Difficulty in starting engine

[LZScout 5]

I seem to be having a hit or miss time in starting the PC-12. I follow the checklist, engage the starter, wait till NG hits 13%, then move the condition lever to ground idle. Sometimes the engine lights off, more often it doesn’t. It feels like I’m advancing it too late. If NG is too high, is that a reason for a non-start? I am using Bert’s original panel mod with Autogyro’s additions. 

[FDEdev 955]

2 minutes ago, LZScout said:

 If NG is too high, is that a reason for a non-start? I am using Bert’s original panel mod with Autogyro’s additions. 

Never heard about this problem and a too high N_G is for sure not the problem. That said I'm using the original install without any mods.

[softreset 33]

What if you use a livery without the mod and roll back autogyro's additions?

I've never had a failure to start with any combination of modded or unmodded but that'd be the first step to triage. Followed by a clean install, try it unmodded.

[LZScout 5]

I’ll give it a try. 

[LZScout 5]

I installed Bert’s 5.2 panel mod, inserted Bert’s suggested Autogyro ”Electrical Section” replacement for the aircraft.cfg file, and replaced the PC-12.air file with the replacement included in Autogyro’s original download. After comparing the present aircraft.cfg file (with the Electrical mod) with the aircraft.cfg file in Autogyro’s package, I ended up just substituting his. I noticed that he had made adjustments to the brakes and now I can hold the plane stationary at full power. 

I took a short flight and the aircraft appears to be handling very well. I need to do more testing but I’m happy with the results, so far. I’ve only noticed one bug, if that’s what it is.

For some reason, using the checklist starting procedure, I cannot get the engine to start. Although I’ve been through several versions of the mod so far, I don’t remember having this issue when I used the stock version. After many resets and trials, I tried just watching the startup procedure that occurred when I used CTRL E. I observed the ignition switch on the overhead flicker from Auto to ON momentarily, then back to Auto while the engine started up. I then reset the sim again, ran the checklist again with the exception that I set the ignition switch to ON. The engine started every time I tried this method.

Bert, is there anything in the mods that that would cause the Auto ignition setting not to work fo me? This problem existed for me before I included the PC-12.air and aircraft.cfg substitutions.  

 

[FDEdev 955]

20 minutes ago, LZScout said:

 I noticed that he had made adjustments to the brakes and now I can hold the plane stationary at full power. 

Instead of unrealistically increasing the brake strenght, you should turn the (virtual) anti skid on.  

This should be always on for every plane (you need to assign a key for the anti skid).

One of the bugs in FSX/P3D is that not only braking is (naturally) much more effective if the wheels don't lock up, the parking brake is as well much more capable if the plane is static. 

[LZScout 5]

I’ve done some testing. I thought I potentially caused the non-starting engine problem with the mods I’ve added. They include a panel replacement from Bert, a aircraft.cfg file, and a PC-12.air file, both from Autogyro. 

I started by replacing each file, one at a time, then I restarted P3d and loaded the PC-12. Replacing each file with the original had no effect on my lack of success in starting the engine. I then uninstalled the aircraft, restarted my PC, then reinstalled the PC-12. I felt, at this point, there should be no reason to prevent the engine from starting using checklist procedure. Unfortunately, the problem remained. With the ignition switch on the overhead panel set to “Auto”, it would not start. If I changed the ignition switch to “ON”, it would start right up.

I’m using P3D v4.1. I’m hoping someone else out there is also up on P3D v4.1 and has v2.0 of the PC-12 installed so they could give me a clue what to try. I must be missing a step in the checklist if others aren’t having the same problem. 

[LZScout 5]

I've done some more work on my switch assignments in Spad.next and also, along the way, some rework in what I had done with Bert's mods. The end result is my problem has disappeared, the engine starts as it should with the IGNITION set to Auto. I'm not sure what fixed it. 

[LZScout 5]

Well I thought it was fixed. I've changed nothing since yesterday and today, the engine won't start on Iginition setting AUTO. Can anyone direct me on where the start logic for the PC12 is located?

[softreset 33]

On 11/18/2017 at 11:57 AM, LZScout said:

Well I thought it was fixed. I've changed nothing since yesterday and today, the engine won't start on Iginition setting AUTO. Can anyone direct me on where the start logic for the PC12 is located?

Did you ever figure out what's going on with your starter sequence?

I just bought P3Dv4 yesterday and with a clean install of it and the PC-12 I'm experiencing the same thing. Unable to start with the normal process, then when I do it maxes the torque to 42 psi for a solid 5 seconds.

I have issues too with the plane but that's at least one of them.

- Installed with admin

- Launched application with admin

[LZScout 5]

I’ve found the plane to be quite enjoyable with all the mods Bert and others have provided. But no, I’ve never fully solved the starting problem. It’s interesting to note you have it on a clean install. I do get it to start intermittently on the ignition “Auto” setting. More often than not though, I have the same experience you do. My procedure is to use the ignition “on” setting for start. Although there have been instances when it doesn’t work, 99.9% of the time it does. I do use a Saitek Throttle quadrant (using SPAD.Next) to operate the Throttle. It appears to work the same as the control in the VC. Whether this contributes to the problem, I don’t know. I wish I knew how the starting logic worked beyond moving the condition lever to ground idle once ng passes 13%. I assume there is an html file buried in the PC12 folders somewhere that drives the Logic but I don’t have a clue where to look. I’m also assuming that since so few people report the problem, I must be doing something wrong in how I start it. 😩

[d.tsakiris 417]

In my experience, the problem starting the engine only occurs if one uses the Caranado tool (2D panel, shift + 8 or 9) to bring the plane to the cold & dark state before.

[LZScout 5]

I have been using the Carenado panel to bring the plane to a Cold and Dark state. Does anyone know why this would cause a problem?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,903]

On 18/11/2017 at 7:57 PM, LZScout said:

Well I thought it was fixed. I've changed nothing since yesterday and today, the engine won't start on Iginition setting AUTO. Can anyone direct me on where the start logic for the PC12 is located?

I’m far from being an expert on the PC-12 but I also had the same starting problem. I’ve solved it by setting the pumps and ignition to On rather than Auto. I think they’re the pump switches from memory.

Once NG hits 12% or thereabouts I move the conditioning lever to ground idle and the engine bursts into life.

I then set the switches back to Auto. I could never get the engine to start with IGN set to Auto. Maybe a bug?

[softreset 33]

On 1/5/2018 at 9:39 AM, d.tsakiris said:

In my experience, the problem starting the engine only occurs if one uses the Caranado tool (2D panel, shift + 8 or 9) to bring the plane to the cold & dark state before.

Whether I use the Cold & Dark panel setting or not, I have to toggle the ignition to ON in P3Dv4. It's fine in FSX:SE.

I still get the massive torque blast on startup, the torque goes all the way to 40 PSI for 3-5 seconds and then settles back into the 2-3 PSI range.

That's with zero peripherals mapped or connected (just keyboard & mouse).