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difficult starting when engine is hot

J

jacksel

Well Known Member
I have a skytek starter on my RV-6 and recently it has been getting insufficient power from the battery when starting after it was recently flown and the engine is hot. The problem is intermittent and seems to correct itself after cooling. Has anyone experienced this? From what I've heard it's probably a ground wire or the starter solenoid.
 
Coupla' questions

Where is your battery located? What type of battery is it and how old? What size wire did you use to the starter and ground?
 
The battery is Odyssey PC 680, mounted aft of the firewall. I replaced it a few months ago. All wire is #2. When cold it normally starts fine. All ground connections appear clean and free of corrosion.
 
jacksel said:
The battery is Odyssey PC 680, mounted aft of the firewall. I replaced it a few months ago. All wire is #2. When cold it normally starts fine. All ground connections appear clean and free of corrosion.
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That all sounds good, but I had to ask.
 
It's a Skytec LS delivered with the engine, but after consultation with Skytec and further troubleshooting I've decided to replace the starter. Skytec recommends going to the NS, which I am inclined to do. I believe there won't be any clearance issues with my RV-6 cowl but was wondering if anyone has any specific experience?
 
Starter

I went to the NL on my 6?and it works fine. I have a 0-360 and I hot start full lean, fuel pump on and push mixture in slowly as it starts. Taxi with mixture so lean that engine will stop if you add takeoff power at all altitudes. The NL failed at 100 hours, Skytec did replace it.
 
OK thanks. But you didn't have any clearance issues with your NL starter? Because it's slightly bigger.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jacksel said:
OK thanks. But you didn't have any clearance issues with your NL starter? Because it's slightly bigger.
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It is only larger if you leave on the accessory mounting tabs that stick down below the starter body. The installation info makes it clear that you can cut those tabs off if required. Once you cut the tabs off, the footprint is a bit less than the LS starter, except that the NL is a lot longer, extending several inches further aft than the LS starter. This may force you to relocate things if you have anything routed between the LS starter aft end and the oil sump.
 
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