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Starter problems

Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:27 pm
by carym
OK, I know this will be thought of as another rich pilot complaining about expenses. But, I can't help it since I am neither rich nor do I enjoy the expenses of Thielert engines. My left starter is beginning to see the end of its happy life after about 680 hours. It's been giving me more and more problems over the last 4-6 months. This weekend it took me several "starts" to get it to turn the engine enough to crank it over. Most times I turned the key it would not turn the engine at all, some times it turned the blade through 45 to 90 degrees. Once it would turn it through one turn the engine starts.

The part seems to be available only through Thielert at a cost of about $1300. I am hoping that someone here has found a better and less expensive way to replace a starter on the 1.7 engine.

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:28 pm
by Doug
carym wrote:OK, I know this will be thought of as another rich pilot complaining about expenses. But, I can't help it since I am neither rich nor do I enjoy the expenses of Thielert engines. My left starter is beginning to see the end of its happy life after about 680 hours. It's been giving me more and more problems over the last 4-6 months. This weekend it took me several "starts" to get it to turn the engine enough to crank it over. Most times I turned the key it would not turn the engine at all, some times it turned the blade through 45 to 90 degrees. Once it would turn it through one turn the engine starts.

The part seems to be available only through Thielert at a cost of about $1300. I am hoping that someone here has found a better and less expensive way to replace a starter on the 1.7 engine.
No luck yet?
I'm planning on keeping a spare on the shelf so let me know what you find out.

Doug

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:40 pm
by carym
Hi Doug,
No luck. I contacted Skytec on the outside chance that they do have a starter for this engine, but as expected they told me no. What is most disturbing is that this is a Mercedes engine and the starters for the 1.7L Diesel Mercedes (car) engines are only about $80 on-line. Someone must be making a good profit on us :(

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 6:51 pm
by Steve
carym wrote:Hi Doug,
No luck. I contacted Skytec on the outside chance that they do have a starter for this engine, but as expected they told me no. What is most disturbing is that this is a Mercedes engine and the starters for the 1.7L Diesel Mercedes (car) engines are only about $80 on-line. Someone must be making a good profit on us :(

Yes, it would be a shame if one of those found it's way onto your engine...

Steve

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 4:43 am
by ihfanjv
Is the "aviation" starter exactly the same as the "automotive" starter?

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 12:03 pm
by carym
I have no idea, except the auto starter is 12v and the plane starter is 24v. All I have to go on is Thielert part numbers


Cary Mariash
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 8:47 am
by Steve D
Hey Cary

I have just had the r/h starter fail after 350hrs. The AMO had access to an older 1.7 motor and he used the starter off that. So far it has worked fine. They have the same part numbers so I cant see it can be a problem. Hopefully they can find out what is wrong with my old one so we can keep as a spare.

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 12:59 pm
by carym
Hi Steve,
Hopefully they can figure out what was wrong. If so, please let me know. My plane went into annual on Saturday and I am hoping the mechanic can find something that will avoid my purchase of a new starter. Having another 1.7 motor around would be the way to go for spare parts as needed, but we don't have one here.

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:54 pm
by Steve D
Cary

Spoke to the AMO. Seems the starter was fried beyond repair. He says that Thielert told him the starter was made by a company in Poland and Thielert have acknowledged they were sub standard and have changed the supplier. The new ones are supposed to be far more durable.

I have instructed him to get a replacement and keep it as a spare.

Re: Starter problems

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:18 pm
by carym
Steve,
Thanks for the update. It sounds like I may need to fork out another $1300 sooner than later :( It sure would be nice if there were another source of these for use, but I guess there are just too few engines out there to make it worthwhile for another company to make a PMA and TSO approved replacement.