Hot Start Tips

[Cwalsh7997]

Hey guys for my F model I was wondering what is the best way to do a hot start because I find it quite a tricky thing to do!

[drapo]

Master on, Fuel pump off, mixture cut-off, 1/2 " trhottle . Turn key ( or push) to start, 6 to 8 blades. If no start, release key, start again. When engine catches, increase mixuture slowly.

If that doesn't work, flood the engine and do a flood start.

[RobertGary1]

Don't touch anything. Turn key. Resist temptation to touch mixture or throttle. Wherever it was leave it there. If for some reason it doesn't start flood It and do a flooded start. Although, honestly with a high speed starter and a good battery it's never been an issue.

-Robert

[Marauder]

I struggled for the first year with my F to find the right hot start procedure. What works for me 99% of the time is to leave the mixture out and to slowly advance the throttle while cranking. At some point during the throttle advance it will catch and I move the mixture in and the throttle out.

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[M20F]

Master on, Fuel pump off, mixture cut-off, 1/2 " trhottle . Turn key ( or push) to start, 6 to 8 blades. If no start, release key, start again. When engine catches, increase mixuture slowly.

If that doesn't work, flood the engine and do a flood start.

+1

[mikerocosm]

Start by shutting down the engine while idling smoothly at 1100 RPM. When ready to restart, don't move anything, but position your hand on the mixture knob. Press the starter and be prepared to advance the mixture smoothly (and quickly) when the engine catches, which in my case is usually in about two blades. Works almost every time, and if not, go to flooded start procedure.

 

Good luck!

 

Mike

[ArtVandelay]

The problem is there are :

10 minute fuel,pickup restarts

30 minute bathroom, fuel restarts

60 minute lunch restarts

90 minute combo of all the above

What may work for 10 restart doesn't work for the 60-90 minute restart

When does a restart go from hot to warm to cold?

[RobertGary1]

Agree totally. A warm start is much easier than a hot start. Also, I think most of us are assuming fuel injected engines, the carbs are a bit different. However, I can't remember having any hot or warm start issues in my F model since I've had my high speed starter. Getting a fast spin on the prop really makes a huge difference.

 

-Robert

[Hank]

Yes, the injected engines are very testy if you try to do a quick turn. My C is simple, hot or cold it starts the same: mixture rich, pump the throttle, turn the key and twist, then let go when it fires. If it won't fire, there are problems that need to be fixed by your friendly local A & P.

Injected Mooneys require initiation rites, secret formulas, indoctrination and witchcraft to crank reliably after a fuel stop or dropping off a passenger. No two people seem to do it the same way, and as indicated above, the magic routine varies with length of stop and "warmness" of the engine.

Good luck figuring it out!

[ArtVandelay]

I don't have trouble for the true hot starts, I have trouble with the 45-90 minute starts, do I do the hot start method, do I do a cold start method, do I try to blend the two methods?

[Marauder]

I don't have trouble for the true hot starts, I have trouble with the 45-90 minute starts, do I do the hot start method, do I do a cold start method, do I try to blend the two methods?

That is the problem zone and it gets complicated when the outside temps are moderate to hot.

I don't really like the method I use of advancing the throttle while cranking, but it is the only reliable method for me to deal with the various stages of warm starts. At some point in the throttle travel it will catch.

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[pinerunner]

When I first got my M20E I had already found 

 

 

HOT STARTS

M20E

Interview with David McGee

 

on the www.mooneypilots.com website. I followed the advice there and usually get it to start on the second try. If I let it sit too long (about 20 min or more) then I flood it on purpose and use the flooded start from the same interview. Never had a problem with the cold start. 

 

One key piece of advice there is on shut down set the throttle so you have 1000 RPM (I use 1100 RPM) and then pull the mixture. Don't change the throttle before the next start. 

[Shadrach]

I'm in favor of "the set for 1100 before shut down" method.  I find this woks for up to about an hour after shut down in the summer time und up to 30 mins in the winter. I am not a fan of the "flood and clear it" method.  I've seen several airplanes catch fire that way.  Usually it's no big deal if the plane starts. If it doesn't, it can be trouble.  We had a Stearman on the field suffer paint damage from fire that resulted from a flooded start.  

 

Hot start difficulties are born out of the location of the injector lines.  You can here the fuel boiling out of them if you stand next to cowl after shutdown. That gas is boiling right out of the injector and into the intake manifold.   The engine for all intents and purposes has pre-primed itself. On the rare occasions the "set it at 1100 and do nothing else" method fails, I find a standard start procedure will get the job done.

