Help...Gear Won't Come Up

[JERRY KAONO]

I have a 74 337G non turbo, during annual and in inspection and gear actuating cycle, I had a similar problem that for months I grappled with everything from the power pack to electrical, to mechanical and isolating micro switches. I was baffled, read, read and read some more.
I inspected other skymasters on the field and couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on. The Schematic was tattooed on the back of my eyelids. weeks later I was laying on my back, stairing into back of the pedestal, all but ready to cry when the back of my hand happened to touch against the power pack gear down solenoid !

It was hot and every time I cycled the gear switch the doors would open, gear would just hang up in the wheel wells.

I cut the safety wire, disconnected the wires and unscrewed the solenoid. I bench checked the solenoid on 24 volts, it would get hot. I took a needle nose reached in and pulled the needle bearing like piston. It was discolored brown, not rusty but very sticky. I cleaned it up in solvent, wiped it off, lubricated it and put it back inside the solenoid and applied 24 volts again, this time it remained cool! HOWEVER.....

The piston shot out clear across 50 feet and hit the hangar wall like a bullet! I spent a week looking for that plunger. A long story short........ I cleaned up the other solenoid, installed and doors and gear open, come down, close, doors open, retract and doors close. Not another problem since.....