This afternoon one of my partners had an issue starting the left engine. Airplane had been sitting outside since shutdown for 1:25hrs or so with temps 33-38 F. Right engine started normally, but left engine kept stumbling at low RPM 600-700 and would not accelerate.
When he tried to advance throttle or mixture it would stumble more and make like it might die. Fuel pressure was about 40 PSI with engine fuel pump only on. Had him shut down engine and run emergency pump for a bit and pressure went to about 35 to 40 PSI. Had him put mixture to cutoff, mags off, throttle wide open, and run starter for 10 seconds to clear fuel. Waited 30 seconds and tried start without priming, throttle half travel, and bring back throttle slowly till engine caught then mixture up slowly and engine ran normally. Looks like engine was flooded, but he had only primed till 6gph just like on right engine. Any ideas on this? Never happened before. Oh by the way, one aside, for last 8-10 flight hours left engine fuel pressure at cruise has been just below redline at 44PSI. It used to be at about 40-42 PSI at cruise.
When he tried to advance throttle or mixture it would stumble more and make like it might die. Fuel pressure was about 40 PSI with engine fuel pump only on. Had him shut down engine and run emergency pump for a bit and pressure went to about 35 to 40 PSI. Had him put mixture to cutoff, mags off, throttle wide open, and run starter for 10 seconds to clear fuel. Waited 30 seconds and tried start without priming, throttle half travel, and bring back throttle slowly till engine caught then mixture up slowly and engine ran normally. Looks like engine was flooded, but he had only primed till 6gph just like on right engine. Any ideas on this? Never happened before. Oh by the way, one aside, for last 8-10 flight hours left engine fuel pressure at cruise has been just below redline at 44PSI. It used to be at about 40-42 PSI at cruise.
