I GET THIS ALL THE TIME: "HOW DO YOU HOT START ONE OF THOSE DARNED FUEL INJECTED LYCOMINGS?!"

Cold Starting: Easy!

1. Mixture Rich

2. Prop: full forward

3. Master on

4. Boost pump on

5. Throttle: Pump full forward and then full back 2 times when it's warm out, 3 times when it's cold out

6. Boost pump immediately OFF.

7. Crank starter IMMEDIATELY

8. When engine catches, release starter key, pump throttle mildly until engine running is assured and then lean mixture until you see a rise in RPM.

Hot Start: Not so Easy!

1. DO NOT TOUCH MIXTURE. LEAVE IN IDLE CUTOFF.

2. Master on.

3. Crack Throttle 1/4"

4. Boost pump ON for 3 full seconds and then immediately off.

5. Engage starter.

6. When engine begins to catch, immediately enrichen mixture and then immediately begin to pump throttle quickly in and out about 2-3" of movement back and forth.

7. Once engine is running, lean mixture way back until you get a raise in RPM.

IF YOU DON'T MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO GET THE ENGINE STARTED THE FIRST TIME WHEN WARM, THEN YOU SHOULD DO A FLOOD START, SO ATTEMPT TO GET HER RUNNING THE FIRST TIME.

Flood Start

1. Mixture Rich

2. Throttle Full Forward (firewall the throttle)

3. Boost Pump ON 3-5 seconds

4. Boost Pump off immediately

5. Keep Throttle Full Forward

6. Mixture Lean

7. Immediately engage starter

8. Once engine begins to catch, immediately richen mixture with the right hand, and retard throttle with the left hand.

9. Pump Throttle as described in number 6 in the Hot Start directions.

10. Do number 7 in the Hot Start Section above.

The idea here, especially in the hot start mode is to move quickly and not get distracted. Attempt to do the above with purposeful and deliberate motion, almost like choreography. With practice, you will get faster, and as you progress, your hot starts will no longer be an embarrassing thing to witness and it will take less stress of off your starter as well as wiring system. Also worthy of note is that there are no two engines exactly alike and you may have to alter the above somewhat to suit your E, F, or J models specifically, but this is the procedure I use when starting these engines that I had not started before and it usually works well on all of them. Remember that you are running the mixture very lean to get that rise in RPM, but when you have to add throttle, advance the mixture some and then retard once you're on your way taxiing. This is important and saves you from accidentally add take off power with the mixture leaned should you forget to enrichen the mixture on take off. Having the mixture way back for idle and taxi once taxi speed is achieved, the engine will fall on its face should you attempt to apply take off power with the mixture not full rich. The benefit to idling the engine while mixture is lean (Lycoming only. Do not lean mixture on the turbo models. They won't run well) is to keep your spark plugs from fuel fouling for a cleaner run up at which time the mixture should be full rich, and then leaned again until cleared for takeoff.

Questions I get when hot starting the Lycoming is why do you add boost pump if the mixture is at idle cutoff? Fair question and the reason is that you are basically pressurizing the fuel system behind the mixture cutoff so that when you richen the mixture, there is fuel pressure behind that and the engine will not starve for fuel once you rich the mixture.

The above is not intended to replace your checklist, but simply a way to start your Lycomings when the check list progresses to "Start the Engine". Of course you will want your radios off when ever you start your engine.

One of the best accessories you can add is the Sky Tech light weight High Speed starter. This starter turns the engine over about twice as quickly as the standard starter and makes a huge difference when hot starting. If you would like ordering information on this starter, send us an email and we'll get you the current price, availability, and get it shipped to you. And then sell your old starter on Ebay :o) to recoup part of your wise investment.

STARTING THE TURBO CHARGED K MODELS IS USUALLY MUCH EASIER DUE IN PART TO IT ALREADY HAVING A HIGHER SPEED STARTER AND SIX CYLINDERS WHICH IN ALL CASES IS EASIER TO START THAN A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. You simply get 50% more cylinders to fire adding to the ease of engine starting.

PROCEDURE when COLD:

1. Master Switch On

2. Mixture full Rich

3. Crack Throttle 1/4"

4. Add Boost Pump or (Primer) switch for about 7-10 seconds when COLD and then Boost Pump OFF.

5. Immediately turn starter switch

6. Engine should start relatively easy but if it begins to stammer once started, tap the Boost Pump until the engine is running smoothly.

PROCEDURE when WARM:

1. Do the same procedure as when COLD, but only prime the engine for 3-5 seconds.

IN ALL INCIDENCES FOR BOTH ENGINES, IT IS IMPORTANT (ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER AND COLD STARTING) TO RETARD THE THROTTLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE ENGINE CAN WARM UP AND GET THE OIL CIRCULATING BEFORE POWER IS ADDED TO HELP PRECLUDE PREMATURE ENGINE WEAR! The Continental Six banger will idle down to around 700 rpm easily while the 4 banger Lycoming should be at but no more than 8-900 RPM to idle smoothly.

Often I find people cold starting their engines and immediately running them at up to 1800 rpm. I cringe when I see that and I see that a lot! You are running your engine metal to metal until the oil has had a chance to circulate throughout the engine. Not related, but worthy of mention are the high instances of pilots taxiing their aircraft at higher RPM's than necessary and to control the speed of the taxi, they ride the brakes! Go figure, but I see it a lot! Save your brakes and your money and control your taxi speed with the throttle.

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