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Starter Disengagement?

rockitdoc

Well Known Member
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I am planning to wire a panel idiot light to my starter contactor to indicate when the starter is engaged. The reason is for the possibility of the starter pinion continuing to engage the starter after the engine is running. If this were to happen, how does one remove power to the starter? Master switch?
 
I am planning to wire a panel idiot light to my starter contactor to indicate when the starter is engaged. The reason is for the possibility of the starter pinion continuing to engage the starter after the engine is running. If this were to happen, how does one remove power to the starter? Master switch?

One "hung starter" scenario was when the starter motor (PM variety) would become a generator and its output would energize the adjacent solenoid keeping the pinion engaged, and so on. Turning off the master switch wouldn't fix it as the starter was the source of the current.

The solution for this was to remove the jumper between the starter solenoid and starter motor "+" terminal, and use the "I" terminal on the starter relay to energize the starter solenoid. See Page 43-11, Figure 2.

Other failure scenarios like broken pinion extension/retraction mechanism, jammed solenoid piston, etc. which causes the starter motor to turn might be sensed by running a wire from the starter power terminal back (big terminal) to the EFIS -- if there is +12V here either the starter relay is energized, or the starter motor is turning. Back EMF when the starter disengages might be a problem with this idea -- don't want to fry the EFIS...

I thought about having a CAS alert for starter engaged, but having my hand on the key in the "START" position (or finger jammed on the START button) seemed like an easy enough tell.
 
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I saw what BJDecker is describing happen on a Starduster one time. Crazy sounding / looking.

A "starter run light" is common with the old Bonanza guys and something I'm planning on doing to mine. Just knowing that it is engaged is half the battle. Or more.
 
I had it happen to me! Some years ago....was a bad starter solenoid.
Shut down was normal.
I installed an idiot light after that.
Also bought the best quality Solenoid to hopefully prevent happening again.
When it happens, things seems odd/not normal and it takes a second to realize what is happening......so an idiot light will confirm it next time.
I also wondered why it is not standard equipment.
My episode only lasted a few seconds, but once I started asking around about it, there are horror stories about people starting up and flying away with the starter engaged.....making a total mess up front...yikes.

Ps....I am also losing my hearing.....and have idiot light on my fuel pump too.
 
Also bought the best quality Solenoid to hopefully prevent happening again.

Bob,

Just to clarify: did you replace the solenoid that drives the pinion gear at the nose of the starter motor? or the starter relay which sits (usually) near the master relay, has an "S" and "I" terminal in addition to two big copper posts...

B
 

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Bob,

Just to clarify: did you replace the solenoid that drives the pinion gear at the nose of the starter motor? or the starter relay which sits (usually) near the master relay, has an "S" and "I" terminal in addition to two big copper posts...

B

The starter RELAY.....bought from B&C if I remember correctly.
 
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