DA-20 cold start

[Rocade]

Hi,

Just recently checked out in the DA20, I have had some issues starting the aircraft with a cold engine, on the first start of the day, with temps around -5 to +5 °C

I was tought the following:
Mixture full
Fuel pump on
Fuel prime on
Throttle full for 2-3 seconds
Throttle cracked open
Start

I have never had a succesfull start on first attempt using this method, and when i tried to prime some more, the engine appears to be flooded. When I prime less, it still doesn't start.

I have seen online that the engine needs to be flooded (10-20 sec of prime with throttle full open) to start it when it is cold outside. However I feel reluctant to flood the engine since that goes against everything I was taught during my training (on mostly old, beat Cessnas)

So I seek the help of you guys, any DA20C1 drivers here that have any cold start tips? Do you really have to flood the engine to get it started in the cold?

[POBJOY]

Hi There
Problem with very cold starts is that the engine may well be much colder than the ambient (cold soaked) and therefore may be in the 'pre heat' regime.
I did a test the other morning at 10 am when the oat had risen to 9deg,yet the engine was still at 3.

Does your start procedure require the electric pump to be left on or should it only be used for priming then switched off.On some systems leaving the electric pump on will provide too much fuel once the engine is cranking.

I always find that a fan heater into the cowling for 30 mins before start on very cold days gives a great start as is gives the intake system a bit of help to keep the mixture as a vapour not petrol droplets.

Does the engine have separate priming lines operated by a ki-gas pump !,or is this electric aswell.

[FlyingStone]

The procedure written above is as is written in AFM, so it's what the manufacturer thinks is best for the aircraft. This is not flooding the engine, it's priming - just that in the old 1930's engines (C172 & similar spam cans) you have carburated engine, which has a manual primer, while the "new" injected engines just use fuel pump and fuel injectors to prime the engine (and it's much better because you prime all the cylinders, not just one like in O-320 for example).

If the engine appears flooded, maybe you could try switching the fuel prime (high speed fuel pump) OFF before starting the engine. From my memory some engines start better sometimes with the fuel prime off, but if you do use fuel prime pump during cranking, ensure that throttle is open just a bit, because with fuel injected engines, fuel flow is defined by throttle position (that's why the AFM says to use full throttle when priming - to achieve maximum fuel flow and thus decrease the time of priming) - and setting throttle a bit more open for the start will only lower the chance of successful start in most injected engines.

[Rocade]

Thanks for the replys, I´ll continue to do it as I was tought in the first place, I was just wondering if anyone had another profen method.

Someone I spoke to suggested also to try and start with mixture leaned, it could be that the fully rich mixture is a bit to rich for start...

I used to fly a R172K with a 6 cylinder, fuel injected engine. Starting that one cold was truly some kind of a black magic, and moving the throttle and mixture in some random, mysterious ways often used to do the trick :} So I guess a tiny DA20 should not be so hard :ok:

[Kiwivator]

Hi I instruct on the da20 eclipse. The climate where I train is quite a bit warmer but the method I teach (as per the Pilot Operating Handbook) mixture full rich, fuel pump on, fuel primer on, throttle set full (for the first start of the day use 10s otherwise use 3-5), close the throttle, open half an inch and engage started.

The 3 second rull is great for if the engine is warm but I've found that on the first start when its cold I have to use 10s and I've never flooded the engine on it. Also don't start this aircraft with the mixture leaned or you're gonna have a bad time.

Hope this helps.

[happybuckets]

Thanks for the replys, I´ll continue to do it as I was tought in the first place, I was just wondering if anyone had another profen method.

Someone I spoke to suggested also to try and start with mixture leaned, it could be that the fully rich mixture is a bit to rich for start...

I used to fly a R172K with a 6 cylinder, fuel injected engine. Starting that one cold was truly some kind of a black magic, and moving the throttle and mixture in some random, mysterious ways often used to do the trick :} So I guess a tiny DA20 should not be so hard :ok:
Now that's funny!
Whatever black arts one needs to consistently start ice cold engines...I've never had it.