asechrest
En-Route
Joined a club recently, as some might have seen in my other thread. 1977 Piper PA-28-181 Archer II, Lycoming O-360 180HP.
I've had enough trouble hot starting the plane that I thought I'd start a separate thread. Note that the club requires fuel top-off after each flight. So I end up landing, taxiing to the fuel farm, shutting down, topping off, then needing to fire it back up within 5 - 10 minutes to taxi to parking. So every flight for me will involve a hot-start, and I guess perhaps a flooded start if I screw it up? Here are the POH procedures for both:
I note that the above is identical to the cold start procedure, with the exception of throttle 1/2 inch instead of 1/4 inch.
I've had two flights now in the airplane, both with the CFI I got checked out with. On the first, he had to leave and I was left to fuel and hot start myself (the first time I'd done either; I lived a sheltered life during training at a full-service facility). Botched it and could never get it started. Pulled it to the parking spot in 95 degree weather. Ouch.
Second flight the instructor stayed to play with the hot-start procedure. Tried by-the-book the first time and it failed. Handed over to the instructor and he tried once and failed. He then tried again, giving it two pumps of the throttle while cranking, and got it started after a few turns. Let it run for a few minutes then shut it down to have me try. Couldn't get it with the same procedure.
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So, in this thread I hope for two things:
Thanks in advance.
I've had enough trouble hot starting the plane that I thought I'd start a separate thread. Note that the club requires fuel top-off after each flight. So I end up landing, taxiing to the fuel farm, shutting down, topping off, then needing to fire it back up within 5 - 10 minutes to taxi to parking. So every flight for me will involve a hot-start, and I guess perhaps a flooded start if I screw it up? Here are the POH procedures for both:
STARTING ENGINE WHEN HOT
Open the throttle approx 1/2 inch. Turn ON the master switch and the electric fuel pump. Move the mixture control lever to full RICH and engage the starter by rotating the magneto switch clockwise. When the engine fires, release the magneto switch and move the throttle to the desired setting.
I note that the above is identical to the cold start procedure, with the exception of throttle 1/2 inch instead of 1/4 inch.
STARTING ENGINE WHEN FLOODED
The throttle lever should be full OPEN. Turn ON the master switch and turn OFF the electric fuel pump. Move the mixture control lever to idle cut-off and engage the starter by rotating the magneto switch clockwise. When the engine fires, release the magneto switch, advance the mixture and retard the throttle.
I've had two flights now in the airplane, both with the CFI I got checked out with. On the first, he had to leave and I was left to fuel and hot start myself (the first time I'd done either; I lived a sheltered life during training at a full-service facility). Botched it and could never get it started. Pulled it to the parking spot in 95 degree weather. Ouch.
Second flight the instructor stayed to play with the hot-start procedure. Tried by-the-book the first time and it failed. Handed over to the instructor and he tried once and failed. He then tried again, giving it two pumps of the throttle while cranking, and got it started after a few turns. Let it run for a few minutes then shut it down to have me try. Couldn't get it with the same procedure.
--
So, in this thread I hope for two things:
- An explanation of what exactly is happening internally with a hot-start, and why it's differen't and more difficult than a cold start
- What procedures you've found to work well for hot start in an O-360
Thanks in advance.
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