is there any LONG term disadvantage(s) of using an electric starter for a glow engine? have a OS 46 AX. it starts no problems with a choke and couple of flips of the chicken stick but since my electric starter is sitting gathering dust, might as well use it.

p.s. the propeller is showing signs of wear at the edges cuz of the stick starts

G'day Mate,
In days gone by, the only problem with using electric starters, all the time, was that the back plate showed signs of wear, from the crankshaft being pushed back by the use of electric starters, & this could cause a problem, with metal shavings inside the motor, on rare occasions, of course, usually from turning the motor over for long periods, to get it started. But these days I rarely use my electric starter, because my motors start so easily, as most do, so don't worry about it, as you will find, some things, get used less & less as time goes on, but we still keep em around! Just in case!
PS, Use some rubber hose on your chicken stick, & save those prop edges.

Shouldn't be a problem using a starter - I, and everybody else I fly with, uses them. If for no other reason, it does keep you fingers out of the prop. I've used them for years and have had no ill effect from them. I could pull the back plate off my K&B Torpedo .40 and check, but last I remember it just plain wore out the ring, piston, rod, etc. and the case/backplate/crank are all ok. This engine dates to the late '70's also.

Hogflyer

With a lot of guys, being able to merely hand flip the prop to start the engine is a pride thing. This makes them feel they are competant at being able to master the proper setting of the engine. However, your ego can come back to bite you if you don't time the prop flip just right. I use an electric starter without any problems. Good luck.

It depends. If you're like my friend whose too cheap too replace his field box batt and JAMS his starter against his engines, yeah eventually it's gonna hurt somethin'. Me,__ choke it,flip it two times, back flip it against compression___ VAROOOM!!!! Only time I use the starter is at the end of the day to clear out the engine before packin' up and leavin' Thanx,Rob.

m OS 46 will start with a quick snap of the fingers on the cone...I actually have to be extemely carefull around that motor with the plug on because i have started it twice an accident...

I still use the electric starter most times because not only is my hand away from the prop, but my hand is NOT MOVING at all...which feels safer. I dont like the sticks on small planes because you have to move your hand with the prop, which can put your knuckles close. I just pinch the point of the spinner with my thumb, forefinger and middle finger (with the rast of the hand out of the way) and kinda "snap" it against compression, and it will start...but like I said, mostly use the electric, hand starting is only when im at the runway and the motor loaded up waiting for someone or something and died...

I wouldnt recommend that to anyone though, it can be dangerous if your not careful...

Ok, back to the original question. I'm not sure what you mean by "long term". If you mean using an electric starter over a period of months or years then the answer would be "no", there are no problems. If you mean running for a "long" time like continuously running the starter motor on the engine, the I would say yes there can be problems. Remember, these small engines get their lubrication from the fuel that goes into them. If you crank the motor for a long period of time without fuel flowing into the engine you will have metal rubbing against metal without the benefit of any lubrication, which can cause undue wear on an engine. That's why I always cringe whenever I see someone put their electric starter on an engine and "crank away" until it sucks fuel into the engine to start. IMHO this causes a lot of unneeded wear on an engine and can cause it to "die young". If you look at anybody that has engines that are "old as dirt" , engines that have literally hundreds of flights on them, you'll find that about 95%+ of them hand start their motors. Now don't get me wrong here, I don't think there is anything wrong with using an electric starter to start your engine. Just don't run it on the engine with no fuel (lubrication) in the engine. I would recommend priming the engine by hand and then use the electric starter to start the engine. Here's the best way to prime your engine, IMHO:

1. Make sure you DO NOT have the glow driver on the engine
2. Open the throttle to full throttle
3. Cover the air inlet on your carb. If your engine is in a cowl and you can't reach the carb then put your finger over the exhaust of your muffler (obviously not when the engine is hot)
4. Turn the prop counter-clockwise by hand and watch the fuel line.
5. Keep turning the prop 3 or 4 more turns after you see fuel go into the carb.
6. Now move the throttle down to idle and start the engine.

For what it's worth, I almost never use an electric starter. About the only time I will use one is when I am starting an engine after the needle settings have been changed or the needle has never been adjusted. In those instances I will manually prime it as I said above, but cranking it with the starter helps it to get running. For normal everyday flying I use a chicken stick to start the engine. As said above you are getting damage to the prop from the chicken stick. You're doing something wrong because that shouldn't damage the prop any. When you flip it with the stick turn the prop counter-clockwise until it hit compression and then use the stick to flip the prop through the compression.

Hope this helps

Ken

i've never had, nor have i heard of anyone, having any problems from using an electric starter long term (over months, years, etc) however on the other side i have read on a few forums that some clubs REQUIRE the use of electric starters due to the safety issue of starting with a stick......

i guess all in all, it really comes down to personal preference.

This is my first year of flying but I have yet to see anyone at the two clubs I fly with use a chicken stick.
We all use electric and some people on larger glow and gassers will flip the prop with a gloved hand. (There is one older guy that has a large electric starter for his gassers)

Like I said above, I start everything with a chicken stick. Or with a glove on my bigger gas engines. Why? Really no other reason that that's the way I learned to do it. Plus, there are times that a plane needs to be restarted on the runway or taxiway and knowing how to flip start it keeps from having the haul the plane back to the pitts. Is it unsafe to flip start an engine. Not at all. It's perfectly safe when it's done properly. But that is true for everything we do in this hobby, if you do it improperly it becomes dangerous.

Ken

RJM, I learned that same technique from watchin' some videos that are no longer produced. Makes me "look good doin' it". Rob.

Exactly, and I've seen what happens to an engine when it's abused with an electric starter. In this case it was an LA with the plain bearing and the usual brute force "hit it with the starter and wait for it to fire up" didn't work. The crankshaft eventually completely seized in the bush. A starter should never be used until you know the engine has been primed correctly and it's ready to fire.

Now I've seen it all! [X(] Starting with a stick is no more or less safe than with a starter. In fact, I see way more unsafe starts from people with starters than from those who use a stick or glove. Examples include a person who sits cross legged on the ground with the plane in one hand, starter in the other, and the prop arc facing his body (he won't listen to suggestions that this is unsafe) and many people standing in the prop arc and leaning over the plane to start it.

If you look into the reports of serious prop injuries, you'll find that nearly all were AFTER the engine was already running and happened when reaching across the prop, from an unsecured airplane getting loose, etc.

hey, i wasn't saying either way........we allow both at our field, and trust me, i use an electric starter. i was only passing on what i have read in the past on these very forums.

Realize that, it was a commentary on the club's inability to separate preference from reality. When done properly, electric vs hand (chicken stick, etc) is a preference.