Clutch
For R22 and R44
The clutch is operated by an electric system that starts tightening the belt as soon as you throw the switch until a micro switch tells it to stop.
If it takes too long then the micro switch is not calibrated well.
Wether 6 sec is long or not depends a lot on the situation:
- The prime concern is not to wear the drive belt by putting friction on one spot by a lose turning wheel. This should be not too much of a problem if occasional.
- The belt normally displays a negative temperature coefficient : if warmer the belt actually gets shorter and vice versa (normally things stretch when getting warmer). This is a good behaviour because the stress on the belts would be worse if they are warm. But normally a warm system will engage faster.
- In cold conditions, first start of the day, it is actually OK to wait a few sec to throw the switches, because stalling the engine (especially R44 Raven I) and restarting again puts more stress on everything then waiting 3 secs more in the first cold start.
- In warm conditions long waits are not so good, but in this case normally the clutch should engage faster (see above). Si if long delays in this case, recalibrating is definitely necessary.
Hope that helps.
Delta3