Hope I have fixed it

[Outback]

My J430 has always started straight away from day one, October 09...that is, until last week at 9:30am following a big frost with the OAT 4 deg, despite good battery & cranking, didn't look like starting. At 11:00am with OAT 8 deg started fine.

 

I contacted Jabiru and was given the following hints: (assuming battery & cranking OK)

 

* Make sure hot engine close-down is at no more than 850RPM and throttle stays in that position until next start.

 

* Make sure choke cable has full ON movement at carby.

 

* Regap plugs to 20 thou

 

* Only use specified oil (15/50)

 

* Drill out choke jet to 1.5mm

 

I only had a 1.2mm drill to drill out the choke jet. The engine fired up after about 2 revolutions yesterday morning with OAT -1 deg. Still had ice on the wing.

 

I then "borrowed" a 1.5mm drill and drilled out the jet further. To-day with OAT again at -1 deg the engine fired up again with about 2 revolutions.

 

It is necessary to push the choke in straight away. If others are interested in doing the above use the 1.2mm drill because the engine runs roughly on idle for about 5 minutes with

 

the 1.5mm jet. Smooth at start up with 1.2mm.

 

Hope this is interest.

 

Garry

 

 

[wizzard1964]

So it starts if you can get the battery power? Ie, you can spin the engine over?

My mate has a SP3300, he has tested his, if it does not turn over fast enough (when Cold), theres no spark!

 

He said today that if it is under 300RPM no spark - no go....

 

Jabiru is working on a mod for the electrics, that boosts it cold starting, but it is suposedly? hush hush !

 

My mate did give his carby a thorough clean recently, this did improve the cold starting, but has not fixed it..

 

TTFN

 

Warick

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

The carby/choke mod together with iridium plugs and larger battery has solved the problem. I now can start without choke on cooler mornings. I would reco

 

mend the 1.2 mm choke jet drill out first. I can now confidently arrive at hanger and get a start

 

cheers

 

phil

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Now Fixed.

 

:clap:Just back from a 38 hour Cape York, Lawn Hill, home. Via QLD coast over 12 days. I never used the choke once. Cold at Birdsville and White Cliffs Sat and Sunday am.

 

The mods done have fixed the cold starting problem for sure.

 

I feel that the mods worth doing including the larger battery in order are the 1.2 mm choke jet drill out, Irridium plugs, 3.8 mm main jet, new solenoid valve.

 

This is the order I would fix first and continue on if still giving problems.

 

I did all my mods except the plugs at the one time, so not sure which one (or two) fixed the problem.

 

Cheers.

 

Phil

 

 

[jetjr]

Phil - 3.8mm main jet?? tell me more.

 

They are normally 2.55 to 2.65

 

 

[Steve Donald]

:clap:Just back from a 38 hour Cape York, Lawn Hill, home. Via QLD coast over 12 days. I never used the choke once. Cold at Birdsville and White Cliffs Sat and Sunday am.The mods done have fixed the cold starting problem for sure.

I feel that the mods worth doing including the larger battery in order are the 1.2 mm choke jet drill out, Irridium plugs, 3.8 mm main jet, new solenoid valve.

 

This is the order I would fix first and continue on if still giving problems.

 

I did all my mods except the plugs at the one time, so not sure which one (or two) fixed the problem.

 

Cheers.

 

Phil

Good on you Phil, glad to hear your Plane is going well in the cold now, yep those Iridium plugs sure make a difference, at 1/3 the resistance much easier on the whole ignition system and suppressed as well, i get instant starts as well in the cold with my 2.2 with no choke, well your trip sounds like a blast it is just great getting away on trips like that and good on the engine, happy flights cheers Steve

 

 

[Guy s]

Interesting read,Not long back from a trip in a 230,nearly every morning spending 1,1/2 hours taking the cowl off,pouring hot water over the cylinder heads and block,then she start no worries,frustrating not good for a early starts.:confused:

 

 

[Outback]

For your interest Guy and Phil, I have restored everything to "standard", apart from the 1.2mm choke jet and the J430 starts instantly at 1 degree every time. Before the choke jet was drilled out the engine refused to start until the OAT was about 6 degrees. I have the original battery, (3 yo), the standard plugs have been regapped back to the normal .25mm and the original starter solanoid has not been changed.

 

One thing that maybe helping is that I have a small solar panel keeping the battery charged all the time, it is always around 12.4V at start up. Still, it made no difference until the choke jet was drilled out.

 

So, in my case, it ended up a cheap, quick and permanent fix.

 

Hope this may be of assistance.

 

Garry

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Cificare and Jetjr.

 

The LAME who fitted the new main jet is O/S on holidays so hard to check out the size. It may have been 2.8 !!!! I was going by memory. I do not have the log entry handy to verify, but I will do and post back.

 

The fuel useage over the 38 hours was 21 lt hour on tacho time opposed to 19-20 previously. (probably nearer 23 if taxi time removed) This change was suggested and supplied by Jabiru as the pistons showed some sign of lean burn when they installed the new Cam. Rod Stiff supplied and paid for installation of the later model Cam at 130 odd hours to bring up to the latest specs, unfortuninately the hardenening showed some breakdown at 235 hours, hence the replacement, again no cost except for freight one way.

 

Hope this explains.

 

Cheers.

 

Phil.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Just checked the maint. log and found that the main needle jet size installed was 2.9 mm. as suggested by Jabiru engine department.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Phil.