tkrolfe(at)usadatanet.net
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 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject: Rotax Pull Starter Problem |
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beauford wrote:
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Per the DAR who inspected some airplanes here yesterday, there is a serious problem with some 2-stroke rope starters... The weld which holds the starter axle to the stamped steel starter housing breaks loose. This allows the recoil mechanism to float around in the housing, where it eventually gets off center enough to make contact with the flywheel assembly, resulting in all manner of bad outcomes up to and including sudden stoppage, trashing of the engine, loss of the aircraft, etc.. The minimum to be expected is a significant amount of expensive damage to the starter and flywheel.
Points he made:
- inspect the shaft... if it turns when rope is pulled, do not run it or fly it.
- Starter can have a broken weld and still work just fine to start engine.
- If oil injection is installed, end of shaft cannot be seen because it is behind the injection unit. (remove unit to inspect)
- Inspect frequently... like every preflight.
Mine, on my 447, is already broken...I was lucky... I will re-weld it and reinforce the weak area... I also looked at a 503 on another Kolb... it was not yet broken, but the weld had been ground down to make it "pretty" and it did not look strong. We are going to reinforce that one, too.
See attached picture...
Worth what ye paid fer it...
Beauford
FF-076
Brandon, FL
Beauford,
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I too had the shaft break loose from the housing on my 447 last year.
Lucky I have a friend ( Wilmer) who is our local 2 cycle guru and looks
after us. He pointed it out to me and I had it welded by a pro with Tig
so as to not over heat the spring inside. Holding up fine since. Now
have 646 hr.'s on it and still running strong. He has put 735 hr.'s on
his 503 in 2 1/2 yr.'s with no problems.
Hope the rest of you listen to Beauford and check your starter box
especially if you have lots of hr.'s on it. It's easy to miss it. I did.
Terry - FireFly #95
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