Anyone else having engine start up problems recently?

[saberthree]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forums and wanted to ask if anyone is experiencing issues with the normal cold start procedures regarding the engines. I have both 1.2 and 1.5 versions of DCS, and until today, for some odd reason I cannot start up the engines with the hot keys that are assigned to it.

 

I havent made any mods, or changed any options to the menu. I even went into the controls bar to reset the hot keys and I am still having issues.

 

the only thing I did was update the beta, but that shouldnt have any effects on the offical 1.2 version?

 

I did notice that the same issues I had with 1.5 somehow migrated to 1.2 even though I have them saved in two totally different directories.

 

other issues I have come across as of now is when I have to end up starting the game on the runway ( since I cant even turn on my dang engines, I am forced to go into this mode!) the engines start to have a mind of their own. for example, when I am on the ground i am at 60 percent thrust.......then all of a sudden the engines start to increase to 80 percent thrust, I have to manually hold down the hot key to keep the engines from going back up.

 

anyway this is rather strange, maybe I should uninstall the update? I wanted to get everyones opinion first before I make it even worse.

[CaptDoctor]

Howdy,

 

couple of suggestions:

 

1) check through your key bindings and joystick axis assignments once, then check again. I always seem to miss things. Sometimes my rudder pedals get assigned as yaw, thrust and roll, so when I press on my right pedal I get all sorts of aerobatic manoeuvres.

 

2) I have the TM Warthog, and have discovered in 1.5ob that if I have either engine switched to Motor the APU will not start successfully, which in turn means I can't start the engines as the APU is required to achieve a start. Potentially some switching arrangement is preventing your engines from starting?

[Daebak]

Howdy,

 

couple of suggestions:

 

1) check through your key bindings and joystick axis assignments once, then check again. I always seem to miss things. Sometimes my rudder pedals get assigned as yaw, thrust and roll, so when I press on my right pedal I get all sorts of aerobatic manoeuvres.

 

2) I have the TM Warthog, and have discovered in 1.5ob that if I have either engine switched to Motor the APU will not start successfully, which in turn means I can't start the engines as the APU is required to achieve a start. Potentially some switching arrangement is preventing your engines from starting?

 

Never have your engines switched on motor like that. You're going to spark both engines immediately as soon as the right busses get power. Due to the design of the electronics and engines themselves, it relies on a particular order where certain things build on others in order to build up enough pressure for the turbine to begin twirlin'.

 

@OP Message me later if you still can't get it figured out and I'll walk you through how an A-10C gets started on a ramp properly. You'll never have any problems after that. :)

[CaptDoctor]

Never have your engines switched on motor like that. You're going to spark both engines immediately as soon as the right busses get power. Due to the design of the electronics and engines themselves, it relies on a particular order where certain things build on others in order to build up enough pressure for the turbine to begin twirlin'.

 

@OP Message me later if you still can't get it figured out and I'll walk you through how an A-10C gets started on a ramp properly. You'll never have any problems after that. :)

 

 

I haven't done it intentionally, just when I haven't realised the switch has been in that position. Mind you, that means I didn't check it appropriately during the sequence, so perhaps it was intentional!

[Daebak]

I haven't done it intentionally, just when I haven't realised the switch has been in that position. Mind you, that means I didn't check it appropriately during the sequence, so perhaps it was intentional!

 

Hung and flooded out engines are almost always caused by a lack of understanding of how the engines themselves function at the drawing board level. That, and especially a lack of understanding of the electrical system.

 

We all forget checks from time to time, we're only human simmers hehe.

 

If you want to never be confused as to why something isn't starting up, pressure isn't building, fuel isn't flowing, the rpm's won't climb...... Master Caution goes off just shortly before an engine detonates from overheating -- be able to draw a flowchart of the electrical system busses and junction points with it tied onto the engines feed and how it all fits together. I figure if you go for something like the A-10C, you should give 110%, because although it is missing several classified features, it's nothing that truly affects your ability to say you could start up an A-10C and not kill the crew chief! Once you learned hand signals and your outboard checks anyway, lol.

 

@OP and Capt if you'd like I'll make a detailed video on the theory and principles of the startup sequence and why things are done in particular orders. I'd have to check with some specific people first before I publicly posted it, but I'm fairly certain I can give you decent insight. :)

[whaaw]

Put your thrust stick io Idle and check hotkeys. when im not able to start engines my thrust stick ist the problem

[bzhnono]

Put your thrust stick io Idle and check hotkeys. when im not able to start engines my thrust stick ist the problem

+1

The only time engine startup don't work is because I'm not at idle.

 

As part of the checklist, before APU, just put your throttle up a bit and back to idle to be sure it's at idle position.

[bzhnono]

Hung and flooded out engines are almost always caused by a lack of understanding of how the engines themselves function at the drawing board level. That, and especially a lack of understanding of the electrical system.

 

We all forget checks from time to time, we're only human simmers hehe.

 

If you want to never be confused as to why something isn't starting up, pressure isn't building, fuel isn't flowing, the rpm's won't climb...... Master Caution goes off just shortly before an engine detonates from overheating -- be able to draw a flowchart of the electrical system busses and junction points with it tied onto the engines feed and how it all fits together. I figure if you go for something like the A-10C, you should give 110%, because although it is missing several classified features, it's nothing that truly affects your ability to say you could start up an A-10C and not kill the crew chief! Once you learned hand signals and your outboard checks anyway, lol.

 

@OP and Capt if you'd like I'll make a detailed video on the theory and principles of the startup sequence and why things are done in particular orders. I'd have to check with some specific people first before I publicly posted it, but I'm fairly certain I can give you decent insight. :)

Sounds great to me !

