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Dave:
Starting a coupe in sub zero weather can be tricky.
For one, batteries do not like cold weather and run down very fast.
Second, keep the fire extinguisher handy.
If you have no way of heating the oil, just turn the prop over by hand
about twenty times to get some oil moving. This may improve compression.
Then use the primer once or twice, but keep the plunger pulled
out.
Try cranking and you may hear a pop or two. That is a good sign.
Prime and crank and the pops should get more frequent. if it does not pop
after four turns of the prop, don't keep grinding dry cylinders. Stop and prime
again.
Once the engine pops enough to turn over a few times, slowly push the
primer in and the extra gas usually keeps it turning over. As the cylinders get
warmer, compression improves and it sounds better. You may have to pull out and
slowly push the primer in three or four times to keep the engine turning over
until all four cylinders catch on.
Before the first pops, you also run the risk of flooding the
engine, in which case you turn off the mags and with the hand brake on, get
out and turn the prop backwards about ten times. (unless you have a vacuum pump
and then you don't want to do this).
after back propping about 10 times, get back in and try again without
priming. If nothing happens go back to priming once.
If you notice a pool of gas under the plane, call it a day and give
up.
Alan.
N87333
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