Comments on: The perfect start

By: Jim Howard

Jim Howard — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 08:03:11 +0000

I’ve found that the IO-360 in my Cardinal starts when cold every time when I follow the checklist, which is prime with fuel pump to 5-6gph, mixture full lean, throttle cracked.

If I know I’m going to do a hot start I make sure to shut down by running the engine to 1200 rpm and pull the mixture. Then when I start it by up I just turn the key without touching a thing. As soon as it starts to fire ease in the mixture. Works every time. This is the recommended procedure by the Cardinal Flyers Orgainization.

By: John

John — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 21:55:49 +0000

Here’s another priming approach that works well for tempermental, fuel-injected engines (like the IO-550N in the Cirrus SR22). Prime the engine in the manner called for by the check list. Then wait three to five minutes. Record the ATIS, call clearance delivery, whatever … Then start in the normal fashion.

In my experience, most starting problems come from too much fuel. Then if the engine is reluctant to start, most pilots do something that puts even more fuel into the equation. I’ve found that minimal priming has always been the most successful approach. Or switch to a turbine engine … 😉

By: david

david — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 16:40:57 +0000

Thanks, Paul — I’ve fixed the numbering.

I suspect that most of the time, the problem with starting is too little or too much fuel. If I’m right, then this technique works well because it lets you start with a small, measured amount of fuel in the cylinders with no additional flow — if there’s too much at first, it will drain down over the next few seconds until you have the right fuel-air mixture, since no new fuel is coming in.

By: Paul Tomblin

Paul Tomblin — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 15:49:29 +0000

That’s very similar to the starting technique I was taught for our fuel-injected Lance – you leave the throttle, prop and mixture exactly where you found it when you get into the plane (ok, you might advance the mixture to prime and then bring it back to idle-cutoff). Crank, and when it catches advance the mixture. So far it’s worked first time, every time, hot or cold. Supposedly starting fuel injected engines while hot is a bit of a black art, but I’ve never had a problem with this method.

(BTW: You have an empty

pair in your mark up which is making your numbered list screw up.)