[ohommes]

I just followed the A10-C startup training session sequence now for 10 times and I can't get the engines to start. The throttle does not move from off to Idle. The Saitek X52 works fine in the instant action and the throttle has no issue but when I do the startup sequence the throttle does not move at all.

 

I am using the 1.5 beta!!

 

Any tips?

[bzhnono]

I just followed the A10-C startup training session sequence now for 10 times and I can't get the engines to start. The throttle does not move from off to Idle. The Saitek X52 works fine in the instant action and the throttle has no issue but when I do the startup sequence the throttle does not move at all.

 

I am using the 1.5 beta!!

 

Any tips?

You bound a key/switch for Engine1 start and Engine2 start ?

 

The X52 does not have an Off position i think... So you can't go from off to idle with the throttle, you need a key (and the same a key for Engine shutdown)

[whaaw]

And dont forget to have your throttle at minimum position (i mean your throttle in your hand not the one on screen) you wont see it move ingame but it has to be at minimum or you cant start engines

[Aeger]

I was having serious issues this morning trying to do a cold start of my A-10C. What really hit me as odd is that this seemed to pop up out of nowhere after starting up successfully hundreds of times prior.

 

I noticed as I moved my TM Warthog throttle off the stop position and forward, that the in-game throttle didn't budge at all. Same issue with both right and left throttles.

 

At first I thought my throttles were broken, however they were working completely fine when starting in the air.

 

Long story short... I enabled the "Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS at Mission Start" feature in options and it fixed my issue.

[whaaw]

I was having serious issues this morning trying to do a cold start of my A-10C. What really hit me as odd is that this seemed to pop up out of nowhere after starting up successfully hundreds of times prior.

 

I noticed as I moved my TM Warthog throttle off the stop position and forward, that the in-game throttle didn't budge at all. Same issue with both right and left throttles.

 

At first I thought my throttles were broken, however they were working completely fine when starting in the air.

 

Long story short... I enabled the "Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS at Mission Start" feature in options and it fixed my issue.

 

Yea when i do a rampstart the throttle ingame wont do anything until i started the engines with the Ralt +Home after the startup cycle the throttle works fine also ingame. (x52)

[Paganus]

Make sure the throttle is in sync. As soon as you get in the pit move the throttle up then all the way down. This will insure it is in sync.

 

If the issue continues, check the calibration to insure there is no spiking breaking the start cycle.

 

If the issue continues, consider removing the control configs for that aircraft from the Saved Games/DCS folder and set the controls up again through the GUI.

 

Good luck

[ohommes]

Assigning the left and right engine start and stop keys worked!

 

Thanks that was not obvious for a first time user. I would say the interface could assume that if you are in off and have a Saitek X52 that you would like to move out of OFF. That doesn't solve shutdown but at least the start-up procedure would feel more natural.

Thanks again for the reply!!

[SayusiAndo]

@OP and Capt if you'd like I'll make a detailed video on the theory and principles of the startup sequence and why things are done in particular orders. I'd have to check with some specific people first before I publicly posted it, but I'm fairly certain I can give you decent insight. :)

 

It would be awesome! :)

[SayusiAndo]

What I experienced so far with TM Warthog.

 

A, if the stick and the throttle are plugged in an external USB hub ( I need one to have more than 3 usbs provided by my machine) they sometimes go crazy. Hotkeys messed up, disappear, etc. It this case the throttle must be in off mode - below idle - in order to be able to start the engine.

 

According to calibration software the idle mode means that it is positioned at 20%. Off mode is when it does not send any signal to the computer.

 

B, when the stick and the throttle are plugged in directly to the machine everything work fine. No hotkeys mess up, etc. In this case the engine can be started using hotkeys even the throttle in idle position.

[Akula]

Hung and flooded out engines are almost always caused by a lack of understanding of how the engines themselves function at the drawing board level. That, and especially a lack of understanding of the electrical system.

 

We all forget checks from time to time, we're only human simmers hehe.

 

If you want to never be confused as to why something isn't starting up, pressure isn't building, fuel isn't flowing, the rpm's won't climb...... Master Caution goes off just shortly before an engine detonates from overheating -- be able to draw a flowchart of the electrical system busses and junction points with it tied onto the engines feed and how it all fits together. I figure if you go for something like the A-10C, you should give 110%, because although it is missing several classified features, it's nothing that truly affects your ability to say you could start up an A-10C and not kill the crew chief! Once you learned hand signals and your outboard checks anyway, lol.

 

@OP and Capt if you'd like I'll make a detailed video on the theory and principles of the startup sequence and why things are done in particular orders. I'd have to check with some specific people first before I publicly posted it, but I'm fairly certain I can give you decent insight. :)

 

 

Hi Daebak,

 

Did you by chance make that video? I’m also having the same issues with engine start. Did the training and followed all the steps, calibrated and synced my throttles, remapped all my keys except for engine stop which I left default. No issues when doing “in the air” start.

 

Using the latest Logitech X56 and running 2.5.6 open beta.... incredible how even now ED hasn’t fixed this.

 

P.S. I’m an F-18 driver and have absolutely no issues doing a cold start in the Hornet so just wondering what I’m missing.

Edited March 9, 2020 by Akula

[VWJ]

Long story short... I enabled the "Synchronize Cockpit Controls with HOTAS at Mission Start" feature in options and it fixed my issue.

 

Even with this setting enabled it still may happen, at least that is my experience. So just a fair warning. No need to panic, if your throttle does not move the first time, move it back to off position and to idle again. Game will pick it up and you proceed as normal.

Of course if it happens for one throttle, it will be the same for the other. When it happens to me, I automatically cycle the other throttle to idle and back to off so that it's ready to move when actually needed.