Starter has no torque
 

The old starter has lost it's Power. Won't even turn over my .46 LA.
Not the battery as it worked with a borrowed starter.

What it it the " goes " on a starter that causes it to loose torque and can it be fixed?

Just wondering before I junk it.

Steve

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Make sure all of your connections are tight and clean.
I have also had a problem with the switch.

What starter are you using?

Good Luck,
KW_Counter

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Hi Popriv
I too was low on power on my Sullivan starter. I took the starter switch apart and found a lot of dirt, etc., in it. I cleaned everything and it ran for another 15 years. After parts of the housing broke and I decided to make no more repairs, I got another Sullivan starter.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

It's likely either the switch or the brushes. You can test the switch by pulling the starter apart and using a multimeter to check the voltage when it's on. You may be able to find new brushes at a hardware store.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Did the borrowed starter produce a LOT of torque?

How old is the starter?

I find that the most common cause for "low torque" on a starter is the battery not being able to sustain the load.

However as indicated something else may be at work, especially if the starter has seen many seasons.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

The switch on those starters is only two strips separated by foam. When you push the rubber, the metal is pushed together. Dirt or corrosion can lower the voltage. Or the brushes can get dirty lowering the current.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

At one point in time I used to open up my starters when they lost there zing and install new brushes { local hardware store} and clean everything in it then spray it with electric terminal cleaner spray. That always fixed it.
These days I just wait for the starters to come up on sale at the big chain hobby stores and buy a new one and keep it on hand. I also go to Harbor Freight and buy the 18 volt battery pack and charger, the two items cost about $15.00. Once this 18 volt starter is wired in I have some serious starting power.
Over in Q&A John Buckner was just showing his new battery pack on one of his starters, instead of 18 volts he went with a nice 24 volt battery pack. Can you say ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Check battery for problems first, second make sure all connections are tight with no corrosion, thirdcheck switch on starter, last check brushes on starter.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Aw heck with modifying a pack to work with the starter, just mount the starting cone in a cordless drill!  <div>
</div><div>See guys, this is how you get an excuse for a new tool, tell the missus you need it for your hobby!</div>

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Are you kidding me? That's the fastest way to NOT getting the go ahead is say it's for my hobby :D

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Follow acdii's suggestion and add the cost of getting a sprained wrist fixed to the starter budget.

RE: Starter has no torque
 

As noted the problem with using a cordless drill as a starter is not the power but ergonomics that are completely wrong. They are very dangerous when used with one hand.

Now when used with two hands then the problem dose not exist and they would be fine. Therein lies the problem and unless we are starting the very largest of our airplanes the tendency for most of us, is to use the starter in the right hand and hold the fuselage with the left even when the airplane is restrained or in a 'safety stand'. This is almost impossible to do because the switch orientation and position of a drill is completely wrong when used in this way.

If someone does try using a drill please only use two handed.

John

RE: Starter has no torque
 

Man you guys must have never hung drywall! LOL When driving screws I hold the drill from behind, not the handle, and use my ring finger to pull the trigger.   It can be done without hurting yourself.  It all depends on how the drill fits in your hand.

yup had a drill of some kind in my hand all my life at work. you hold a drill by the end of the motor when driving screws or having to push hard on the drill. holding it by the handle is asking for a sprained wrist. unless you have exceptionally short fingers, you can usually reach the trigger with you middle finger, when holding the drill around the end of the motor. that puts your wrist more less in line with the spindle of the drill to resist twisting much better than the offset arrangement taken by holding the grip in a more conventional way. I have a Milwaukee 1/2 inch "hole shooter' drill and that is a beast of a small hand drill,...it twist out of your hand in a heartbeat. I have put that drill down many times with a throbbing wrist before I figured out how not to hold it when I was younger and thought I was stronger than some silly little drill motor..

R ward, you've had a thing for posts from 2012 lately, haven't you?

don't really know, I search the back pages and I f I see something interesting i'll maybe post a reply. as I've said, the age of the thread has little impact on my replying to it,...the questions are usually current issues as well. maybe if some people don't want older threads brought back up, they should limit the age of threads available to view, in the archived pages.
i'm starting to get disinterested in this site,..........

I'm just yanking your chain. It's just that you responded to half a dozen threads from the same year. Odd is all.