Lycoming IO 360 flooding

[JonJay]

Some great advice here. I will add that every set up seems to have some uniqueness. If I follow Lycomings procedure I will be over primed and flooded. It will still start though...

You absolutely need to figure out why you can?t go full rich at idle without killing the engine. It might be soupy rich, but it shouldn?t die.

Keep plowing.....

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by N1Flyer

I have an IO-390 with the same issue. Based on input from very experienced friends, the procedure I've settled on is the following:

Cold Start: Throttle full and mixture rich. Prime for 1-2 seconds. Then retard the throttle so it's open about "1/2 inch" and bring the mixture to idle cutoff. Turn the key to start and as the engine starts, advance the mixture to rich.
...
These procedures have worked for me for quite a while.

They should. It's exactly what's in the Lycoming Operator's Manual, after all.

[JonJay]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

They should. It's exactly what's in the Lycoming Operator's Manual, after all.

Lycoming states 4-5 seconds. That will flood my system for sure. 1-2 seconds is good for me....

[RV7A Flyer]

Originally Posted by JonJay

Lycoming states 4-5 seconds. That will flood my system for sure. 1-2 seconds is good for me....

Well, if we're being pedantic, it says:

Open throttle wide open, move mixture control to ?Full Rich? until a slight but steady fuel flow is noted (approximately 3 to 5 seconds) then return throttle to ?Closed? and return mixture control to ?Idle Cut-Off?.

(Rest of instructions omitted)

I'd say 1-2 is in the "approximate" range

Point was...it's in the manual, and perhaps that's the best place for people to start when trying to sort out things like starting problems.

[JonJay]

Originally Posted by RV7A Flyer

Well, if we're being pedantic, it says:


(Rest of instructions omitted)

I'd say 1-2 is in the "approximate" range

Point was...it's in the manual, and perhaps that's the best place for people to start when trying to sort out things like starting problems.

I had to look up ?pedantic?.

[scottmillhouse]

Thanks for all the advise. I should have researched this before first start attempt but ….I was doing fuel flow testing and was going to drain all fuel for W&B and on impulse decided to do an engine start now rather than wait. Also since Lycoming ran the engine I just assumed the idle speed and mixture was correct. Guess it was for initial break in but not after their run-in since it is way rich now.

(adjusted and all is good now first flight soon when right weather window. It appears the test cell runs was with their injection unit... brilliant insight of the obvious, since the unit was new sealed in the box from the manufacturer so uh...it was not used in the test cell.)