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Won’t start??


Buckaroo

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I tried choke, a little throttle, full throttle, pumping throttle still nothing. I couldn’t smell fuel as if flooded. It seems to be fuel starved with 25 gallons of mogas on board. 

Could the gas in the carbs have gone bad in a month? 

 

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One person not on this forum thinks it must be a fuel blockage between tanks and carbs. He suggested I check the fuel filter. How do I get to the filter on a 2007 CTSW? Seems to me it was in console between seats! I remember once removing the cover there wanting to see it but wasn’t there. B)

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23 minutes ago, John Vance said:

Try running a fuel flow check. 

You bet! You know I had the plane tail down and nose high for about 4 days while I waited for a tube and tire to arrive. I wonder if that position could do things?

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That's outside of my experience, but it doesn't seem like a nose-high attitude should matter with fuel in the tanks.  A fuel-flow check will tell you if fuel is getting through the filter & being delivered, at least to the gascolator. If that's OK, then the problem is downstream or related to something else altogether. 

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With the fuel valve open drain some fuel from the gascolator. Time how long it takes to drain a gallon. It should take no more than 3-4 minutes to drain a gallon.

Pumping the throttle will do no good. Opening the throttle very far with choke applied does no good. Most likely the fuel went bad in the carbs and fuel lines. I have had cases where a CT has set with auto fuel and not wanted to start. Fresh fuel always did the trick.

One other issue that crops up from time to time is failed ignition module start circuits. You could try either warming or cooling the ignition modules to check for that.

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Start with the most common issues. failing to rule these out may cause you an extended hair pulling down time. Don't look for exotic causes because those are rare.

First is rule out the battery. It may seem good to you, but the human ear can't tell the difference if it is close. Jump it.

Take a 1 gal. baggy and put some ice in it and wrap it around your ignition modules before you try and start it. Wait 30 minutes and if it cranks right up replace the ignition modules. If both these fail take the idle jet out of the carb and rod a small piece of wire through it, flush it with carb cleaner and then follow that with high pressure air.

I would bet anything it will be one of these three items.

One of these will work and diagnose your problem.

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30 minutes ago, Roger Lee said:

Start with the most common issues. failing to rule these out may cause you an extended hair pulling down time. Don't look for exotic causes because those are rare.

First is rule out the battery. It may seem good to you, but the human ear can't tell the difference if it is close. Jump it.

Take a 1 gal. baggy and put some ice in it and wrap it around your ignition modules before you try and start it. Wait 30 minutes and if it cranks right up replace the ignition modules. If both these fail take the idle jet out of the carb and rod a small piece of wire through it, flush it with carb cleaner and then follow that with high pressure air.

I would bet anything it will be one of these three items.

One of these will work and diagnose your problem.

Thanks guys I have noted these and will advise! 

Question: Is there an easy way to check my fuel filter. The maintenance book 6  10 shows the filter and kinda shows the panel but I still don’t know how to get to it or are there two?

 

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43 minutes ago, Tom Baker said:

With the fuel valve open drain some fuel from the gascolator. Time how long it takes to drain a gallon. It should take no more than 3-4 minutes to drain a gallon.

Pumping the throttle will do no good. Opening the throttle very far with choke applied does no good. Most likely the fuel went bad in the carbs and fuel lines. I have had cases where a CT has set with auto fuel and not wanted to start. Fresh fuel always did the trick.

One other issue that crops up from time to time is failed ignition module start circuits. You could try either warming or cooling the ignition modules to check for that.

I checked flow and it pisses more than I do after a 12 pack. 

The fuel I used was 91 octane non ethanol probably going on two months old. Can I run sea foam in the tanks or another method for clearing the carbs without disassembly? 

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Ok! I had the plane in a nose high attitude with tail tied down and nose high for a week while waiting for a front tire and tube. 

I wonder if the floats stuck or some other bazaar phenomenon took place with that positioning? 

She is like not getting fuel. 

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Yes I’m in a metal hanger in Montana that’s non insulated. Temps today are in the low 30’s with the battery tender on and the Tannis on as well.She usually starts immediately but today at short sleeve temps in Montana she is just cranking furiously fast but without even one kick. 

To me there’s no fuel the system! No smell, no indication of flooding etc. 

 

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If the plane has been sitting for a month or two without running, you need to empty the carb bowls. The fuel may have absorbed enough water to be junk.

I've had it happen multiple times.

Second: the fuel system doesn't push fuel very well if it's an empty line without some head pressure. I find that I need to have a little more than 5 gallons to get it started. Once started, there are no further fuel issues. Put in a little bit of avgas (a gallon for each 10) to help the fuel.

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17 hours ago, Roger Lee said:

Start with the most common issues. failing to rule these out may cause you an extended hair pulling down time. Don't look for exotic causes because those are rare.

First is rule out the battery. It may seem good to you, but the human ear can't tell the difference if it is close. Jump it.

Take a 1 gal. baggy and put some ice in it and wrap it around your ignition modules before you try and start it. Wait 30 minutes and if it cranks right up replace the ignition modules. If both these fail take the idle jet out of the carb and rod a small piece of wire through it, flush it with carb cleaner and then follow that with high pressure air.

I would bet anything it will be one of these three items.

One of these will work and diagnose your problem.

Roger do you have a video of taking the idle jet out? 

We have a large snow storm here today but I am noting everyone’s recommendations so I can attack the problem tomorrow. 

Thanks to everyone!

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Once the carb bowl is off you'll see the main jet hanging down. Right next to that towards the air intake side there is a small hole. The idle jet is up inside. Take a flat tip screwdriver and put it up in there and just unscrew it. It's very easy and you really can't mess anything up. Once clean screw it back up in the hole and put the bowl back on. If you have hoses to the carbs vs the older stainless steel tubes you can actually rotate the carb enough toward you you should be able to see it. It must come out to clean it. It can not be cleaned in place.

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12 hours ago, Anticept said:

If the plane has been sitting for a month or two without running, you need to empty the carb bowls. The fuel may have absorbed enough water to be junk.

I've had it happen multiple times.

Second: the fuel system doesn't push fuel very well if it's an empty line without some head pressure. I find that I need to have a little more than 5 gallons to get it started. Once started, there are no further fuel issues. Put in a little bit of avgas (a gallon for each 10) to help the fuel.

I’m thinking with my Tannis on full time and the airplane sitting in a very cold hanger with temps in the 10’s etc. created the perfect storm for condensation. I can picture the carbs condensating from the heat beneath and very low temps on top. I probably have lots of water in the bowls. I’ll know tomorrow. 

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7 minutes ago, Roger Lee said:

Once the carb bowl is off you'll see the main jet hanging down. Right next to that towards the air intake side there is a small hole. The idle jet is up inside. Take a flat tip screwdriver and put it up in there and just unscrew it. It's very easy and you really can't mess anything up. Once clean screw it back up in the hole and put the bowl back on. If you have hoses to the carbs vs the older stainless steel tubes you can actually rotate the carb enough toward you you should be able to see it. It must come out to clean it. It can not be cleaned in place.

Gotcha! I’ll advise when I find out the problem for others knowledge base. 

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