----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
This is interesting! I've never seen or heard of an aircraft without
a primer. could this ercoupe have been manufactured without a
primer? And, if not, how has it passed annual inspection all of these
years without it?
Larry
----- Original Message -----From: Tim and Martha BriggsSent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 9:59 AMSubject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Cold Weather Starting Advice----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
Ercoupers:
My Coupe has the O-200 engine with a Marvel Schebler Carburetor. The plane
has no primer. Yesterday, I tried to go flying and really had a hard time
starting the engine. My normal start procedure has me "prime" with 2-4 pumps
on the throttle before cranking. It always started right up on the first
pull in temps down to 45 degrees F. Yesterday, it was about 15-20 degrees
outside. I turned it over by hand for a while before cranking to loosen
things up. We tried for over an hour, quickly needing needing a jump from a
start cart. I eventually got her going by pumping the throttle vigorously
as I cranked and then taking it back to idle position. It sounded like a
radial starting with a pop here then one or two more. Eventually it lit off
and ran OK from then on although the transition from idle to full power had
to be done slowly or it stumbled. I never did get airborne, by the time I
got her running, I was too cold and it was getting late. Warm restarts were
instantaneous.
Known conditions:
1. I just had it annualed, the plugs were cleaned and a few replaced.
2. It had one flight since the annual. It started right up on that one
flight, being pulled from a warm hangar.
3. My current hangar is unheated. The plane sat for 2 weeks in temps down
to -5F
Questions:
1. Pumping the throttle causes the accelerator pump to shoot gas into the
carb throat. After shutting down, there was a puddle of gas on the ground.
I fear that I'm risking a fire with all that pumping but that was the only
way she would light off. Is there anything else I can do to "prime" without
a primer??
2. In reading up on the Marvel Schebler carb, I see there is an idle
mixture screw. Would any adjustments to this help the transition from idle
to high power in cold temps? Unless you advance very slowly, the engine
stumbles.
3. The engine's behavior reminds me of trying to start my old Buick in the
cold when the choke didn't work. Is there any way to "choke" the carb or
install a manual choke on a Marvel Schebler carb?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Tim Briggs
1950 Erco 415G
N94413
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