I have found that nothing works better to grind off the front of my Cox 049 crankcases, and the backs of the prop drive washers, than my Astro-Flight electric starter.

It's aluminum to aluminum, like metal to like metal, and you have to press hard to get a grip on the prop.

Back when they were popular I heard that there were some Cox engines with brass prop drive washers (for cars?) -- these would apparently last much, much longer.

I have no idea what the materials are on the Norvel, but I'd check before I touched it with a crankcase-grinder-offer.

   I guess I could just get a smaller cone insert for my larger starter...Save a few bucks.

Gentlemen, I think you all may want to reread Tim Wescott's post once more. What he is trying to say is that electric starters can ruin a Cox engine in a hurry!!! And one of the reasons is that you have to press very hard to get the starter to do it's job well. Another reason you have to press hard is that there is so little contact surface between starter and prop. A large spinner would help some and most don't use a spinner at all. the tiny spinner found on the Tee Dees and some of the reedies are just not helpful here at all.

Most important is that most time the engines themselves do not have any spacer or washer of a dissimilar metal between the front of the crank case and the drive washer!
If you insist on using a starter, put a brass or bronze washer between the drive plate and the crank case! Please! A phenolic washer should do as well.

Robert

I wish that the spring starters for the Norvel's were easier to find or some body manufactured a replacement. Any ideas? Do they make a spring starter for the Wasp .061? I really prefer the springs for the sake of simplicity.

A friend uses Cox spring starters on his Norvel, and bends the ends as necessary. The Norvel springs were not as good as the original Cox springs.

Norvels, and the AP Wasp clones come with a washer between the case and drive hub, and can be started safely with an electric starter.

My Miller half-A starter works beautifully, and was recommended to me by Larry Renger. A bit expensive, but worth every penny.

I've also used it on OK Cubs, but it does wear the front of the case, if your not carefull. I've found that pressing the soft Miller starter cone against the front of the prop, centered over the prop nut, and giving it a very short blip approximates the action of a spring starter, and does not cause much wear on the case. Works even better on spinner nuts.

Bill

I have not found flooding to be a problem if you have a reasonable starting routine. (Prime Cox engines with the ports closed, for instance)

Getting the prime just right is a lot less important with a starter, too.

Zenalook has steel washers to add between the prop drve washer and the crankcase ro reduce grinding off the front of the crankcase.

I prefer the old AstroFlight style starter.  I can't find my old one, but there is a guy that does starter inserts that still sells old AstroFlight style starter.

The Miller R/C starter is small and light weight, but has the power to spin larger engines than half A. I've started 15 size engines easily with mine, but haven't tried anything larger.

They have enough torque to spin any half A engine from a dead stop. I just press the cone against the front of a prop, and blip the switch. As Doc says, that won't wear the front of the crank nearly as fast, if at all.

I'm told Miller starters are made by Kavan, and I think those are top of the line starters.

The washers Xenalook is selling have too small an ID to fit OK Cub .049 engines, but a good reamer is all it takes to fix that.

Bill