starter shaft/ clutch correct procedure???

[ferincr]

Hi, I'm re assembling my R60 after changing the clutch liner and now I find that when the engine is running the starter coupling is too. If I grab the coupling with my fingers I can stop it but as soon as I let go it start spinning again so I think there is a minor misalignment between the starter shaft and the one way bearing in the engine clutch (unless this is absolutely normal and I haven't noticed before).
So my question is which is the proper way to align these parts?
And the other question is about the auto rotation clutch. It works well, I mean I lubed with very thin bearing oil but it's not loose enough, when I rotate the main rotor with my hands both the main spur and the tail gear rotate (also rotating the engine clutch bell) together (like if not auto clutch) I can stop the main spur again with my fingers but as soon as I let go the whole thing goes as one again.
Is this normal or should I find a way to loosen up the auto clutch???
If so, how?
Thanks for any suggestions

[capebob]

Fernando,

The second part of you questions first because it's the easiest. That is normal. There is a little drag in the one ways that is insignificant. If you can stop the spur gear from turning with very light finger pressure you have no problem. Also, it is normal for the starter coupling to turn for the same reason. The oil you lubricated the bearing with causes a little drag in the bearing which causes the shaft to rotate. Again, if you can stop the shaft from spinning with very light finger pressure you are OK. Having said that, your engine/pinion gear bearing block assemblies may be misaligned. The best way I've found to get these as close as possible is to first align the pinion gear. With the engine removed align the pinion gear by placing a strip of paper (printer paper is fine) between the spur and pinion. then push the pinion assembly up against the spur making sure that the gears are parallel. That is, make sure the pinion is absolutely vertical. You can check this by eyeballing the relationship of the gear teeth on the two gears. They should be parallel. Once you have that set and everything tightened up hang you engine very loosely. Once the engine is hung spin it with you starter. Then tighten the engine mount bolts a little at a time spinning the engine with the starter. Do this several times until the engine is tight. Then remove the engine mount bolts one at a time, apply thread lock, and tighten securely. The start shaft will probably still spin.

I hope this helps,
Bob

[ferincr]

Bob, thanks for taking your time.
I was pretty sure that was the sequence of aligning things up, but the detailed explanation helped a lot with few good tips that haven't occurred to me.
I'll work on that today to see if it improves at all.
So if it is normal that the spur rotates the engine clutch bell when autoing well that puts me to think that the auto clutch is not very essential (may be just as safety in case the engine clutch bell gets stuck somehow when the engine stops in mid air?)Kind of making a fuse type device to isolate the auto components from any other failure?

[ferincr]

Well it seemed to have worked as a charm. I haven't started the engine but I'm a lot happier with the pinion/ spur thread now.
I liked the trick of spinning the engine with the starter while tightening it.

[capebob]

Fernando,

Glad I was able to help. The one way is necessary. If your engine should fail or you hit hold and the one-way is locked there is now way to disassociate the engine from the rotor shaft. The rotor shaft will continue to drive the engine since the engine has never had a chance to slow below clutch engagement speed. Of course, at some point, the engine will slow below clutch engagement speed probably just before impact :shock: and certainly just after. :D

Bob