I have googled but not come up with exactly what i am looking for.

I would like to install a light weight starter and would like any and all coments my short list at the moment is:
Skytec NL
Skytec LS - Possibly not a great choice due to the amp draw
Hartzel Edrive
Hartzel Xdrive

any comparisons between these or others that i should consider would be very appreciated. I am experimental Engine is Lyc O-540 and the battery is a lonnnggg way back in the tail and has to stay there for W&B

If you wanted to put the battery closer, you can get a 2.5lb battery these days that is still very powerful, and can crank an O-540 for minutes at a time (like >400 CCA) if you wanted to destroy the starter. Surely your W&B isn't that close-cut!

But seriously, good idea for a thread.
I have the LS on order, but it will be several months before I could give you any feedback. Like you say they can draw upto 285A at 12V. They are very popular though, which says something I guess...?

What are you building?

Arrrrg. Just realised the LS has a built in starter solenoid... I literally just ordered one from Spruce There is a learning for you

See also:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=10039

Mine's only a O-320 but I installed a Skytec 122-12LS starter on my airplane about 3 years ago, works great & no problems with it whatsoever. About a year later I replaced the RG25 battery with an Odyssey, mounted behind the baggagae, still worked great & no problems.

What are you building?

Its built and flying with approx 100 hours on it now. Its a modified Maule M4. Lyc O-540 A1D5 (250hp), MT prop, wing extensions/droop tips, Clamar Amphib floats are the only big changes. Currently the engine/prop combination is ~50lbs heavier than the original franklin, hence the reason for needing (wanting???) a lightweight starter ...... i used to poke fun at the guys that spent money on such things, now i am one of them and loosing 10lbs on the nose seems like a huge bennifit worthy of ~$400

Arrrrg. Just realised the LS has a built in starter solenoid...

Correct me if i am wrong but i think all the skytec light weights have either a built in solenoid or an external and if you already have a starter solenoid on the firewall or elsewhere all you need to do is make sure the pos starter post is jumpered to the small starter solenoid post. Could make for interesting problem solving techniques down the road ... master solenoid ... firewall solenoid .... internal starter solenoid

Its interesting that the Hartzell XDrive boasts they are the lightest AND draw the least current AND deliver more torque ... i can't find any proof and was hopeing someone had some experienses to share but perhaps they are not that popular for some reason.

If you are looking to save weight, the battery is a good cheapish place to look (if you haven't already).

I got an Aerovoltz one and I can still hardly believe how small it is, 2.5lbs... but 410 CCA and 20 PbeqAH for the 12 cell, and for a few bucks more you can up that considerably with the 16 cell. Strictly experimental mind you.

Be careful with the MT prop and the lightweight starter, because can give a kickback and break the starter adaptor.
Happened to me , so I went the other way and had to buy a heavier starter.7 pounds heavier.(dont like doing it).

I've had a Skytec on my 0-360 Lyc for some 8+ years, installed when the new engine was installed in my P172D--don't know which model it is. The first one broke on the 4th start--one of the mounting ears snapped, but it was replaced in a couple days, and the replacement hasn't given any trouble at all--roughly 450 hours on the engine now, probably close to 400 starts. My battery is also in the tail--replaced it a couple of annuals ago with a Concorde AGM, as the old battery wasn't holding a charge longer than a couple weeks without help from a trickle charger.

Cary

I put a Skytec on my O470, it also has an Odyssey battery on the firewall.
While cranking, when it would come up against a compression stroke the prop would sometimes stop but the starter was still turning.
I was told that the lightweight starters don't engage hard enough to wind the spring up tight around the drum in the starter drive.
I ended up going back to the big starter.

cooker wrote:.....

Arrrrg. Just realised the LS has a built in starter solenoid...

Correct me if i am wrong but i think all the skytec light weights have either a built in solenoid or an external and if you already have a starter solenoid on the firewall or elsewhere all you need to do is make sure the pos starter post is jumpered to the small starter solenoid post......

The install instructions for my 122-12LS basically say to unhook the power cable from the old starter, bolt on the new starter, & re-connect the cable. No mention of eliminating the stock starter solenoid. Likewise, the troubleshooting instructions illustration clearly shows battery/master solenoid/starter solenoid/starter.
However, the instructions do indicate that it can be used on an aircraft without a separate starter solenoid by removing the jumper wire between the S & B+ terminals on the starter. But it doesn't seem to go into how to connect any built-in solenoid to the starter switch.