Steve Rosenzweig wrote:

"Does anyone have a preferred hot start procedure that works with their tempermental engine?  I've tried the procedure in the handbook and several other variations."

 

Steve,

 

I fly a Commander 112 with a 200HP Lycoming IO-360; the angle valve engine.  The hot start technique I was taught has worked reliably and it doesn't matter if the engine has been shut down for a couple of hours or just a couple of minutes.  My hot start checklist goes like this:

 

Mixture control to full lean

Prop control full forward

Throttle full open

Don't use the boost pump

Crank the engine (mags and starter are all on the same key switch)

When the engine catches quickly push the mixture most, or all, of the way to full rich

Immediately pull the throttle back to idle

Make final mixture adjustment (I always leave it a bit lean for ground operation to avoid plug fouling)

 

With a little practice I was able to get the hang of pushing in the mixture and pulling back the throttle without running up excessive RPMs.  Using this technique the engine has always fired up after 2 or 3 revolutions.  If the engine has been shut down for more than a couple of hours but is still warm to the touch I try the normal (cold) start first.  If it doesn't work on the first try I switch to the hot start checklist.  I realize there are several variations of IO-360s out there and this technique may not work on all of them.

 

Tom Gourley

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