FLYER Club Member
Sun Oct 30, 2016 7:24 pm
#1494355
Has anyone here got a recommendation for a magneto overhauler? A friend needs 2 Slick 4301s done.
Forum rules: Technical discussions about GA only, please.
Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:20 pm
#1494382
Where is your friend based (or live?)
Mon Oct 31, 2016 7:09 am
#1494457
He's in Devon, but he has access to a good courier service through his business so anywhere in the UK would be considered. We know of several potential overhaulers but wanted recommendations from forumites based on their personal experience.
Mon Oct 31, 2016 9:49 am
#1494479
Ours have always been overhauled by Swiftair at Leicester. No complaints!
Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:41 pm
#1494548
I had my magnetos overhauled by Nicholson McLaren when they did the engine. They worked before they were sent off, the worked when they came back on the overhauled engine. *Shrug*.
Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:03 pm
#1494636
Gama at Fairoaks have just done both of ours
Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:07 pm
#1494652
Airtime Aviation Bournemouth quick service on my mags
Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:22 pm
#1495172
Paul_Sengupta wrote:I had my magnetos overhauled by Nicholson McLaren when they did the engine. They worked before they were sent off, the worked when they came back on the overhauled engine. *Shrug*.
Don't shrug too much, Paul. Mags need routine maintenance as well as every other part of your engine. They have parts that wear (bearings, points, cams etc) that need inspecting/replacing at periodic intervals.
It's a sound (and safe) investment to get them checked out periodically. You have two mags but only one life.
Rob
Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:11 pm
#1495205
Yes, but they were done previously about 40 hours before.
LAA rules. No arguments accepted.
Just had to shell out another grand.
LAA rules. No arguments accepted.
Just had to shell out another grand.
Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:52 pm
#1495222
Eh? If they were done 40 hrs before, they didn't need doing again (Out of Phase maintenance).
So I don't understand.
Rob
So I don't understand.
Rob
Wed Nov 02, 2016 11:32 pm
#1495238
I sent the engine in for overhaul. I argued, but was told that they had to be overhauled at engine overhaul. I've mentioned this on the forum before. I have an e-mail chain with Ken Craigie.
Thu Nov 03, 2016 6:43 am
#1495260
That sounds rather OTT, when I had my Grumman the mag's had a 500hr service and didn't cost anything like a grand.
That was at Airtime at Bournemouth.
That was at Airtime at Bournemouth.
The bad news is, time flies. The good news is, you're the pilot.
Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:27 am
#1495278
140 quid cash by a vintage car company
But no mines a c of a so 600 quid.
Why an earth are we still flying aircraft with points?
But no mines a c of a so 600 quid.
Why an earth are we still flying aircraft with points?
Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:23 am
#1495303
Thanks for the suggests. They've been duly passed on!
Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:38 am
#1495319
Mags are hardly rocket-science , having superseded Hot-Tube or Trembler- coil , around a hundred years ago..
So, let's look at the maintenance- issues.
bearings-ball-races will usually do several thousand hours, as can be testified by the millions of cars and other machinery that's scrapped with ,for example, factory-fitted wheel-bearings.
500 hours/5 years between regreasing would be reasonable.
Slip-rings/brushes. Unlike a Commutator, no segment-edges, so akin to an Alternator, which commonly will do 150K miles (say 3,000 hours @ average 50mph.)
basically, a "life" item.
Points/ condenser ....even in the days of inferior fibre "heels" on the moving points, coupled with unsophisticated cam-profiles and poor lubricants, 250 hours intervals between clean and reset.
modern materials and design could probably double that.
Insulation breakdown.... A real problem with old, organic lacquers...should be a thing of the past, with modern resins- just look at the armature of any small, modern electric motor,in even the cheapest tool/appliance.
Permanent Magnet....As with lacquer, stupendous advances in flux-density and power in a smaller, lighter format,with modern ceramic magnets, means weak fields are history.
The critical issue is setting the points to the magnetic "break".... OK, that's 10 minutes of skilled, practised work.
To strip clean, re-lube and reassemble a mag with an impulse-starter (a very basic, primitive device of springs and centrifugal weights) should be less than 6 hours of semi-skilled labour.
Where those barmy prices come from,defeats me. monopoly abuse?
A brand- new one should be about £50, ex- factory.....add -on margins.....£100 now add all the paperwork, liability- insurance, inspections, certification (and the profit -margins on all that!) We're at £500-£800 now Oh, and don't forget the £100- £200 VAT !
More wear, tear and damage is being done by constant stripping/"overhauling" and rebuilding, than actual usage wear and tear.
bet there are many stationary-engines, boats, tractors and motor- vehicles with Mags that reliably do 30 or more years between any sort of work other than points-set /replacement.
just another Aviation stitch-up.
The fact that Permit and SSDR machines are not raining-down on us, would suggest the Certification regime adds nothing to GA safety and is certainly not cost-effective.
Awaiting flames, Nomex suit donned!
So, let's look at the maintenance- issues.
bearings-ball-races will usually do several thousand hours, as can be testified by the millions of cars and other machinery that's scrapped with ,for example, factory-fitted wheel-bearings.
500 hours/5 years between regreasing would be reasonable.
Slip-rings/brushes. Unlike a Commutator, no segment-edges, so akin to an Alternator, which commonly will do 150K miles (say 3,000 hours @ average 50mph.)
basically, a "life" item.
Points/ condenser ....even in the days of inferior fibre "heels" on the moving points, coupled with unsophisticated cam-profiles and poor lubricants, 250 hours intervals between clean and reset.
modern materials and design could probably double that.
Insulation breakdown.... A real problem with old, organic lacquers...should be a thing of the past, with modern resins- just look at the armature of any small, modern electric motor,in even the cheapest tool/appliance.
Permanent Magnet....As with lacquer, stupendous advances in flux-density and power in a smaller, lighter format,with modern ceramic magnets, means weak fields are history.
The critical issue is setting the points to the magnetic "break".... OK, that's 10 minutes of skilled, practised work.
To strip clean, re-lube and reassemble a mag with an impulse-starter (a very basic, primitive device of springs and centrifugal weights) should be less than 6 hours of semi-skilled labour.
Where those barmy prices come from,defeats me. monopoly abuse?
A brand- new one should be about £50, ex- factory.....add -on margins.....£100 now add all the paperwork, liability- insurance, inspections, certification (and the profit -margins on all that!) We're at £500-£800 now Oh, and don't forget the £100- £200 VAT !
More wear, tear and damage is being done by constant stripping/"overhauling" and rebuilding, than actual usage wear and tear.
bet there are many stationary-engines, boats, tractors and motor- vehicles with Mags that reliably do 30 or more years between any sort of work other than points-set /replacement.
just another Aviation stitch-up.
The fact that Permit and SSDR machines are not raining-down on us, would suggest the Certification regime adds nothing to GA safety and is certainly not cost-effective.
Awaiting flames, Nomex suit donned!