Engine Start with bad Fuel Pump.

[kent4142]

Will a Garrett engine on the Commander start if the fuel pump is inop?  With Woodwards?

Kent

[donv]

Yes, the restrictions are quite minimal unless you are using Avgas (which is a bad idea anyway). I had one fail in Teterboro as I was starting up to head home, and I thought oh no, I'm going to be stuck here for a while... looked in the AFM, and it is really no big deal. Flew all the way home to the west coast without issue.

So take a look in the AFM, follow the restrictions, but not a big deal at all.

I don't think I could tell the difference on the start at all.

[kent4142]

Thanks!  Begin ignorant, I didn't know.  I got the right engine started and I tried to start the left.  I might have gotten nervous and quit trying to soon.  The little HP needle quit moving forward (accelerating) and I aborted.  I think I should have just kept trying a little longer.

Thanks,

Kent

[Bruce Byerly]

Before you give up, call my cell! The boost pump doesn’t do much.  These engines require an engine driven fuel pump and will not run without that. 

[donv]

The important thing is the RPM needle. That is what needs to keep advancing. If it stops increasing, then you are correct to abort the start. The HP needle isn't particularly important during start.

[kent4142]

Ooops.  I do mean RPM needle.  It quit advancing, and that is when I aborted the start.

AND NOW - THE REST OF THE STORY

I was planning to leave the aircraft in Peoria with Byerly Aviation for a radar upgrade, and to get the "manual ignition" popping breaker problem solved, when I could not get the left engine started.  I left for Florida on Delta, and Ryan at Byerly shipped a new fuel pump up to St. Cloud MN and the local shop put the new / overhauled pump in.  The local shop didn't start the engine, because they were not familiar with that aircraft / engine start up procedures.

Scott Welch, Bruce's partner, volunteered to run up to St. Cloud and fly my Commander down to PIA for me.  Well that turned out to be quite the favor.  Scott hopped on Delta at oh dark thirty in the morning to fly to Minneapolis.  From there my son drove an hour to pick Scott up, then drove him another hour to St. Cloud to pick up the Commander.  Great!  Oh, wait a minute.  Not so great - the left engine still wouldn't start.  Luckily Scott is an A&P, as well as an aviation professor and a commercial charter pilot, as well as being the boss at Byerly Aviation.  Scott figured the problem was the igniter box, so he borrowed a screw driver and a hammer and switched the boxes from right to left.  Sure enough Scott was right.  The left engine started right up.  Who knew?  So, then Scott calls the team at PIA, has them scavenge an igniter box from an unsuspecting aircraft in the hangar, and then flagged down a young pilot playing with his "new to him" Cessna 172.  The 172 pilot agreed to run the ignitor box up to St. Cloud and "bada bing, bada boom" Scott was back in business.  About 6:00pm that evening Scott called and said my Commander was in Peoria ready for the GXW 70 install.

WOW!  That is going beyond the call of duty, and thank you Scott, and Tim, and Ryan and Bruce for the extra help!  I am impressed with the knowledge (which I lack) and the willingness to help me out.  All this time I am stuck in Florida, hearing these things long distance.

Thanks again guys!!!!  A round of drinks for everyone!!!