SkyTec Starter - Fork Lever Arm

[dksington]

Has anyone ever fixed a starter fork lever arm issue? That’s the bit that connects the starter solenoid to the starter itself to move the ring gear forward to spin the prop. Photo of a deconstructed starter from a previous VAF thread below, with a photo of my starter below that - the holes in my fork disconnected from the spigots in the ring around the shaft (seen in second photo). It was an easy fix to use a thin screwdriver to rotate the collar to re-engage the spigots in the fork, but access and rebuild mean it’s a 2-hour job. What’s more it happened for the second time again last week, so there’s an ongoing problem.

I’d rather not spend a grand on replacing what is otherwise a perfectly serviceable starter - I'd appreciate any advice.





Derek
RV-7 G-CFWV

 

[Cth6]

Have you tried to clean it up first? I was amazed how gunked up mine was when I replaced the solenoid.

 

[dksington]

Have you tried to clean it up first? I was amazed how gunked up mine was when I replaced the solenoid.

Good point - I cleaned it up the first time it happened (loads of gunk), but it seemed pretty clean the second time (less than a month later).

 

[Stevea]

Has anyone ever fixed a starter fork lever arm issue? That’s the bit that connects the starter solenoid to the starter itself to move the ring gear forward to spin the prop. Photo of a deconstructed starter from a previous VAF thread below, with a photo of my starter below that - the holes in my fork disconnected from the spigots in the ring around the shaft (seen in second photo). It was an easy fix to use a thin screwdriver to rotate the collar to re-engage the spigots in the fork, but access and rebuild mean it’s a 2-hour job. What’s more it happened for the second time again last week, so there’s an ongoing problem.

I’d rather not spend a grand on replacing what is otherwise a perfectly serviceable starter - I'd appreciate any advice.

View attachment 68519

View attachment 68518

Derek
RV-7 G-CFWV

Derek,
Something to consider: You may not want to spend $1k on a new starter (i didn't either ), but you have to balance that against how much you don't want to be stuck somewhere other than home when it happens again. Hard to tell if you had the same wear problem I had in the first photo.....but it seems to me if the yoke has popped off the bearing throw-out bushing twice.....it WILL do it again. Your only other option is to find a starter with some life remaining in the plastic parts and swap them out for your parts. Sky-tec only sells complete starters, not replacement parts.

 

[dksington]

Derek,
Something to consider: You may not want to spend $1k on a new starter (i didn't either ), but you have to balance that against how much you don't want to be stuck somewhere other than home when it happens again. Hard to tell if you had the same wear problem I had in the first photo.....but it seems to me if the yoke has popped off the bearing throw-out bushing twice.....it WILL do it again. Your only other option is to find a starter with some life remaining in the plastic parts and swap them out for your parts. Sky-tec only sells complete starters, not replacement parts.

I appreciate the comment - having to replace the whole starter just because of a bit of plastic wear is such a pain, but kind of where I’m at. I was hoping that like the solenoid there might be a car-based legacy solution that would work. Still hoping.

 

[petehowell]

I appreciate the comment - having to replace the whole starter just because of a bit of plastic wear is such a pain, but kind of where I’m at. I was hoping that like the solenoid there might be a car-based legacy solution that would work. Still hoping.

Might find a FORD PMGR part to replace it: Catalog

 

[dksington]

Might find a FORD PMGR part to replace it: Catalog

Looks like that could be a player, thank you. @Stevea how did you take the starter apart?

 

[petehowell]

Looks like that could be a player, thank you. @Stevea how did you take the starter apart?

Disassembly pics in the March newsletter https://www.mnwing.org/app/download/7250464436/Mar2024.pdf

 

[Stevea]

Looks like that could be a player, thank you. @Stevea how did you take the starter apart?

Looks like Pete beat me to it with the link in his post. Better pictures than I have anyway.

One thing I will pass along. I did not pull the electric motor apart….I just left the rotor inside the motor can. Once you remove the motor and the solenoid from the casting, the plastic bits essentially fall out. Re-assembly is just the opposite. Good luck.

 

[dksington]

Looks like Pete beat me to it with the link in his post. Better pictures than I have anyway.

One thing I will pass along. I did not pull the electric motor apart….I just left the rotor inside the motor can. Once you remove the motor and the solenoid from the casting, the plastic bits essentially fall out. Re-assembly is just the opposite. Good luck.

Thank you both - I’ll give it a go and report back.

 

[chaskuss]

2 Thoughts. Perhaps take the starter to an Automotive Electrical Rebuilder near you? I'm referring to the type of establishment that rebuilds Automotive starters and alternators. Whatever you do, do not tell them that it is for an airplane. We simply tell them it's off my Lycoming powered airboat. These are flat bottom boats that are popular in the swamps of Florida and Louisiana. If that fails, perhaps you could have the replacement plastic parts 3D printed?