B3 Starting Issues... Help!

[BAH]

never worked on a B3, but try cleaning out the fuel side of the fuel/oil heater, could be contaminated. The 212's have 2 and can give you headaches. Spray it out with some contact cleaner from the output side.

[borntofly]

turn battery on and then play with the twist grip a few times and then put the twist back in the red mark and maybe...we had the same problem and it was the only thing that work.

[Squirrel]

Most likely it is a bad battery - if a start is attempted at starting voltage of less than 22 v, you likely won't get a start and it will hang at 20%. Also, the DECCU may not shut down using the on/idle/flight switch, necessitating you to use the battery switch to shut down.

 

(That also applies to starting with an external battery which gets disconnected after a start and before the generator is turned on (thereby not activating the generator) - the installed battery is too weak and doesn't have enough voltage to operate the DECCU so when you shut the on/off switch off, there isn't enough voltage to shut down the DECCU - you would have to pull the fuel shut-off to shut down the engine.)

 

You can check the battery by pressing the crank, if the voltage goes to 20 or below 20, the battery is probably the cause.

Other possibilities if not the battery could be the starter, brushes, loose wires etc, or the ignition coil.

 

Unrelated to your start, if you ever get no start at all, check that the rotor brake is completely off, as the microswitch is quite sensitive.

[pc12dude]

Dont leave us hang-en HV did get that thing working, or what?

[pc12dude]

Dont leave us hang-en HV did get that thing working, or what?

 

What I ment to say was,,, did you get that thing working?

 

i need an edit button.

[Harmonic_Vibe]

It started... and then didn't start the next time... or the time after that... but then we used an APU and it started...

 

That was my suggestion but I honestly didn't think it would make a difference because the voltage is well above 15 with the starter engaged, which is the magic number with all the other models... I put my foot in my mouth a couple of times (they think I'm an "expert") because of my ignorance of the idiosyncrasies... for instance I pointed out the fact that the horn didn't sound and the light was on before the engine was started... which, I've discovered, is standard for type... but I'd already made a big deal about there being a problem... It pays to read the manual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway, I'm stuck in Atlanta right now on my way home... training complete... problem just hidden for now... when they finally figure out what's wrong I'll update the thread... Mel Gibson was the passenger when the fuel contamination issue raised its head... Braveheart my @#$%...

 

HV

[shaggy]

cut mel some slack. maybe he hadn't fortified himself with any liqiud courage

[Squirrel]

HV, pm me if you need the name or # of a great B3 engineer, I'm sure he'll be happy to give some ideas.

[Blackmac]

Use the old standby, while the pilot is cranking it over, have the engineer through a match in the exhaust. Worked all the time in the 204/5.

 

Don

[dave]

So... here I am on what was supposed to be a paid holiday doin' a little longline training in Central America. Well, the B3 (of which I have zero time in) won't accelerate past 20-30 percent. My B2 experience doesn't help because the plumbing I'm used to doesn't seem to exist on this aircraft (maybe that's the problem!!!!!).

 

What could it be? There was a possible fuel contamination issue a few days ago but the A/F filtre has been changed and it started a few times since with no diffculty. I'm supposed to fly out of here in a couple of days but it won't be happening if I don't get this thing started. The guys here just got it a couple of weeks ago so they're pretty green on the type as well...

 

Any ideas would be mucho appreciado (that's spanish:)...

 

HV

 

P.S. I know what you're thinking... Why would I be in a hurry to rush back to Canada and minus 20 when I'm here drinking cheap beer, ogling chicas and basking in the sun?? That's a **** good question!!!!!!!