PMDG 737 engine starting royally screwed

[Ben Drinkin]

I'm unable to shutdown and restart this aircraft because of what I assume are a number of bugs.

1. Right engine can do one of two things when I try to start it: hang around 10-15 N1, or appear to start as normal, but hang around .3 less N1 than left engine at idle and not respond to throttle at all. The left engine always starts and operates as normal. Images:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1688839506
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1688839731

2. Sometimes the left and right generators don't work, despite the engine operating normally. I've noticed when this happens the light marked "drive" corresponding to the inactive generator is always lit when this happens. I won't lie, I'm not even sure what this light means or how to fix it, but I can only assume something isn't working right thanks to the aircraft not seeing the generators as on despite the engines operating normally.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1688841943

[Ben Drinkin]

Originally posted by Erazer:

How do you start the engines?

By using Ctrl+E?

If so hold down the Ctrl key and TAP the E key once only and wait.

You can test this using the High altitude alien Intercept mission with an F-18

If you hold the E key down instead of tapping it once the second engine will not start because the keyboard repeat has produced multiple inputs with the E key held down and totally confused the tsart system sequence.

Reload the same mission and as soon as the cockpit appears hold the Ctrl key and quickly TAP the E key once.

Switch the view to the right hand cockpit view so that you can see the bottom left gauge and wait for the second engine to power up fully.

Ignore the Secretary of State in the other F-18 and get ahead of him.

Full afterburners as soon as the tower controller announces the alien spaceship.

60 seconds to inject the code.

Don't know anything about PMDG 737 but it might help with the mission.

PMDG doesn't support default engine autostart (CTRL+E) to my knowledge unfortunately. At least it never works for me.

[Ben Drinkin]

Originally posted by Erazer:

That's a pity. So you start from cold and dark every time? I wasn't aware of that. Thanks.

Try again but only TAP the keys rather than inputting multiple key inputs by holding a key down?

The plane doesn't start cold and dark by default, but what I detailed in this post is the result of following the checklists included with the aircraft. That is, plenty of things not working properly somehow.

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

I have flown the PMDG off and on for sometime, the one fact about flying the plane is read the manuel and follow their procedures. If you have a problem go to their support forms for help.

[Ben Drinkin]

Originally posted by KenGardner:

I have flown the PMDG off and on for sometime, the one fact about flying the plane is read the manuel and follow their procedures. If you have a problem go to their support forms for help.

Yeah. Like I stated just above, this is while following the included manual to the letter.

[Ben Drinkin]

Indeed. Guess I'll head over to the PMDG support site and dig around.

[Erazer]

Originally posted by WE'RE GOING DOWN B0SS:

Indeed. Guess I'll head over to the PMDG support site and dig around.

Well I hope that you find an answer. I would guess that re-installing that particular aircraft will be the order of the day.

Remove any related 'Trusted' entries in the fsx.cfg file and delete any saved flights together with their .PLN files as sometimes they can get corrupted with time for some reason or if too many changes are made and repeatedly saved, overwriting the original files.

FSX NASA https://www.hwinfo.com/

Very comprehensive hardware analysis.

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

The normal trouble shooting routines for FSX don't work 90% of the time since the aircraft is a high end aircraft. I have experienced many PMDG related problems and resolved them by reading the manuel and learning where everything is located, having a printout of the related pages also helped.

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

Sorry the spell checker was turned off

[Ken "Hondo" Gardner]

Originally posted by Erazer:

No problem, Ken.

I didn't know that the spell checker could be turned off.

I'm just too lazy to open Word on the other monitor.

The checker is part of my phone

[3 Wire]

Originally posted by KenGardner:

I have flown the PMDG off and on for sometime, the one fact about flying the plane is read the manuel and follow their procedures. If you have a problem go to their support forms for help.

This ^ ^

I would suggest reading all the manuals thoroughly, and/or posting your questions at the PMDG forums as Ken has suggested.

PMDG are probably among the most complex add on aircraft systems wise, and starting them up from a cold and dark cockpit state can be a daunting task..