Holding starter keeps dead engine going

[FlyAV8R]

After taking damage in combat and ending up with a dead engine, on several occasions I've managed to get the engine to carry on as per normal by holding down the starter.

 

Releasing the starter causes the engine to die again.

 

Re-engaging and holding the starter and she fires back into life.

 

 

Will try to submit a track next time this occurs.

[Made Dragon]

Starter switch also engages the booster coil. If both your magnetos fail it will provide ignition.

[grafspee]

Agree, started button is linked with battery powered booster coil which provide energy for ignition system at low rpm.

My only concern is, should this booster coil work when magnetos switch is in off position ??

I always think that by passing magnetos switch is quite dangerous, since there is no way to crank engine w/o risk of starting it up.

[=475FG= Dawger]

Agree, started button is linked with battery powered booster coil which provide energy for ignition system at low rpm.

My only concern is, should this booster coil work when magnetos switch is in off position ??

I always think that by passing magnetos switch is quite dangerous, since there is no way to crank engine w/o risk of starting it up.

 

Why would you be cranking the engine if you don't want it to start?

[-0303-]

Getting oil everywhere.

[-0303-]

After taking damage in combat and ending up with a dead engine, on several occasions I've managed to get the engine to carry on as per normal by holding down the starter.

 

Releasing the starter causes the engine to die again.

 

Re-engaging and holding the starter and she fires back into life.

We have a good explanation for why the engine turns over. The interesting question is, should this be enough to keep flying?

 

Remembering a "Greg"(?) youtube video, ignition for Merlin engine start moves the ignition point as to be suitable for low rpm (avoiding backfire I think). If the result is only a somewhat less powerful engine, then I guess it should keep flying.

 

Is this ignition wholly dependent on battery? I know with motor vehicles you can get far before the battery runs out (at least 10 metric miles, don't ask how I know), but it will run out.

[=475FG= Dawger]

We have a good explanation for why the engine turns over. The interesting question is, should this be enough to keep flying?

 

Remembering a "Greg"(?) youtube video, ignition for Merlin engine start moves the ignition point as to be suitable for low rpm (avoiding backfire I think). If the result is only a somewhat less powerful engine, then I guess it should keep flying.

 

Is this ignition wholly dependent on battery? I know with motor vehicles you can get far before the battery runs out (at least 10 metric miles, don't ask how I know), but it will run out.

 

This behavior is definitely a bug. A running engine will idle much faster than the starter crank speed. The starter is a starter, not an extra engine.

[grafspee]

This behavior is definitely a bug. A running engine will idle much faster than the starter crank speed. The starter is a starter, not an extra engine.

 

You miss understand this.

In spitfire case you have two buttons for starting up one is engine starter and second one is booster coil, which helps magnetos to provide energy to ignition distributors at low rpm

In P-51 case started switch is also booster coil switch.

if some how engine loose magnetos you can use this booster coil to provide ignition.

problem is that magnetos and distributors are closed in same case.

Another thing it is unlikely to lose both magnetos at the same time.

[grafspee]

Is this ignition wholly dependent on battery? I know with motor vehicles you can get far before the battery runs out (at least 10 metric miles, don't ask how I know), but it will run out.

 

Magnetos are units which provide ignition for engine.

If your generator is intact there will be no problem with charging battery, even when engine is off, in flight engine will remain spinning thank to airflow through prop

[grafspee]

Remembering a "Greg"(?) youtube video, ignition for Merlin engine start moves the ignition point as to be suitable for low rpm (avoiding backfire I think). If the result is only a somewhat less powerful engine, then I guess it should keep flying.

 

 

Ignition timing is connected to throttle so, i see no problem here.

Only thing against this idea is that, booster coil is not designed for continuous operation, in real world it would over heat pretty quick.

[=475FG= Dawger]

You miss understand this.

In spitfire case you have two buttons for starting up one is engine starter and second one is booster coil, which helps magnetos to provide energy to ignition distributors at low rpm

In P-51 case started switch is also booster coil switch.

if some how engine loose magnetos you can use this booster coil to provide ignition.

problem is that magnetos and distributors are closed in same case.

Another thing it is unlikely to lose both magnetos at the same time.

 

I would have to agree that anything that manages to damage both magnetos is going to take out enough of the ignition distribution system as to make trying to hobble along on the booster coil highly unlikely.

[-0303-]

Magnetos are units which provide ignition for engine.

If your generator is intact there will be no problem with charging battery, even when engine is off, in flight engine will remain spinning thank to airflow through prop

Yes, duh ... I knew that (<--stoopid). You're right, running out battery would't be a problem.

[-0303-]

Ignition timing is connected to throttle so, i see no problem here.

Only thing against this idea is that, booster coil is not designed for continuous operation, in real world it would over heat pretty quick.

 

IIRC sometimes the ignition timing is controlled mechanically (rpm centrifugal forces). Pretty sure that's not how the Merlin worked.

 

Greg's videos, in one of these he describes it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCynGrIaI5vsJQgHJAIp9oSg/videos

[grafspee]

I would have to agree that anything that manages to damage both magnetos is going to take out enough of the ignition distribution system as to make trying to hobble along on the booster coil highly unlikely.

 

I agree with this as well.

But somehow in DCS both magnetos out is happening too often :P

[grafspee]

IIRC sometimes the ignition timing is controlled mechanically (rpm centrifugal forces). Pretty sure that's not how the Merlin worked.

 

Greg's videos, in one of these he describes it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCynGrIaI5vsJQgHJAIp9oSg/videos

 

Yo-Yo said that in P-51 ignition advanced is linked to throttle.

In p-51 manual there is notice about to not advance throttle too much during engine start to avoid kick back.

Edited September 4, 2020 by grafspee