Hi Richard,
FWIW, I have 375 hours on my 912S with the original starter and the
original Odyssey PC 545 12AH battery which is installed at the firewall
shelf. The first flight was almost exactly 3 years ago. The engine
always fires within a few blades on a cold or hot start and I was just
out yesterday flying with our grandchildren on a chilly day. I cannot
explain why my engine is so trouble free but I think Europa owners
should be aware that not all 912S engines suffer the problems you have
detailed. The majority of my fill ups are with 100LL fuel and I only
rarely top up with auto fuel. My prop is a low inertia design and weighs
9 lbs.
Cheers, John
N262WF, mon XS, 912S, WhirlWind C/S prop
Mooresville, North Carolina
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Subject: Re: Europa-List: FWF Options
From: Richard Holder <rholder@avnet.co.uk>
The rider here is that if you have a 912S then you need the HD starter motor
because within a few hours you will screw up your sprag clutch if you don't
!
Mine starts beautifully now - absolutely on the button down to (so far) 2
degrees C, which is more than can be said for last winter.
Rotax say the standard starter is OK if it is installed correctly (I believe
they mean with short battery runs) and if you have a low inertia propellor.
The Airmaster is NOT low inertia.
Of course they would say that because any other statement (or the provision
of the HD starter on all new 912Ss) would have several of us claiming a
replacement starter from them - and indeed the price of a new sprag clutch.
XS firewall forward set-up (even on a classic fuselage) can accept a HD
clutch AND the starter and the sprag clutch can be changed without removing
the engine. Or rather Adrian Lloyd at Shobdon can do it with his specialised
tools.
Classic firewall forward can't even accept the HD starter, and removing any
starter involves removing the engine.
Richard
Richard F.W. Holder
**********
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