General Skymaster Info & Tips For Buyers

[Shalimar]

Excellent recommendation on the MT Props. For me, however according to the MT website, they are only STC'd through the F model. The later G's and H's are not yet approved under the STC. Since I fly a P337H it doesn't work just yet.
In any case, for anyone doing a pre-buy on any 337, I would suggest checking the rear cowling, engine baffling, spinner and spinner bulkhead for vibration related fatigue cracking. The spinner bulkheads are costly to replace and hard to find. On my earlier 337 (s/n0028) I replaced the rear spinner bulkhead twice due to cracking, I used to joke that i burn 20 gph and get 400 hours per spinner bulkhead.

[hharney]

As far as I know the MT's are now approved for the later model (G&H). Not sure why MT does not indicate this on the website. I know of one G model aircraft with MT's.

[skymstr02]

Yes, MT's are STC'd for the full 337 line, here is a link to the STC:

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Gu...2?OpenDocument

Application Date:
12/01/1999

Status:
Amended, 05/16/2006

Responsible Office:
ACE-115A Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office Tel: (404) 474-5500

TC Number -- Make -- Model:
A2CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 336
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337A
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337B
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337C
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337D
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337E
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337F
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337G
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- 337H
A6CE -- Cessna Aircraft Company, The -- M337B

APPLICABLE MODELS: Model Number
Serial Numbers
336
633,636, 336-001 through 336-0195
337
337-0002 through 337-0239
337A (USAF 02B)
337-0240 through 337-0525 (except 337-0306 & 337-0470)
337B
337-0001, 337-0470, 337-0526 through 337-0755 (except 337-0569)
337C
337-0756 through 337-0978
337D
337-0979 through 337-1193
M337B (USAF 02A)
337-M0001 through 337-M0476
337E
33701194 through 33701316
337F
33701317 through 33701462 and 33700306 (except 33701449)
337G
33701463 through 33701815 and 33701449
337H
33701816 through 33701950 (except 33701920 and 33701923 through 33701927)

Folks, I'm back like a bad cold sore . . . just can't get rid of me.

I'm in the midst of getting the old girl back in the air, and need a starter for the front engine on my 1966 337A. I did a message search for "starter" and only found a discussion from 2002 about Lamar starters. Obviously, a lot has changed since then.

Does anyone have any recent experience replacing a starter on these birds and whether the light weight starters are a viable option these days, and if so, which one(s)?

Thanks,

Keven
________
Herbal vaporizers

[Shalimar]

Is the starter missing or is it non-functioning? If it doesn't work then I would send it out for overhaul. If it is missing then I would look at Sky-Tec light weight starters. I had one on my 65 337 rear engine and it worked well. I believe that the model number that you want is a C24ST5, Aircraft Spruce has them for $567.00. A couple of other thoughts: Sacramento Sky Ranch has some interesting comments on the light weight starter. Apparently they don't work well for repetitive starts (20 or more per day). Also, with a light weight starter you cannot rotate the prop backwards. I would recommend staying away from Kelly Aerospace starters (or any Kelly product for that matter) Perhaps others on this site can comment otherwise, but my experience with Kelly stuff has not been great.
Good Luck and get this back in the air!

I believe that my starter got smoked by a line guy with aux power. He plugged it in, I hit my stareter, and smoke came out of the cowling. Both ends of the starter cable were melted, and burnt smelling fluid was running out of the starter. Oh, what a great feeling that is! Any way, one of the field windings looks like black, runny, silly putty! Have taken it to be overhauled, but they are having a difficult time finding parts any more. So, I'm looking at other options.

When you say that you can't rotate the prop in the opposite direction with a light weight starter, do you mean at all? If not, how do you time the mag or do any maintenance requiring such an action?

Any problems with the light weight starters actually turning the engine? I've got two on my Twin Comanche, and sometimes it seems like they have to muster every amp of energy just to barely swing the prop. Never had a failure, but it sure is different from every other plane I've flown with regular starters.

Any other comments are welcome.

Thanks for your input.

Keven
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Vodun (voodoo) forums

[Shalimar]

I had no trouble with starting using a light weight starter, it spun the rear engine just fine. With respect to counter-rotating the engine you can do it but it is very resistant. It felt to me that I was trying to make it do something that it did not want to do and I was concerned with putting undue stress on the gear train. Perhaps someone else on this blog can shed more light on this. It did make mag timing and compression testing more of a challenge.
All that said, I am surprised that parts for a heavy weight starter are hard to find. There are a lot of heavy weights still out there! Suggest that you contact Cessna Pilots Association (if you are a member, and it's worthwhile) and see if they can shed some light on this.
Good luck