Hi John,

Well ... my retired Air Force fighter pilot instructor (who is very fussy about precision from start-up, taxiing, flying, landing, parking to shut down) taught me something different than all of the replies to this question I have seen so far, different than any other instructor has taught me, and it makes sense to me.  You don't want to flood your engine during a hot start which makes you look bad, washes the cylinders with raw fuel (not a good lube policy), drains your battery (could spoil your day), cooks your starter (expensive), could get real exciting if you start a fire under or within your cowling, and your engine could stumble and jump around after starting until you set the mixture correctly.  His method works for me, especially at high altitude airports as follows:

!. Throttle at normal idle position

2. Mixture at cutoff position

3. Fuel pump low boost ON (no or very little prime)

4. Start cranking with one hand, while very slowly richening the mixture with the other hand

5. The engine automatically starts when the ideal mixture occurs for existing conditions which it knows and obeys better than you can estimate (which will initially be a very slow idle)

6. Continue slowly richening the mixture as the idle speed gradually increases until you have a normal idle speed - no richer until you are ready to increase the throttle (if at a high density altitude you will need a lean setting to maintain a smooth idle).

This makes a very graceful start-up almost like a turbine engine, or an electric motor winding up.  The engine doesn't jump around in the motor mounts shaking the airplane (making your passengers wonder in what kind of Junker they are about to leave terra firma ... their car never acted like that!).  It doesn't crank very long, no false starts, and no flooding.  Works with turbos too.  Very elegant and professional.  Your passengers are already impressed, and if you fly and land as well as you started your engine, your passengers will be very impressed and comfortable indeed.  What's not to like?

It takes discipline to move the mixture knob very, very slowly.  Most people push it forward too quickly flooding the engine before the engine has a chance to react, then you are right back where you are trying not to be.  If you do that, start it any way you can and try this method again another day when it is not already flooded.  When I say increase the mixture slowly I mean;  s  l  o  w  l  y!  When you have a fair chance to get the hang of it, my bet is that you will love it.

Rod Pharis

COMM, ASEL, AMEL, 60% Legacy in perpetual gestation (previously owned a Commander 114 and a Duke B60.  Oops, I should say that the Duke owned me!  I loved it, but it needs and wants a banker owner.)

Gents:

What have you found to be the best hot start procedure for a TSIO 550, with mags, in an IVP?  I'm not talking immediately after engine shut down, but shut down on a hot tarmac after 30 to 40 minutes so the fuel lines are nice and hot and boiling the internal fuel.

Thanks,

John

IVP 413AJ

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