 

[Lrn2Fly]

After quite a few hot starts in the past several weeks, in the hot climate of Florida, I'm finding more and more that the 1100 shutdown is working well. After fixing a bad Slick mag, starting is far easier than before the fix.

Also, if the engine does not catch on the first go around (i.e. after 15-20 blades and an initial fire but no start):

DO NOT TOUCH THROTTLE

Fuel pump on

Mixture in for 1 second, then out

Crank again, and after 15-20 blades, the engine should fire

Mixture in about 1" only (not full)

Even after sitting for about 45 minutes on the hot ramp at Key West in 85' weather, this routine worked. I have now officially abandoned the flooded start!

[ArtVandelay]

Have you tried the slowly push mixture in method on the 2nd try?

On 2nd attempt, just slowly push mixture while it turns over.

Also, my mechanic recommends pushing in throttle and mixture full, then pulling back out and resetting the throttle to idle position, supposedly making starts more consistent, so far a only couple attempts seems to work for me, anybody else heard of this?

[Shadrach]

Have you tried the slowly push mixture in method on the 2nd try?

On 2nd attempt, just slowly push mixture while it turns over.

Also, my mechanic recommends pushing in throttle and mixture full, then pulling back out and resetting the throttle to idle position, supposedly making starts more consistent, so far a only couple attempts seems to work for me, anybody else heard of this?

I too open the throttle fully when priming. I believe it allows for more flow allowing faster primes. 

[jnisley]

I know every engine is somewhat different but I have never had a cold start/warm start/hot start issue since I started using this method.

Throttle approximately 1100 rpm

Mixture off

Boost pump on

Mixture full rich 6-8 seconds than off for cold starts (advance slowly when engine fires)

Mixture full rich 1-3 seconds than off for hot starts/warm starts (advance slowly when engine fires)

[Lood]

Like all the advice above and to add something very important to that, STAY CALM AND DON'T RUSH THINGS!

 

Something else I picked up here on Mooneyspace, regarding a really hot start, like within 20 odd minutes after shut down, (always use the 1100 - 1200 rpm throttle setting on shut down):

 

Push both the throttle and mixture controls completely forward, count to ten and watch how your fuel pressure/flow gauge jumps around. After ten seconds, pull the mixture completely closed and start cranking. You will be amazed at how quickly it will start. Still very important, however, is to catch it in time, by adding mixture as soon as the engine starts coughing.

Good luck!

[pinerunner]

I know every engine is somewhat different but I have never had a cold start/warm start/hot start issue since I started using this method.

Throttle approximately 1100 rpm

Mixture off

Boost pump on

Mixture full rich 6-8 seconds than off for cold starts (advance slowly when engine fires)

Mixture full rich 1-3 seconds than off for hot starts/warm starts (advance slowly when engine fires)

I think I'll try this. It's a lot like what McGee described. 

[MyNameIsNobody]

I think engine Gods will smite him for putting in print he has never had an issue...

Wait for it....

"Honey is your battery going to run down doing this"?

Sigh.....

[ArtVandelay]

Just to be clear, we're talking about Lycoming IO engines, TCM is completely different animal.

[jnisley]

The key phrase to my previous post is "since I started using this method" I had plenty of issues with hot starts/warm starts before using the described method. I've flown forty+ Angel Filght missions (each mission has at least two hot starts/warm starts) and haven't had any starting issues........yet:-/

My engine starts fine without any boost pump in a true hot start (restart 5-10 minutes after shutdown), the problem I always had was knowing if my engine is hot or warm.

[urbanti]

LOL, for anyone who thinks a Lycoming is hard to hot start, don't ever buy a plane with a Continental IO-520 in it!

The M20E hot starts very easily by comparison, no prime, mixture at cutoff, throttle full, turn the key and advance the mixture slowly until it catches (and then promptly reduce the throttle setting).

best

Tim

[Shadrach]

Ok, I'll bite. Why is an IO520 harder to hot start? Looking at the fuel system, it seems like it would be easier.

[Guest]

I own the supposed king of hard starting hot engines, the IO720.

Any engine with improperly adjusted magnetos, weak spark plugs, poorly set fuel injection system, a weak battery and starter and a pilot who does not understand what's going on in the engine may have troubles with hot starts. It doesn't matter whether the engine is gold or grey.

Clarence