even be my imagination, but I'd just as soon keep to the scheduled plan.
OK, the floor is open - what are folks generally doing for their Slick maintenance?
Paul
Are they gone?
OK folks, some really basic questions. Here I sit with 600 hours on my engine, and I flew right past the 500 hour recommended maintenance point on my Slick mags. My old Grumman went about 1100 hours on a set of mags before I finally realized that the hard hot starts (just didn't want to fire!) were due to the mags being way beyond the conventional-wisdom life, and my mechanics said "hey, they're Slicks - throw them away and order new ones!", which is what we did, and the engine started up better than ever.
However....I have been re-educated by Mahlon who said that I should just due the routine maintenance, and they should last to TBO. Hey, I like that idea! The question is...how do I do the routine maintenance without a lot of downtime. Never having worked on the inside of a mag before, I am hesitant to buy an overhaul kit and try it myself - sounds like a good way to end up with a broken mag that was working beforehand. (I've read through the manual - looks like I'd need some special tools, and there might be a few tricks to learn by experience) I don't really think I want the local shade-tree types opening them up - does anyone send them to a mag shop that can turn them around quickly? And, if so, what does it generally cost? I mean...new mags are about $600 - if the maintenance cots is half that, I have to wonder if I shouldn't just order some.
I can't really say I am having any problems, except for an occasionally longer cranking period when hot starting - it might even be my imagination, but I'd just as soon keep to the scheduled plan.
OK, the floor is open - what are folks generally doing for their Slick maintenance?
Paul