First Engine Start!

[NWade]

Congrats!

It looks like you're running pretty rich, based on the smoky exhaust?

Probably, but I'm not sure. Given that the mixture control pulled out at the end I'm wondering if it was slipping when I tried to adjust it during the initial run, so I don't have any confidence that I was operating at the mixture settings I was selecting (I know I was influencing it some with my adjustments, but I am not going to draw any conclusions yet).

Before I started the engine at all, I was a little paranoid about fuel flooding the carb / air-filter. So I began with the fuel valve closed and the mixture at idle cutoff. I flipped open the fuel valve, gave it 2 seconds, then cranked the starter while sliding the mixture control from cutoff towards full-rich. The engine coughed a bunch (a couple of seconds after the end of that first video clip) so I pulled it back about 3/4 of the way lean. But then when I attempted to advance the throttle much, the engine died. So I restarted the engine using the same procedure as before (and it started as readily as before). I let it idle for a couple of minutes, then advanced the throttle over 5-7 seconds while also pushing the mixture about 3/4 of the way rich at the same time. This worked out pretty well, although my MAP gauge was only showing ~36" of pressure and without a working RPM gauge I didn't want to leave it up at that throttle setting... I throttled back down and was watching the CHTs climb through about 270 and the EGTs get up over 800 when the exhaust wrap "smoking" started and brought it all to a quick halt.

Given that it was cold & wet with a small temp-dewpoint spread, my mixture control was suspect, and I haven't inspected the oil (its possible for oil to cause smoke if its blowing past rings; if I really want to "worst-case-scenario" this), I don't want to draw any conclusions. I intend to go back out to the airport tomorrow, check the oil, check all the bolts and critical assemblies, and do some more engine runs. Now that I'm sure my mixture control is tightened properly and my RPM gauge is working, I'll be more comfortable running the engine and doing the recommended AeroInjector tuning (which is intended to be done at full-rich mixture).

Take care,

--Noel

[robin]

Noel
Check your enigma setup. It is probably set to show 32 oil temp until it reaches 70. That is how mine is. The VDO is correct. You can set the enigma to read lower if you want.
Robin.

[WaiexN143NM]

Hi noel,
Congrats on your engine start up. Another big milestone. Sounds like you, and other turbo guys(and the factory) are really trying to improve the turbo cooling. Good luck and when is first flight?

WaiexN143NM
Michael