Give me carbed or give me death!

[DrewBlows]

Vapor lock is a reality of fuel injected engines. When I was instructing we used to purposely flood the engines if it was going to be a hot start. Put the throttle and mixture forward and run the boost pump until fuel is dumped overboard (out the bottom right side of the cowling), then pretty much do a normal start with a little extra throttle. With enough practice you will be able to get a good start every time. I always took pride in having a nice start where the engine stabilizes just above idle. You know you can tell an owner from a renter by how he starts an engine. The owner always starts it on the first or second time with minimal engine run-up during start, the renter takes 3 or more times and runs the engine over 1500 rpm before getting things under control. Of course I've never been an owner but I can pretend.

That said it soulc be something else. Has you always had a hard time starting this particular engine or has it become more difficult since the weather has changed? How does the engine idle after start? How does it idle when brought from running speed to idle (especially if brought to idle quickly by a ham fisted student)? The reason I ask is because the flight school I used to work for had trouble with it's engines any time the weather would change (warm to cold was the worst if memory serves me, which it may not). They even instituted a policy that we couldn't bring the engine all the way to idle during stalls, after one Cessna experienced an engine failure during a stall. They were able to get the engine restarted but they were about 500 feet above the ground with no landing spot below before it did. Anyway, when engines started running rough we wrote it up and the mechanics would adjust the idle mixture and the problem was solved.

Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic, or an expert of anything, any advice you take from me take at your own risk. Always follow your airplanes AFM.

 

[gkrangers]

I fly a different SP almost every time...usually no problem, maybe 3 starts on a rare occasion. This one was the exception for me.

Its Florida...the weather doesn't change.

Idle was fine...runup was fine...ran smooth.

 

[gkrangers]

I fly a different SP almost every time...usually no problem, maybe 3 starts on a rare occasion. This one was the exception for me.

Its Florida...the weather doesn't change.

Idle was fine...runup was fine...ran smooth.

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

In our Cessnas, if the engine temp is in the green we dont bother priming them. Ive never had a propblem starting them this way.

 

[BLing]

The fuel injected Cessnas can be a pain if you dont know how to start them hot. I just do what a few of you have said: Mixture full lean, Throttle full forward, starter engaged, mixture rich and throttle back as soon as it turns over. It works every time. I think that Cessna calls for something different but I cant remember, its been a while since Ive flown one.

 

[aucfi]

Correct me if I am in error, but don't most engines only have one impulse coupling and only utilize one mag for start?

As far as the mag timing goes, the mags are not timed to the impluse couplings, they are timed to the point opening.

See my profile, "still learning" lol. I talked to our mechanic today and he cleared me up on these two things. One of our planes has impulse couplings on both of the mags while the rest only have one.

Thanks for correcting me,

au