I am having trouble, finding a drive gear/clutch for a pull starter.
i need it for my Cessna 150H with a Continental engine.
Any lead would be appreciated...
Thank You
Deet

continental's parts book doesn't list the clutch seperatly, they only have a "starter - complete" part no 1109656. you may find it cheaper to spend the money and go to a newer starter instead of fixing the old. I know a new one isn't cheap. If you don't already have one, here is a parts manual for your engine, in PDF

O-200_Parts_manual

If this doesn't open, PM me and I'll e-mail it seperatly.

Unless you have some burning desire to have an authentic restoration of the O-200, shitcan that starter clutch and replace it with a B&C or a Skytek starter.

Don't ask me how I know, but if that gear busts, your engine is full of metal and will be toast.

If you do want a replacement clutch, call Kenny Faeth in Sacramento. He usually has a few around.

Gump

The key-start starter clutches are worse than the pull start ones-- the key-start versions are turning all the time (vs the pull-starts turning only when the starter is engaged) and are therefore much more likely to fail and have the needle bearing self-destruct and rain debris down into your accessory case. Like Gump, don't ask me how I know.
The Skytec and B&C starters are not too spendy, I have a Skytec on my Lyc 320 & really like it. Their O-200 startes may not be a drop-in, on an O-200 I believe you have to cut off the starter pinion shaft that's inside the accessory case.

hotrod150 wrote:Their O-200 startes may not be a drop-in, on an O-200 I believe you have to cut off the starter pinion shaft that's inside the accessory case.

You do, but simple to get done.

Gump

Thanx for the advice...
You would think, that with the starters being in the O200 and O300 engine, I could find a gear assembly...
Kenny Faith in Sacto doesn't have one. Any other aircraft junk yards out there?
My drive gear split in half, and I fished out the 2 pieces.
This could be a quick and easy $200 fix, with the right parts...
Deet

Deet wrote:My drive gear split in half, and I fished out the 2 pieces.

Ummmmmmmmmm, how do you know there were only TWO? Mine did that, and there was steel everywhere throughout that engine.

Also, if any pieces did fall down the accessory case with the engine turning, any damage to the gear train back there?

Gump

This broke on start up, and the engine was not running.
I was able to pick the parts out, after carefully removing the left magneto.
The two gear halves matched up, with no metal missing.
Deet

I've bought replacement starter clutches (new, OH'd, ??) from Niagra Air arts in upstate New York. 800-565-4268. They advertise in Trade A Plane. The starter clutch does not include the starter gear. I'm betting that the price of a new gear is astronomical-- you might check with Jerry Meyers for one of those, he buys & sells used engine parts. 888-893-3301. He's in TAP also, under "continental engines (wanted)".

I put the skytec on my 0-200 it was only a couple hundred bucks more than a new drive, cranked way faster and weighed about half as much.

I may be wrong, the replacement starter clutch may indeed come complete with a gear. But as I recall they charge for a core, refunded when you send in your old clutch. They may not reimburse you if the gear on your core is damaged or missing.

Deet wrote:This broke on start up, and the engine was not running.
I was able to pick the parts out, after carefully removing the left magneto.
The two gear halves matched up, with no metal missing.
Deet

You may want to pull the accessory case and check the gear train for broken teeth, and pull the oil screen and reach a finger in along the bottom of the sump for metal slivers. Enough force to shatter the starter gear could do other, unseen damage which would ruin your day if not dealt with.

Gump

Thank you all, for your help. I will let you know the outcome, once it is fixed.
My local mechanic pointed out, that I broke the rest of an old crack in the gear.
To be legal, I remove parts and he repairs and installs... I try to be helpful to him, while I watch.
Deet

I purchased a gear/clutch assembly for $150. I will re-install the starter tomorrow.
The local mechanic will then install and time the magneto, which I had to remove to find the gear pieces.
How do I prevent this "kick back" in the future, and why did it happen to begin with?
I understand, that the magnetos fire at 25 degrees before Top Dead Center, when the engine is running.
But on startup, the spark timing is right on TDC. Could I have had pre-ignition? Why? Any idea?
I will pay close attention to the timing procedure!
I would not want to develop a "phobia" over this...

