The good news is that newer design starters don’t need any preventive maintenance. If the starter has permanent magnets, as do all lightweight starters, there’s no requirement or even recommendation for preventive maintenance. Rich Chaffee, general manager of Sky-Tec, put it bluntly, Just use it.
Bill Bainbridge, owner of B & C Specialties, the company that made the first lightweight aircraft starters, told us that his starters do not have permanent magnets, but do not need preventive maintenance.