starting my twin

[David Callon]

That was my standard start, It seem to take 12 to 20 cranks to fire.

[N8632Y]

Dave,
I think the prime is the key, after a good battery, starter and other hardware. But if you have no problem with a hot start, then i'd rule out hardware. Of course everyone is assuming that it is not below freezing, or you are preheating, right?

I've done cold starts numerous ways:
To prime: all forward, pumps on till fuel pressure up, about 5 secs.
then pumps off and ...

1. I've then set the throttles idle, mixture full rich, engage starter and after 1 sec i crack the throttles, and i'm starting right up

OR

2. I've then set the throttles open a crack (about what 1000 rpms look like), mixture idle cut off, engage starter, first sign of firing, bring mixture up, and i'm starting right up.

So I think the key is what you do before you engage the starter.
steve

[steen]

Dave,
If my previous procedure takes you 15-20 turns to start I suspect you are not priming enough but that's easy to find out. As you crank, slowly open the throttle and if it then fires you have over-primed. If it still doesn't fire right up you have under-primed.
Steen

[T210DRVR]

I've had some luck lately with hot starts using the standard cold start prime, aprox five seconds until fuel flow is stabilized. Mixture remains rich but throttle about 1/2" instead of the 1/4" for a cold start. Cranking takes about ten blades. At the moment that the engine begins to fire I start the boost pump again for about five seconds to help deliver fuel to the engine, as soon as RPM's hit 1,200 RPM or so I pull back the throttle to bring the engine back to 1,000 RPM. This worked three times in a row for me today after flights of about 30 minutes followed by twenty minute stops in between flights.