Are you experiencing slow prop turning or
slipping of your starter? Assuming that your battery, starter and electrical
connections are all in good shape, you might be experiencing the beginnings of
the dreaded TCM starter adapter failure!
Depending on your CSOB proficiency, this might
not mean a >$1,000 overhauled part purchase plus the mechanic hours to R&R the
component.
Under the supervision of an A&P or IA the
removal of the starter adapter and replacement of the bearings, seals and large
drive spring is not rocket science, but that's my editorial opinion.
The shaft and spring interface clearances are
best left to be fitted by an aircraft engine machine shop or a place like
Niagara Air Parts,
especially if your shaft has been buggered up or experienced inordinate wear and
the shaft requires buffing or turning down, you'll need an undersized spring.
See the exploded view of a TCM
Starter Adapter Assembly
HERE
See the mysterious Starter
Adapter Spring and Shaft HERE
Doing your Own "Freshen Up" of
your Starter Adapter?
Check out these Low Cost Identical Replacement Part
Numbers for your TCM Starter Adapter at
My personal source for engine parts is
Superior's Line
of PMA'd Parts. Here are the spring part numbers offered by Superior.
Superior P/N
Description
List Price
SA539800
SPRING
$195.46
SA539800 M15
SPRING
$243.00
Caution: These
springs may fit your adapter and they may NOT! Check your engine parts catalog
and cross reference the TCM part number to Superior's replacement parts
HERE
Check Superior's
Distributors for their retail selling prices.
The recent pirep from a Bonanza owner about
Airpower pricing was
excellent, in that they priced the Superior PMA'd lifters at about half the price of
Aircraft Spruce and the PMA'd exhaust valve was half of what the cylinder shop
quoted him!
See Superior's TCM Replacement Parts listings
HERE
Caution: Over the
years TCM used a few different starter adapter designs! Check your engine
parts catalog to be sure you get the correct parts for your adapter.
Here are pictures of the Starter
Adapter internals. Click thumbnail for a full size image.
Here is a picture of where the
E-Series starter bolts to the back of the engine.
It is a completely different configuration from
the current starter adapters used on the 470 and larger TCM engines. Good luck
to you guys who care for these E-Series birds!
2740 North Sheridan Rd
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74115 (800)255-9924
A Beech Lister/owner of an N35 Bonanza has
provided a pirep on Niagara's starter adapter repair kits and shaft and spring
services:
Their fee to turn down the shaft to fit a new
spring is reported to be $75 and a new spring is from $140 to $250
(personally, I'd call one of Superior's
Distributors for a quote on the spring). Niagara could be a place to get
your shaft machined to specs for your CSOB sourced spring.
Check out these Starter Adapter
Overhaul
Kits from Niagara as a possible one-stop shop:
Kit reported to be approximately $100
Per Beechcraft owner and buyer's broker Bob S. of
Arizona, here is another potential source of good starter adapter repairs/parts:
Here is what Beech owner John P. says about his starter
adapter experience:
I've done a couple of these the past few
years. First was on an IO-470K. Used Niagara parts and had the drum turned
down locally/gear machined locally. Did the reassembly myself. Kind of a PITA.
The last one I did I got the parts from Aircraft Specialties and then took the
unit over to LyCon in Visalia, Ca. Think the total for parts & labor was in the
$400 range. He had a special tool over there that made installing the spring on
the gear and getting the final assembly into the drum a snap. You do need to
pull it first before ordering any parts. Have to use a micrometer on the drum
to see what size spring to buy. The shaft WILL have a taper out of spec so
machining will have to be done. Anyone can grind the gear it's the shaft that
requires a "tool post grinder" to machine it and very few shops have one.
Overall easy job, assuming especially if you can find someone who has the
special tools to install
the spring.
PS: Check above for sources on the spring.
I Found Your Oil Leak!
This is not going to be a good day.
(Contributed by Dave B. from an IO470-C in a J35 Bonanza)
Here's what happens when the starter fails to
DIS-engage!
Not a pretty story.
See more troubleshooting info from Niagara on
starter adapters
HERE
See Lew Gage's Starter Engaged Warning Light
Article HERE
Starter Adapter Mystery
Revealed
