An 85 year old AP/IA at Hampton Road, VA, an expert on all things Continental, even has over 100 Continental engines in his hangar, stacked up 3 walls and in several 18 wheeler trailers told me that if the Stromburg carb was set properly, and the mags are timed properly, never use the primer and barely crack the throttle. It works every time for me. The only time I use primer is one shot on a really cold day.
I've used this method for over two years. Jack 903-436-0474 cell ________________________________ From: Syd Cohen <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, August 5, 2010 2:10:55 PM Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] How to start an Ercoupe Dave, The Coupe primer DOES NOT put fuel into the carb. It puts fuel into the intake manifold, above the carb, which is fed into all four cylinders when the engine is cranked over. Over priming can be dangerous, yes, but one or two squirts on the primer when the engine is cold will not cause any problems. NEVER pump the primer more than two times. Syd On Aug 5, 2010, at 1:20 PM, Ronin Sensei wrote: >Hooooo Kaaaay, >This can turn into a dissertation, but I thought it was interesting, so maybe >you will, too. This is what I believe I have learned. > >1. The Ercoupe with Stromberg carb needed a primer for starting because the >Stromberg has no accelerator pump. (The Marvel carb does, in contrast, have >an >accelerator pump.) >2. On aircraft having a carb that includes an accelerator pump, pumping the >throttle is a popular but dangerous way to start an engine because it puts >excess fuel in the carb where it can cause an engine fire. The safer way to >do >it on, for example, a Cessna-152 is to use the primer because the primer puts >fuel DIRECTLY INTO A CYLINDER, thereby bypassing the carb. >3. HOWEVER, the Coupe primer does NOT put fuel in the cylinder. It squirts >it >into the carb, just like the accelerator pump. (I learned this when I paid to >have my primer, which had been cut and crimped, re-installed. They did this >when they replaced the Stromberg carb with a Marvel carb. But, I felt it was >dangerous so I undid the primer change. That's when I learned that the primer >goes to the carb, not the cylinder, just like the accelerator pump on the >throttle.) >4. SO, on a Coupe use of the primer and use of the carb accelerator pump are >both hazardous. >5. I am going to try using the primer ONLY while the prop is turning, as I >see >is advised by one member. > >Anybody see any errors in this summary? >Dave Winters > ________________________________ To: ercoupe-tech@ yahoogroups. com >From: [email protected] >Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 13:20:14 +0000 >Subject: [ercoupe-tech] How to start an Ercoupe > > >At Oshkosh during the Ercoupe maintenance session the best method of starting >a >Coupe was described as: slow back when pulling primer out; push in more >rapidly; >slow back again; engage starter and push in primer simultaneously. Works >every >time so they say (I haven't tried it yet). I had been told that pushing in >the >throttle once would help but the consensus at Oshkosh was that it would be >useless. Don't disagree but can anyone tell me what using the throttle during >the start does? > >Mac McMahon >N94184 >VKX Friendly, MD > > > > >
