I was at Oshkosh on Tuesday talking Franklin engines with Robert Still of Southern Aero. He is at the Franklin Aerospace booth, Anyway they had some Sky-Tec starters available. He said they persuaded Sky-Tec to make the Franklin model starters again. So after buying one to help shed 9 pounds I cannot figure out how to remove the old prestolite starter. I have checked the old posts but still am a little fuzzy on how to remove the bendix to get the old starter out. Any tips on this subject would be appreciated. Also for you franklin guys Robert had camshafts, cylinders, etc. ready for install if any one is looking.

Remove left mag. Still a little tight, but it will come out; bendix and starter together. Good luck.
What's the price tag on the new Sky Tec?
Thanks for the info on new available parts.

Thanks Riverbuggy,
The price was pretty expensive. It was 795.00. I still have some of my Afghanistan deployment money so it did not bother as much. My original starter was starting to hang up and not always push the engine over at certain prop positions. Looking at my firewall it looks like a clearer path to remove the right mag. Is there a reason the left was preferable on yours?
Robert also informed me that talks are still going on with Maule to have a Franklin engine option on there planes again. I did talk to Brent at Maule but I did not verify that info. It is kind of hard talking to the folks that I deem important when my 11 year son and his 84 year Grandpa are going 2 different directions than I am. Thanks again.

I'm not looking at the engine right now but the left mag removed offers a clearer path. I believe there is fitting of some sort on the right side of the firewall. If the Bendix is stuck engaged, you will need to remove it to get the starter out even if the engine is on the bench. Warning: do not engage the Bendix by turning it as there is no way to disengage it, the only way to disengage it is to start the engine.

To remove the Bendix you need to compress the spring and the single pin will push out. It is a slip fit, not a press fit. Compressing the spring is the fun part. I made a tool using a small wooden clamp to grab the gear (mine was engaged) and a couple bolts and flat stock to compress the spring. It might be possible for 2 people to push the spring back using screw drivers on the lip of the shaft while the 3 rd person uses a drift to push the pin out. The pin will fall right out so cover every opening because we know where it will want to go.

If you have access to a rebuild shop, explain to them what you have and they should have an old Bendix to show you how it comes off. One demonstration is worth 3 hours of "How the heck........".

Like I said, have fun .

Ralph
akafrank

Now I can't remember why, but going out the left mag way was the only side it would work on as Akafrank said. Also as Akafrank says if the bendix is engaged it is a whole additional issue. This was the case with me. I rigged a small home made spring compressor to get the bendix off first. After removal I was able to reset the bendix using a wire wheel on a bench grinder

Looking forward to your install and please give a performance review!

Thank for the tips. We did get the old starter out by taking off the bendix and loosening the right mag. It just made it and we did not have to re time the mag. The problem I have now is that the brand new sky-tec starter does not work. We have 12.2 volts to the starter but nothing happens. So either the new starter does not work or we are missing something. The instructions are very simple. Just connect the power to the terminal. There is another small terminal next to the large one but is not mentioned in the instructions. The website is not much help. Is there something different for this Franklin installation. I appreciate any help on the subject.

Post up a picture. Sounds like the new starter has an integral solenoid, if so it will be the main power wire to the large terminal and move the start wire from firewall solenoid to small terminal on new starter.

There are examples of wiring for different installations on the Sky-tec site. One schematic is for a Continental.
http://www.skytecaircraftstarters.com/i ... g_1100.jpg

I have to ask. How do you loosen a mag and not have to re-time it?

Ralph
Akafrank

You get lucky

Even if you scribe a mark on it, the best you can hope for is to get it real close. I'm too picky perhaps, but it is pretty easy to throw a buzz box on it and reset it.

If you loosened the mag, suggest it gets retimed... Near impossible to loosen a magneto without changing timing and I can show you pictures of a 220 in shop that timing was a little advanced on... Created detonation, blew cylinder right off case taking big chunk of case and chunk of cylinder with it!! The 5 extra minutes it takes to check timing and adjust as necessary could well be worth the expense, even if you have to hire an A/P to do it... This owner's mistake cost him near $20K when all said and done, and 220's aren't getting any easier or cheaper to find....

I might point out that this is a 10:1 compression engine - doesn't take much to cause detonation.

And follow the mag switch modification with the addition on push button, if not the kick back of the engine, the starter will take out the ring gear !!!!!!!!!! $$$$$$$$$$$