Currently I have the old heavy starter which weights about 14 pounds.

In the past I had the Izkra and was not good, it didnt like my MT prop.(kickback) replaced it with the heavy duty one and that has been good.
Shower of sparks ignition was added , and now starts are super smooth, so I think I can replace the big heavy one with something lighter.

Looking for recommendations on a lightweight starter for an O 470 Pponked.

I have a Skytec on my PPonk with a lightweight battery. Works like a charm.

Which of the Skytechs ST 5?

I have a Skytec ST5, and an Odyssey lightweight battery, on my Pponked 180.

It all works very well. You will find a number of people who distrust the Skytecs, mainly due to starter adaptor problems. I believe their early versions (ST1?) were problematic.

The ST5 is the model recommended for 520's. It was also recommended to me by Niagara Air Parts, a reputable starter adaptor supplier.

ST5 is the Skytec to run. The ST3 uses a clutch from a chain saw.

The kickback pblm is quite the mystery with many opinions. Starter? Adapter? Prop? Each manufacturer blames another.

For me in my new Ponk, Im running the Shower of Sparks for sure with an old style adapter from Niagra. I have both a brand new ST5 as well as the Energizer. I have not made up my mind which one I will run. My gut is leaning toward the Energizer regardless of the weight. Its bomb proof and is tried and tested.

What is the weight saving between the energizer and the ST5?

Curious about the shower of sparks. Can it be installed on my 54 180 with O470K. I have Bendix mags, each with an impulse coupling, and they seem to work fine.

The ad for the ST-5 said 9.1 lbs vs Energizer at 15 lbs.

I thought about shower of sparks, but think now that I'm more likely to adopt one of the new electronic mag options that is on the horizon.

I have a 3 blade MT prop, IO-550, oil filter, new style starter adaptor, and the energizer starter. Weight is a consideration, but my gut tells me that the heavy starter is more reliable. When I head for the cabin, I'm a long way from parts and service. It would be a disaster to break an adaptor and suffer oil system contamination. I'd be changing an engine in the bush with a log gin pole. Prefer to read those stories, not live them!

That said, I have an oil filter, and have to pull the starter to get the filter out from behind the seaplane engine mount. (Cessna, not Seaplanes West, if that makes a difference).

Would I be able to get the filter out without removing the ST-5 starter if I switched to that?

motoadve wrote: Currently I have the old heavy starter which weights about 14 pounds. In the past I had the Izkra and was not good, it didnt like my MT prop.(kickback) replaced it with the heavy duty one and that has been good......

Bigrenna wrote:.... I have both a brand new ST5 as well as the Energizer. I have not made up my mind which one I will run. My gut is leaning toward the Energizer regardless of the weight. Its bomb proof and is tried and tested.

Pinecone wrote: I have a 3 blade MT prop, IO-550, oil filter, new style starter adaptor, and the energizer starter. Weight is a consideration, but my gut tells me that the heavy starter is more reliable. When I head for the cabin, I'm a long way from parts and service. It would be a disaster to break an adaptor and suffer oil system contamination. ....

IMHO....if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Especially to save only about 6 pounds (1 gallon of gas).

I would agree nothing causes more problems than screwing with something that works great!!! Leave it alone until you have issues.
DENNY

Here is an interesting thread by a guy in Scotland that had an IO 550 problem with broken spring. Somewhere in there a guy from Canada said he was working with Niagra on a new light weight with some kind of clutch that could not cause a problem. Wonder it it is a sprag clutch type and if it ever happened since this was 2014.

https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/23 ... tor?page=1

I have the 2bl MT and I spin it using an old style starter drive, an Energizer starter and the Bendix Shower of Sparks mags. It may not be considered featherweight, but during the last 30 hours it has been bulletproof. No kickback whatsoever and it usually starts within 2 blades. Makes a cool sound when the starter is engaged too!