Hot Weather Starting Techniques

[aerobat95]

Hey guys, picked up my plane today and had some difficulty starting.  The mechanic was saying to treat it as a hot start.  So question for you guys in the 100+ degree heat....how do you start your IO-360's?

[jetdriven]

prime it and make sure there is green band fuel presssure before starting.

[N33GG]

Overprime (flood it, but not overly so), throttle full open and mixture closed, crank engine and quickly reverse mixture and throttle when it fires.  Works every time, for me at least.

[Lood]

Whenever I miss it during the first hot start attempt, my procedure is about the same as that of George. I flood the engine - not more than 3 - 5 secs with the fuel pump. Then pull the mixture to idle cut off and throttle fully open. Start cranking and while doing so, slowly pull back on the throttle. As soon as the engine starts to cought, stop pulling back on the throttle and wait untill the engine actually starts. Then push in the mixture and if it threatens to die again, give it a few short bursts with the fuel pump.

[Jeff_S]

Agree with the above. Assuming you leave the throttle locked at about 1100 RPM on shut down, just start cranking on hot start and after a few turns of the propeller start dialing in some fuel. It will often catch pretty quickly, but if not, at that point you don't have any idea where the engine really is so stop cranking, go full mixture, fuel pump for a few seconds to ensure it's flooded, then full throttle and and mixture cut-off and crank again. It may take 5 to 10 seconds for all the fuel to blow out but it should fire up and then you just dance your hands to pull throttle out and push mixture in and let it stabilize.

[aerobat95]

Thanks guys for the suggestions....I'll give it a try next time I am out at the airport.

[trey2398]

I saw your plane when I went to pay for my annual....Great looking bird!!

[aerobat95]

Thanks....where did you see it at?  out at Zuehl?  or Stinson?  I am very happy with the performance upgrade with the mods I did.  Right now I am thinking I will see an average of around 154kts.  I am still tossing around the idea of the tail mods and then I will be finished with mods.   I am going to have to give those suggestions a try starting the engine.  I had a hell of a time getting it started the past couple times.  Never had a problem up in KS....but since trying to fly in the 100+ degree heat its been a pain. 

[jetdriven]

We do "throttle at 1000 RPM", pump on, mixture rich 3-5 seconds,  then idle cutoff, then pump off.  Its primed and with fuel pressure. Crank and mixture when it fires.  This is a cold start. 

Hot start is "throttle at 1000 RPM, touch nothing, pump on, crank, mixture when it fires".  takes 10-20 blades.  Thats right from David McGee who has time is 1800 different Mooney tail numbers. Our starter is the original Kelly style and it is slow.

I try not to flood it as the fuel washes oil out of the rings and off the cylinders which may affect their life, running without lubrication for a second or two.

[jetdriven]

Oh yeah,  Fisher is a good mechanic, so is Kolesar they did my annual and worked on it later as well.

[N33GG]

OK, a little comment here.  Going way back many years, I have heard about concerns of fuel washing the oil out of the cylinders and giving issues.  And I still hear that all the time.  I have had many planes, and several of them were always started with the flood/mixture cutoff/throttle open method I described above, whether hot or cold.  I have never experienced any evidence of cylinder issues.  In fact, quite the contrary.  My engines seem to have no problem reaching tbo or well beyond, with happy cylinders.  For what it's worth, I can't prove it, have had lots of lively discussions with mechanics on the subject, but at this point, I don't really believe there is a real issue with washing oil out of the cylinders, nor do I worry about it when I use that technique.  And remember, I flood the engine, but not overly so. 

[HartParr]

Hot weather, cold engine-not quite as much prime is all I do.

[N33GG]

HartParr:

Sounds like you are raising your son right.  Keep up the good work!