Deet wrote:I purchased a gear/clutch assembly for $150. I will re-install the starter tomorrow.
The local mechanic will then install and time the magneto, which I had to remove to find the gear pieces.
How do I prevent this "kick back" in the future, and why did it happen to begin with?
I understand, that the magnetos fire at 25 degrees before Top Dead Center, when the engine is running.
But on startup, the spark timing is right on TDC. Could I have had pre-ignition? Why? Any idea?
I will pay close attention to the timing procedure!
I would not want to develop a "phobia" over this...

Do you have impulse couplings on both mags? If not, you should only be starting on the mag with the impulse coupling...then turning on the other one after startup. The impulse couplings are the mechanism that delays your spark timing to allow for easier starts. If you only have one, and you're starting with both mags armed, then you run the risk of a kickback because one mag is firing at 25 degrees BTDC. Pretty sure the O-200 uses dual impulse couplings, but something to look into either way. I think the impulse couplings can become weak and inneffective also...

on edit: If your problems continue, get ahold of Randy Thompson (Thompsonair) out of Redding, he is a small continental guru. PM me for his number if you need it.

It is good again! I watched the mechanic time the mags at 28 degrees before TDC, as it says on the engine plate. There is a mark on the crank flange, that has to align with the block on the #1 compression stroke. Then there is a yellow paint on the magneto tooth, that has to show in the inspection hole. The mag mounting hole is slotted, for adjustment. The propeller gets turned to 28 degrees, using a digital angle gauge. And... He has this tool with two neon lights, that light up when the points close. I asked, if an ohm meter wouldn't work. But apparently there is an electrical path, even with the points open... That instrument thing is not totally clear to me.
Then I asked the mechanic to show me how he starts the engine. Interesting! He does not prime with a couple of pumps. He does it with the throttle! He told me, that the primer only works on one cylinder, while the throttle works on all through the carburetor. Also... It was a warm 70 degree day, and it didn't take much. I'm a happy camper!
Now... I want to repair some cracks in my interior plastic. ABS?

I once got dropped off at a farm airstrip in outback Queensland to ferry an old 150 that hadn't flown for years. Had a fresh battery, oil and fuel with me. Got the plane sorted and ready to go, runups done and all good. Wave bye bye to my mate in the 182 and watch him depart over the horizon... Load my gear, jump in, crank crank crank bang.... Busted starter gear. Now I'm literally in the middle of nowhere and the plane is my only way out...

Sump off, pick out all the pieces of gear, matched them up and found them all. Then spent a half hour hand swinging the dumb thing in 40'C with sun beating down.... It was a long day but I got home in the end!

onefitty!! Yours is a worse experience than mine. I will forget this, and you won't! Don't ever try to hand prop a Rotax engine... I understand, nobody has ever managed to get their fingers clear of the propeller...
Deet

Yeah, happened about 15 years ago and I still clearly remember the 'oh dear' moment!

I'll fit a Skytec starter when mine finally snuffs, been making a funny grindy noise for the last 100 hours, but that'll probably treble the value of my plane!! I got an Auster with no oil pressure to sort first....

onefitty wrote:....I'll fit a Skytec starter when mine finally snuffs, been making a funny grindy noise for the last 100 hours, but that'll probably treble the value of my plane!! I got an Auster with no oil pressure to sort first....

That "grindy noise" is probably the starter clutch bearings starting to go south. I think having the bearings fail & come apart is more common than the gear cracking, and the resulting debris is more widely spread throughout the engine. You might wind up with a no oil pressure 150 if or rather when it fails. If it was me, I'd address it now before that happens.