C 172 Starting Procedure

[taildraggin68]

I have had no problems starting the 172, I even tried it at La Paz Peru (elevation ~ 13000'), and Antarctica from Cold Start, after following the procedure below, I never have problems starting.

I use similar procedure as Domini

Fuel Selector set
Mixture cutoff
Throttle 1/4
Master On
Fuel Pump On
Mixture Full Rich for 3 Seconds MAX
Mixture Cutoff
Start Ignition
Mixture Rich when engine 'catches'
Throttle to 1000RPM.
Oil Pressure Rising confirmed
Throttle 1200RPM when engine stabilized
Mixture Lean for Density Altitude (lean for peak regardless of elevation)
Throttle 1000RPM
Continue Pre Taxi checks

+1 No problems here either. The only starting issue I've had was a failure to follow checklist on the cherokee and tried to start without the mags on

[domini99]

I have had no problems starting the 172, I even tried it at La Paz Peru (elevation ~ 13000'), and Antarctica from Cold Start, after following the procedure below, I never have problems starting.

I use similar procedure as Domini

Fuel Selector set
Mixture cutoff
Throttle 1/4
Master On
Fuel Pump On
Mixture Full Rich for 3 Seconds MAX
Mixture Cutoff
Fuel Pump Off
Start Ignition
Mixture Rich when engine 'catches'
Throttle to 1000RPM.
Oil Pressure Rising confirmed
Throttle 1200RPM when engine stabilized
Mixture Lean for Density Altitude (lean for peak regardless of elevation)
Throttle 1000RPM
Continue Pre Taxi checks

I just asked someone who owns a 172, and this appears to be a correct way to start the real 172.

Will keep using this procedure

[joe bob]

I think you guys may have gone a touch overboard with this update and the Cessna, I have never run across one that is this finicky to start.
I like a challenge but like the spitfire was at first, it doesn't make it realistic

[ClipperLuna]

If anyone's still having problems, I came up with another trick you can try. Basically, I follow the procedure pilottj uses, but instead of advancing the mixture to full rich, I only put it up to about 50%, and only for 1-1.5 seconds. This is in 15-20C weather with a cold engine. For some reason, I have better luck getting it started this way than when I advance to full rich.

[arnonmoscona]

If anyone's still having problems, I came up with another trick you can try. Basically, I follow the procedure pilottj uses, but instead of advancing the mixture to full rich, I only put it up to about 50%, and only for 1-1.5 seconds. This is in 15-20C weather with a cold engine. For some reason, I have better luck getting it started this way than when I advance to full rich.

For me it definitely works when it's closer to 1sec. 3 sec apparently floods it. It looks like it really depends on your particular systems. I've heard reports ranging from 1 to 5 sec.

[Oracle427]

I've run it for 5 seconds with no issues. Never really had any trouble staying yet. I'll try flooding it later today as well as not priming at all to see what happens.

[domini99]

I don't know if A2A simulates backfires

[Oracle427]

I ran some tests and have to say it behaves very close to the real deal.

If I flood it, I need to perform a flooded start procedure. If I don't prime it's hard to start when cold.

I think the battery cranks for a generous amount of time compared to the real thing. Usually I get half the attempts before it won't turn over.

Not sure why some are having so much trouble. Maybe there are different behaviors on different computers!

[EnDSchultz]

I've run it for 5 seconds with no issues. Never really had any trouble staying yet. I'll try flooding it later today as well as not priming at all to see what happens.

Just like the real plane, it is possible to flood it if you overdo it. But you're right, 5 seconds is sometimes necessary, though not often. One time I rented a 172S, first flight of the day for that plane. Temps right around freezing. Took us the better part of 45 minutes to get the frost to stay off the wings. I was sensitive to the prospect of flooding, since I had in the past. But after going through a fair number of starter cycles with not so much as a cough from the engine, I was out of ideas, so I went and primed it again for what felt like (though I can't be sure) close to 5 seconds. That's when the engine finally caught and fired up. So the amount of prime, it seems, can vary quite dramatically as a result of temperature.

[WhiteHawk77]

I can't for nothing start the engine on this thing, I've been trying for hours using the information here and everywhere else I could find and videos as well. I've installed the latest accusim core. Followed all procedures to the letter but the engine will not start, I didn't pay this much money to use the flipping auto start, there has to be a bug or something I can do to make this work.

[Killratio]

I haven't had time to fly 2.0yet but I have been flying the real R since 1995 and the standard priming procedure we use out here (100% effective unless "hot start") is as follows:

Mixture full out.

Flip fuel pump switch on.

Immediately advance mixture smoothly but firmly until fuel flow gauge reaches 5 gph

As soon as needle hits 5 gph...Mixture back to full out.

Fuel pump switch off

With the exception of one 45C day with an already hot engine, I have never failed to start her quickly.

Darryl

[Scott - A2A]

WhiteHawk77,

Use autostart, then pull the mixture to kill the engine. Then try to start it manually and see if that works.

If so, then stop the engine again. Reload the plane and try again.

Just be careful with the mixture, especially if the engine is warm. Also remember the engine temps are persistent, so when you reload, the engine will still be warm.

Scott.

[WhiteHawk77]

That didn't do anything, I managed to start twice in a row today by pumping the mixture for two to three seconds with the pump going, but do you think I can do it a third, forth, twentieth time, no, can not, I'm rather fed up with this.

When you say be careful with the mixture what do you mean by that? I've tried many different positions of the mixture and different actions on it when starting the ignition. The outside air temperature with real weather on is between 15c and 19c when I've been trying to start it, can someone say the exact amounts of mix and time with pump on to make this work at those temps please.

Right now I feel like I've bought a broken plane, one that can't be fixed in the hanger.

[arnonmoscona]

That didn't do anything, I managed to start twice in a row today by pumping the mixture for two to three seconds with the pump going, but do you think I can do it a third, forth, twentieth time, no, can not, I'm rather fed up with this.

When you say be careful with the mixture what do you mean by that? I've tried many different positions of the mixture and different actions on it when starting the ignition. The outside air temperature with real weather on is between 15c and 19c when I've been trying to start it, can someone say the exact amounts of mix and time with pump on to make this work at those temps please.

Right now I feel like I've bought a broken plane, one that can't be fixed in the hanger.

I can echo some of the frustration. While I managed to get things under control, and can now start fairly consistently, it does feel maybe a bit "too realistic". Right now i have only two options - either use it like this or go for Ctrl-E. These are two unpleasant extremes. What I really want is a realistic startup sequence, but being able to tone down the pain in cold weather. Frankly, i get in the plane to fly. I don't have a huge amount of time to do it, and it is not huge fun to spend 15 minutes just to go through startup when it's cold (and it get cold enough in a good chunk of the US a good chunk of the year).

So realism is [very, very] good, but it is a game after all. I do want to fly in conditions that I would be unlikely to expose my California skin to in the real world... So it would be nice to have a patch some day with a configuration checkbox saying "forgiving startup" or something like that. We have an engine heater. That helps - just not enough for some us patsies.

[Oracle427]

Please watch this video and see if you are following the same steps.

How To Start A Cessna 172 SP: http://youtu.be/N-SdA-4EmBE

The camera doesn't show what the pilot does with the mixture lever add the engine starts, but he is promptly pushing it forward to full rich at the first sign of ignition so that it will have fuel to keep running after the initial primer charge is burned off.

Maybe you are doing something slightly different?