Slick Mag Replace/Inspect/Overhaul?

Banjo33

Banjo33

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Banjo33
The other thread regarding Mags reminded me that I’ve approached 500 hrs or so on mine and need to do something with them. I’m not making any major changes right now, so Bendix mags aren’t in my (near) future, and what I have are performing just fine. What’s the concensus on slicks...replace/inspect/rebuild?
 
I know you said no bendix, but if you're spending the money to rebuild or (more likely) replace the slicks, it's a good chunk better to just swap to bendix, much better mag, and amount of work and cost wise it's not much of a difference.

More than a few people would rather fly behind old bendix than new slicks.
 
Jeez, for only 500 hrs on them, IRAN them. IIRC, it’s $100 or so per mag
 
Really depends upon what mags you have now, and how near the rebuild of the engine you are.
The only time I really insist on new mags is at Overhaul time, then I like the new TCM, the new model slicks have been having too many problems.
 
teejayevans said:
Jeez, for only 500 hrs on them, IRAN them. IIRC, it’s $100 or so per mag
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Think slick has a 500hr inspection, and is much more of a R&R vs OH type of mag.

Also with the failure mode of mags that I've seen, it's just not worth investing money in slicks.
 
The 500 hour parts service kit from Champion is not that expensive ($300 to $350 for the kits at Aircraft Spruce
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/slickmaginspectkit.php?clickkey=4961166 )

If the mags are in good shape there's no reason not to just have them serviced. A lot less expensive than throwing them out and buying Bendix. I prefer to stagger mine on an engine though, so they don't both get done at the same time (for my flying typically 6 months to a year apart).
 
GRG55 said:
The 500 hour parts service kit from Champion is not that expensive ($300 to $350 for the kits at Aircraft Spruce
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/slickmaginspectkit.php?clickkey=4961166 )

If the mags are in good shape there's no reason not to just have them serviced. A lot less expensive than throwing them out and buying Bendix. I prefer to stagger mine on an engine though, so they don't both get done at the same time (for my flying typically 6 months to a year apart).
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I can positively tell you your going to need more than an inspection kit to comply with the Slick 500 hour SB.
 
Tom-D said:
I can positively tell you your going to need more than an inspection kit to comply with the Slick 500 hour SB.
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My service cost per mag on the two I had done last year ran about $700 each, including labor. Mechanic made the entry and signed my log book when he did the work. Plane runs just fine a year later. How much are a pair of new Bendix mags?

Personally I think the reason most magnetos fail is because people don't pay any attention to them and think they can run forever.
 
I suggest to get rebuilt (or new) Slick mags at or before 500 hrs for piece of mind. We have an impulse mag out right now. Was in the mag shop just 100 hrs ago for IRAN/500 hr inspection. It is now bad (egap, coil, etc). Wasted $350 in my view. Putting in a rebuilt mag tomorrow. Also had to replace right mag 125 hrs ago too. Aircraft/engine since new has 701 hrs. Both mags have had inspections and now both have been replaced. I am weary of buying Slick mags but we wont be doing anymore inspections. Slicks just dont last. Hopefully we are done for a while.
 
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I have slicks. They have 1100 hours on them and at 900 hrs(left one me failed in flight) I finally sent them to magneto ER in Arkansas for the 500 hour inspection. He was great, fast, and the slick mags are still rocking. I have no problem with slicks..now next flight they will go...haha
 
Banjo33 said:
About 600 hrs on the engines.

Just can’t swing upgrading to Bendix right now.

Saw this place does 500-hr inspections for a reasonable fee: http://www.aircraftmagnetoservice.net/slick
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"Plus parts"

Don't think you're going to be saving much money.



And I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but sometimes these mags don't give much warning before they chit the bed, limping a plane out of a lake in the middle of nowhere with one mag that's on deaths door isn't fun, just really not something you want to fool with, 500hrs send them in.

And bang for the buck wise swap over to bendix with a new harness.


For whatever small difference, you should see the cost to call in a oncall AP to a remote airport.
 
GRG55 said:
My service cost per mag on the two I had done last year ran about $700 each, including labor. Mechanic made the entry and signed my log book when he did the work. Plane runs just fine a year later. How much are a pair of new Bendix mags?
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at 700 per mag every 500 hours to TBO is 4 to 5 times in the life of an engine plus any in between maintenance. 700 X 4 = $2800 X 2 mags = $5600 in mag maintenance, not including removal and re=installation.
last I knew the new mag kit from TCM was $2900. 2 new mags, 2 new harnesses, 12 plugs.
 
My slicks made over 2000 hours wo any service. At 2000 I replaced one (was running fine, just precautionary). The other made it to 2600 and beyond (sold the plane). I suggest whatever you do, only do ONE at a time. Unlikely they both fail at once I if you get them out of sequence.
 
Tom-D said:
at 700 per mag every 500 hours to TBO is 4 to 5 times in the life of an engine plus any in between maintenance. 700 X 4 = $2800 X 2 mags = $5600 in mag maintenance, not including removal and re=installation.
last I knew the new mag kit from TCM was $2900. 2 new mags, 2 new harnesses, 12 plugs.
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No argument with this Tom. Especially if the harnesses have a 1000 hours or more on them.

If I was overhauling an engine I'd be putting Bendix mags on it. But my plane came with 4 Slick mags, and for the hours we private pilots fly, the $1400 to do two (including re-install and timing them) seemed the most sensible. The one I replaced 18 months ago had about 1300 hours on it when the primary coil failed. Not worth fixing on a Slick.
 
I'll take slicks over Siamese mag every day and twice on sunday.
 
hindsight2020 said:
I'll take slicks over Siamese mag every day and twice on sunday.
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Tom-D said:
And when your engine requires that mag? You gonna swap engines because you don't like the mag?
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upload_2018-3-12_19-40-26.png

No, I avoid the airplane, obviously. :D


The only airplane I've ever felt comfortable flying behind a siamese mag was a seminole...and doing the mag checks felt comical to me, but it was the ATP ride so you gotta placate the DPE. :D
 
hindsight2020 said:
The only airplane I've ever felt comfortable flying behind a siamese mag was a seminole...and doing the mag checks felt comical to me
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You do realize there are two distinctly different mags in the 1 housing?
 
Tom-D said:
You do realize there are two distinctly different mags in the 1 housing?
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Yes, I understand what you're saying. I'm just telling you that I reject the practical premise of that description of the mag. The reason I reject it is precisely due to the shared nature of said housing, shared drive spline, the shared holding clamps of said shared housing, and even the impulse coupling forward of the splitter, which kills both sides' timing in the event of coupling spring failure. For all these reasons, "two distinctly different mags" it is not. This is one instance where playing semantics can be hazardous to one's health.
 
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