Bum starter system on an Archer

[drizzt76]

Our club 1979 Piper Archer's starter can't turn through the compression stroke. You literally have to tap the switch to get the prop rocking and it will barely go over...many times it don't rotate so you just keep tapping and rocking. Our mechanic at where the Archer is based says nothing is wrong with it...it's how they all are. I find this hard to be believe. From what other club members have been saying the plane always did this. I'm pushing to take it to another mechanic but don't want to create too many waves. This post is my first action to get this thing resolved. Thanks in advance.

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Our club 1979 Piper Archer's starter can't turn through the compression stroke. You literally have to tap the switch to get the prop rocking and it will barely go over...many times it don't rotate so you just keep tapping and rocking. Our mechanic at where the Archer is based says nothing is wrong with it...it's how they all are. I find this hard to be believe. From what other club members have been saying the plane always did this. I'm pushing to take it to another mechanic but don't want to create too many waves. This post is my first action to get this thing resolved. Thanks in advance.

That's BS. Some old Archers (maybe that one) have aluminum wiring -- that cause a starting problem. Many ignition switches need to be replaced -- that may be a problem. The 1976 Archer which I recently sold had the aluminum wiring replaced with copper and the switch replaced, and it started great...

 

[poadeleted20]

Either bad wiring, a weak battery, or an old starter. Bet if put in a new Sky-Tec lightweight starter the problem will disappear.

 

[mikea]

Either bad wiring, a weak battery, or an old starter. Bet if put in a new Sky-Tec lightweight starter the problem will disappear.

Yep. Except you're also supposed to replace the AL wiring with CU because the Sky-Tec wants all of the volts and amps it can get.

That's what I did.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Our club 1979 Piper Archer's starter can't turn through the compression stroke. You literally have to tap the switch to get the prop rocking and it will barely go over...many times it don't rotate so you just keep tapping and rocking. Our mechanic at where the Archer is based says nothing is wrong with it...it's how they all are.

Bull$#!+.

I wish you'd have mentioned this before you left today, I'd have shown you a 1977 Archer that cranks right over. (I might have even paid for it so Pete wouldn't have to. ) In fact, both of our club Archers crank great.

Heck, I'd almost be willing to switch planes with Pete for the trip home just so I could stop in DBQ and show your mechanic how they "all" work. I'm guessing your mechanic just doesn't know how to fix it (may have already replace the items Ron mentions below).

Either bad wiring, a weak battery, or an old starter.

Could be any of that, but we had the same problem on our 182. After replacing the wiring, the battery, and the starter, it was still happening. We finally took it to a mechanic who knew what it was: The starter adapter. So don't overlook that. We were clueless as to the cause until we found the right guy.

Good luck!

 

[bstratt]

Had the same problem in our Arrow but only when hot. Finally got the starter replaced with a rebuilt Bendix. Works great now. (Our mechanic didn't like the new light weight ones - said the Bendix were indestructible!)

 

[poadeleted20]

(Our mechanic didn't like the new light weight ones - said the Bendix were indestructible!)

Your mechanic is wrong. The starter motor itself is very solid, but the bendix mechanism (essentially a clutch) is the very weak point of the system. Go with a bendix-less lightweight unit like the Sky-Tec and you'll be way happier in the long run.

 

[JimNtexas]

Your mechanic is wrong. The starter motor itself is very solid, but the bendix mechanism (essentially a clutch) is the very weak point of the system. Go with a bendix-less lightweight unit like the Sky-Tec and you'll be way happier in the long run.

Ron's correct, the mechanic is wrong. The Archer should start just fine. When the original starts acting up its time to go to a Sky-Tec.

That's what we did with our Archer.

 

[NC Pilot]

First check all the connections from the battery to the starter and be especially careful about checking the grounds. Basically, remove every connection, clean it and reassemble. The aluminum wiring may have some poor connections at the ends also and replacing with copper cables is not a bad idea.

Here is a thread that discusses this very issue. http://forums.piperowner.org/read/1/16406/16416/quote=1

A new lightweight starter is a great thing (I know because I have one), but go to the basics first and get the electrical system checked out first.

 

[bstratt]

Your mechanic is wrong. The starter motor itself is very solid, but the bendix mechanism (essentially a clutch) is the very weak point of the system. Go with a bendix-less lightweight unit like the Sky-Tec and you'll be way happier in the long run.

It was a light weight that we had (don't know if it was Sky-Tec). Figured out the windings were shorting when hot. If you can't trust your mechanic, who can you trust?

 

[Roger K]

First check all the connections from the battery to the starter and be especially careful about checking the grounds. Basically, remove every connection, clean it and reassemble. The aluminum wiring may have some poor connections at the ends also and replacing with copper cables is not a bad idea.

Here is a thread that discusses this very issue. http://forums.piperowner.org/read/1/16406/16416/quote=1

A new lightweight starter is a great thing (I know because I have one), but go to the basics first and get the electrical system checked out first.

Quite correct. One reason that copper wire is a better conductor is that corrosion in the form of copper oxide is a conductor; for aluminum, corrosion in the form of aluminum oxide is an insulator. Cleaning all connectors and sanding off any corrosion is an excellent first step. But replacing the wire with copper is a pemanent solution.