HKS ignition failure fix
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:16 pm
Greetings HKS owners,
A couple of months ago, I had a intermittent ignition problem develop into a full time failure of one set of my dual plug configuration. On my last flight before going to shop mode,I flew my last 20 miles or so on one set of plugs.
What was manifested by an occasional "popping" of the circuit breaker on the left ignition, had gotten worse. I grounded myself and went online to ask for advice about what it might be. The best & most detailed information was from Jerry at Green Sky Adventures, who thought I had a short somewhere and suggested the switch or circuit breaker.
Ultimately I replaced the circuit breaker itself, the ignition switch, all the spark plugs (the others had 190 hours on them already and were showing definite signs of erosion), changed to new fuel filters, AND found what I think was really the problem, a bad crimp in a wire from one of the CDI units (the one going to the ignition switch, which came apart when I pulled at it). In my flury of activity to see if I could get a fix, I also cut a much needed new inspection hole (a rectangular metal plate) in the rear part of the fuselage in the Earthstar Odyssey. It so happens the bad crimp was right behind the new inspection port.
I have four reliable flights on the aircraft (a minimum of an hour each) since the repair attempt and so far everything works fine.
Skot
Earthstar Odyssey
HKS 700E
A couple of months ago, I had a intermittent ignition problem develop into a full time failure of one set of my dual plug configuration. On my last flight before going to shop mode,I flew my last 20 miles or so on one set of plugs.
What was manifested by an occasional "popping" of the circuit breaker on the left ignition, had gotten worse. I grounded myself and went online to ask for advice about what it might be. The best & most detailed information was from Jerry at Green Sky Adventures, who thought I had a short somewhere and suggested the switch or circuit breaker.
Ultimately I replaced the circuit breaker itself, the ignition switch, all the spark plugs (the others had 190 hours on them already and were showing definite signs of erosion), changed to new fuel filters, AND found what I think was really the problem, a bad crimp in a wire from one of the CDI units (the one going to the ignition switch, which came apart when I pulled at it). In my flury of activity to see if I could get a fix, I also cut a much needed new inspection hole (a rectangular metal plate) in the rear part of the fuselage in the Earthstar Odyssey. It so happens the bad crimp was right behind the new inspection port.
I have four reliable flights on the aircraft (a minimum of an hour each) since the repair attempt and so far everything works fine.
Skot
Earthstar Odyssey
HKS 700E