starter cable

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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garyl
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 2:08 am

starter cable

Post by garyl »

I have a 53 b sn 25966. Where is the best place to buy a replacement starter cable. Cessna has quoted me $265 Canadian. Seems to me there should be something a little less expensive. If you do know and have the specifics it would be appreciated.
thanks
Gary Latimer
1953 170B
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GAHorn
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Post by GAHorn »

By replacement starter cable, do you mean the Bowden-type cable used in the pull-start mechanism? Or do you mean the electrical starter cable which serves to provide electric current to the starter?
Common Bowden cable is available thru Spruce (as is electric wire/cable) and you may make up your own much less expensive than that charged by Cessna.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
zero.one.victor
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Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 12:11 am

Post by zero.one.victor »

I had the pull-to-start cable break on mine a couple years ago. It broke right where it attached to the starter lever. After looking it over, I realized it was rigged in such a way-- thru a hole in a bolt,then the cable was held in place between a nut/washer & the lever itself-- that every time the starter was operated, the cable had to bend (kink) adjacent to the lever. I re-rigged the cable by fabricating a small bracket, about the size & shape of a master link from a motorcycle chain. The cable mounts solidly to one end of the bracket, using the existing "holy bolt" hardware, and the other end mounts to the starter lever using a bolt & steel locknut so that it can swivel. The pull-to-start operation is improved, the cable doesn't kink, plus I didn't have to buy a new cable as the old one was long enough to work with the new bracket.
BTW, at this same time, I pulled out the inner control cables for carb heat, cabin heat, starter, & mixture and cleaned/lubed them. Really made a huge difference in how they worked.
Also, I had noticed the starter seemed to be turning the engine over kinda slow. The battery was only about a year old, figured that wasn't it. I ended up pulling apart the starter switch that mounts on the starter itself, the heavy copper contacts inside were corroded & pitted. I dressed them, then for good measure pulled off the starter power cable and the battery power & ground cables & cleaned up all the ends & where the connections. That made a world of difference,the starter really spun the old engine over then!

Eric
garyl
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 2:08 am

starter cable

Post by garyl »

It is the starter pull cable and just as Eric explained, mine broke in exactly the same spot. Thought it was kind of a mickey mouse arrangement going thru the hole, wrapping around and then being crimped by a nut. Eric how did you secure your bracket to the pull cable?
Thanks for the supplier info George.
Gary
zero.one.victor
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Post by zero.one.victor »

The chain-link shaped bracket fastens to the starter lever with a bolt & locknut, just not-quite-tight so that it can swivel freely. The cable attaches to the other end of the bracket. It goes thru a hole in the shank of a bolt, looking at the assembly from a side-view you'd see the bolt-head, then the bracket, then a washer, then the cable, then a nut. The cable is sandwiched in there by tightening down the nut which provides the clamping action. It can't swivel, but it doesn't need to, the bracket swivels at the other end. I've seen similar cable attaches which eliminated the washer, the cable is mashed against one side of the hole in the bolt by the washer. The assembly is then free to swivel as required, but the bolt wobbles too much for my taste.
Kind of a hard thing to properly describe, I wish I could scan in a sketch (no scanner) cuz a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.

Eric
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170C
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Starter Cable

Post by 170C »

Eric, sounds like a good way to improve on what somebody else designed and it isn't, IMHO, flight critical. Of course you used PMA'd parts and got your field approval :D

Maybe some of our fellow 170 ers with knowledge and/or A&P/IA tickets can offer comments.
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zero.one.victor
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Post by zero.one.victor »

Yup, I used my PMA (personal manufacturing ability). Don't tell nobody.....
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170 Scott
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Re: starter cable

Post by 170 Scott »

Going to revive this old thread with the hopes of getting a picture of the bracket that was described to eliminate the kinking of the (pull) stater cable wire. Mine broke right at the starter lever and have the new one installed, ready to connect to the starter and would like to see what can be done so this doesn't happen again.
Thanks,
Scott
Scott Koelbel
Spring, TX
"50 C170A N170DF
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bjoness
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Re: starter cable

Post by bjoness »

The best solution I have found is to use a Wire Grip cable end available from Aircraft Spruce. When installed, the grip on a solid wire control is incredibly strong. Then install a rod end bearing on the threaded portion of the Wire Grip. Install the rod end bearing on the starter control arm with appropriate aircraft hardware and the problem is solved. I've had this installation on my aircraft for well over 10 years with absolutely no problems. This is what the factory should have done originally.

Another tip. Often the skimpy metal bracket riveted to the firewall that holds the end of the outer casing of the starter cable is worn. When the starter knob is pulled, the inner wire puts pressure on the outer casing and wants to extend the outer casing thru the firewall bracket and further toward the engine. Not good. I've tried several ways to hold the end of the casing in the firewall metal bracket, but none were satisfactory. The answer is a device called a Cable Grip, again from Aircraft Spruce. The Cable Grip device fastens around the outer casing of a control cable and will not move when tightened. The Cable Grip is designed to install in the firewall, but I did not want to do that because (1) another large whole would be needed, and (2) the starter cable as installed goes thru the firewall at a slight angle and I wanted to preserve that angle. Pull the starter cable back thru the firewall, install the Cable Grip flat end forward, and then install an AN970-3 large diameter flat washer and an AN931-4-16 grommet on the cable. Now put the cable back thru the firewall. Position the outer end of the starter cable where you want it, then push the Cable Grip, flat washer, and grommet up against the firewall from the inside of the aircraft. Now tighten the Cable Grip. The starter cable end will no longer change position when you pull the starter knob. The Cable Grip is doing the job that the metal bracket riveted to the firewall did originally.

Add the Wire Grip and rod end bearing as I've described above and you will have a trouble free starter cable system that will last almost forever.
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170C
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Re: starter cable

Post by 170C »

Photos would be nice.
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GAHorn
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Re: starter cable

Post by GAHorn »

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/ ... ckkey=7054

This will fit up to a tie rod end, if that’s what you’re looking for. I’ve never used one but it’s a possible solution. It’s basically a thimble that tightens down onto the solid wire gripping it. The threaded end can fit up to a tie end or clevis.
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'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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n2582d
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Re: starter cable

Post by n2582d »

Looks like Cessna made some modifications to the pull starter on the C-150. I'm guessing it was for similar issues as discussed here.
SK150-30
Gary
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GAHorn
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Re: starter cable

Post by GAHorn »

It’s unfortunate that SK 150-30 didn’t explain WHY the SK was recommended. The reason was to secure the cable-housing from shifting/flexing at the firewall and preventing full actuation of the starter-arm.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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