Robert Szego
New member
Posted on behalf of Terrell Roberts III:
I have owned BL-17A (IO 520K) for more than 30 years. I always had great difficulty starting a heat-soaked engine. I tried my best to follow Continental’s “sure fire” method, but I found the engine would try to start but sputter and stop after a few seconds. Evidently, vaporized gas remained in the lines, but I did not figure out how to clear the lines correctly. By trial and error, I have discovered the best way to start the engine is as follows:
1. With throttle full and mixture lean, prime (High) for 40 seconds.
2. Wait a few seconds, then close the throttle and push the mixture control full forward.
3. Engage the starter and push the primer on (midway position so the primer runs on its own). Engine will start without difficulty.
I have tried this twice while the engine was heat-soaked, and it worked like a charm. The missing element in Continental's suggested hot-start method is priming. Priming apparently does the job to eliminate vaporized gas remaining in the lines.
I have owned BL-17A (IO 520K) for more than 30 years. I always had great difficulty starting a heat-soaked engine. I tried my best to follow Continental’s “sure fire” method, but I found the engine would try to start but sputter and stop after a few seconds. Evidently, vaporized gas remained in the lines, but I did not figure out how to clear the lines correctly. By trial and error, I have discovered the best way to start the engine is as follows:
1. With throttle full and mixture lean, prime (High) for 40 seconds.
2. Wait a few seconds, then close the throttle and push the mixture control full forward.
3. Engage the starter and push the primer on (midway position so the primer runs on its own). Engine will start without difficulty.
I have tried this twice while the engine was heat-soaked, and it worked like a charm. The missing element in Continental's suggested hot-start method is priming. Priming apparently does the job to eliminate vaporized gas remaining in the lines.