BN2 Islander - Engine Start

[Paladin2005 440]

Where are the "Fuel Valve" switches i see in all the tutorials?  Besides the Fuel Pump switches is only a black area. Can not start the engines like in this tutorial:

 

 

[qqwertz 782]

The fuel valves are the big red and yellow rotary switches on the ceiling in your screen shot. To start the engines, do not forget to remove pitot and engine covers etc. You do that on the scratch pad that is located in the door of the copilot.

[bobcat999 8,483]

16 minutes ago, qqwertzde said:

The fuel valves are the big red and yellow rotary switches on the ceiling in your screen shot. To start the engines, do not forget to remove pitot and engine covers etc. You do that on the scratch pad that is located in the door of the copilot.

I could swear they are red and GREEN!    Is my colour perception out, or is it yours?

[Paladin2005 440]

Look at 2:35 in the tutorial on youtube. These are not the valves i am speaking off.

[Matchstick 1,886]

That's a pretty old video and the Islander has had a very major upgrade since it was made and I believe the fuel valve switches aren't present in the current version.

 

If your can't get the engine to start you need to make sure the Start Isolation switch is set to the Upper external power position even if you are starting from batteries.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Matchstick

[Paladin2005 440]

@Matchstick, thank you. I will try.

[qqwertz 782]

5 hours ago, Paladin2005 said:

Look at 2:35 in the tutorial on youtube. These are not the valves i am speaking off.

Correction: the big dials are tank selectors, not fuel valves. The fuel valve switches are gone, no need to set them.

Another reason why you may have issues starting the engines is if you haven't updated the airplane to the latest version. There have been some changes between SU9 and SU10 (I believe, or between 10 and 11) that have an impact on engine performance. 

Finally, I always switch on external power. Not needed in principle, but I often was able to start the engine only when it was on.

[Paladin2005 440]

Another question came up today - a sudden loss of manifold pressure.

This happened 1 time after taxiing for take off. One engine did not reach more than 15 mp, the other running normal.

Today, after a flight of 1 hour (20 C degrees outside temp) at 5000 ft, i landed and during taxiing, both engines lost manifold pressure. i could not taxi to the parking anymore and had to eng the flight. restarting the engine did not help.

fuel was around 30% in both tanks.

What could have caused this?

[David H 6]

For the first scenario, you didn’t mention temperature but it could have been caused by carb icing. If it happens again try turning on the carb heat and it should shoot right up.

For the second scenario, my guess based on altitude is your mixture setting. At that altitude you need to bring the mixture back about halfway to have an adequate air to fuel mixture.

[Paladin2005 440]

RPM, Mix were full forward for landing. My carb temp was above the yellow band, as on the plate in the cockpit.

[David H 6]

If your mixture was full forward at 5000 feet, you most likely stalled your engines because of lack of air.  They should be pulled back at that altitude.

[Paladin2005 440]

In the air it was leaned of course.

At landing it was full forward.

[Matchstick 1,886]

The symptoms sound an awful lot like Carburetor Icing. Do you know what the humidity was like during the flight ?
(warm, humid weather is ideal conditions for the problem)

[David H 6]

It should be leaned while landing at high altitudes, even on final. Just like you lean it for peak EGT when you take off, you’ll have to do the same here

[Paladin2005 440]

Landing altitude was around 400 ft at EDSB. Weather was warm and dry.

I will try again and look what the temperature shows, when it happens again.

Is there some damage model if i max the carb heat all the time?