Cessna 172 manual startup

[4374342]

I've been trying to start up the Cessna 172 manually without using ctrl+E. I have followed the checklist 1/4 inch throttle, rich mixture propeller clear, master switch on, fuel pump on but after all this using the ignition (holding down m and +) only half starts the engine and it turns off after around 1-2 seconds. I have checked that there is fuel pull rod switch for fuel is on. I have watched multiple online videos and they are all doing the same as me but it works fine for them. If anyone else is having this problem or thinks they know what it is please comment.

[Rogen]

Isn't the fuel pull switch reversed for the default C172 i.e. on is off?

[galax17]

If you are at a high altitude Airport or in stormy weather lower the mixture.

[LHookins]

Turning off after one or two seconds indicates a likely fuel delivery problem. Make sure fuel is turned on and the fuel tanks are not empty. There is probably a fuel selector switch to set which tank the fuel is feeding from.

I am assuming this is the stock 172 and not the one from A2A which is even harder to start.

Hook

[4374342]

I'm not sure about the pull switch so I tried it in the off position but nothing has changed. Tried adjusting fuel mixture 10 %, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90% and 100% nothing changing again sorry, the airport i'm launching from is Inverness UK runway 05. Not sure exactly how to check fuel or which fuel tanks are on but since I'm just loading the cessna from the main page (default cessna) I assume it doesn't start with low fuel If you know how to check/how to refuel I'd be willing to try it. Thanks for all the responses so far glad this game has such a great community.

[LHookins]

Elevation is basically sea level so the mixture should be full rich: 100%.

First, make sure it starts (and runs!) with control-E. Watch to see what switches move and how. Let it run for a while to make sure. Then shut it down, turn everything off, then try starting it manually.

I have never set the ignition with the keyboard. I always use the mouse. If you have somehow activated the starter then gotten the ignition turned off, the aircraft will crank but will not start.

You can change the aircraft fuel and load by pressing the ALT key to bring up the menu at the top, then selecting aircraft and fuel/load or similar. Sorry, I don't have FSX installed, I'm using Prepar3D 2.5 but this description should be close.

I have noticed an oddity with P3D that I don't rememeber from FSX where if I have an aircraft loaded, then load another, the settings from the original aircraft are still in effect. For example, fuel load, and one problem with the generator switch where the new aircraft doesn't have one. Eventually the battery runs down and my radios and GPS quit. If FSX is the same, and you previously had an aircraft loaded with little or no fuel, you might have empty tanks.

I am currently using a utility called FS-Flight Control that allows me to turn that stupid generator switch back on or change the fuel and payload along with many other useful functions. It is payware but has a good trial period.

Hook

[jetzero]

I have the same issue with my little Cessna 152! I have a lot of control modules set up with my flight sim (yoke, rudder pedals, radio stack, TPM, switch panel, and trim wheel), but when I go to start up the engine with the starter swich on my panel the engine NEVER turnes over. It's an odd thing.

What works for me always is using the mouse to manually go over to the starter and crank it over with a click+drag. Never fails.

[Licopolis]

What Cessna are you using - the default one or add-on?

[Nightmare1964]

Make sure the fuel tap/s are on or at least selected to a tank, is it on the floor? And you have checked your fuel quantity is sufficient.

Haven't flown the C172 in a while, but is there a fuel flow or pressure gauge? If so, when you have your battery on and your fuel pump on you should be getting a reading which indicates that you're getting fuel into your engine.

Full rich mixture and small amount of throttle should get it started when you hit the starter.

[LHookins]

Make sure the fuel tap/s are on or at least selected to a tank

This is a good point. The Cessna probably has Left/Right/Both. Switch to a different position, then back where you want it. It is not impossible that internally that switch is set to OFF, which the model cannot indicate.

In fact, any switch in the airplane could have this problem, or like the one I mentioned earlier the airplane doesn't even have the necessary switch. Auto start *should* take care of such problems but it may not be guaranteed.

Odd that I never noticed this problem until these two particular aircraft.

Hook

[4374342]

Originally posted by LHookins:

Make sure the fuel tap/s are on or at least selected to a tank

This is a good point. The Cessna probably has Left/Right/Both. Switch to a different position, then back where you want it. It is not impossible that internally that switch is set to OFF, which the model cannot indicate.

In fact, any switch in the airplane could have this problem, or like the one I mentioned earlier the airplane doesn't even have the necessary switch. Auto start *should* take care of such problems but it may not be guaranteed.

Odd that I never noticed this problem until these two particular aircraft.

Hook

Thanks to everyone who has replied to this post we have found the problem for my game. Internally the switch used for selecting which fuel tap is used is set to off. So by turning it from both to left then all the way to right then back to both it fixes this problem. A side note the pull switch for fuel off/on must be pulled out to be on.

Step by step what I do to start Cessna uppon loading into game:
0) When I load in the Avionics Master switch, the Master switches and a switch labelled BCN are already on. The fuel tap is visibly set to on and the fuel on pull off pull switch is out.
1) Set mixture to rich, all the way in.
2) Throttle 25%
3) Movefuel tap selector fully left then fully right then back to centre labelled as both.
4) Turn the fuel pump on
5) Start the plane by dragging the key with the mouse or using M and + key both worked for me.
6) Fuel pump off.

The important parts being moving the Fuel tap selector and having the fuel pull switch out.

[LHookins]

BCN is the beacon. Look for a flashing light on top of the aircraft.

This is truly weird. I never noticed this problem until just recently.

The aircraft I mentioned has a magneto switch with off/left/right/both. When the aircraft is loaded it is always set to both, even if I saved the aircraft with it off. Earlier today I turned it to off, then used control-E to autostart... and the switch was still at off but the engine was running. If I do not change the switch before manually starting the engine from both to off back to both, the engine will not start.

Stupid computer program. >(

It should be enough to simply move the fuel selector switch to get the aircraft to register that the fuel is turned to an actual tank rather than off.

Hook

[wim1234]

the basic aircraft are qite simple, if you want better, than its going to cost you.
a2a cessna behaves like the real deal, practically.

[LHookins]

The A2A Cessna is even harder to start.

[Nightmare1964]

Turn the fuel pump back on when you do your run up and take off. Turn off only when in the cruise climb, after leaving the circuit. Switch it back on when you are doing your landing checks, well before you enter the circuit. I wouldn't turn it off if I was staying in the circuit.

Sorry, that's the RW pilot in me talking.

[le n]

Originally posted by LHookins:

The A2A Cessna is even harder to start.

Yes, sometimes he don't want to start i don't know why ^^