Hi Larry, I'll take this off line and you can share what you want with the net. I'll point out a couple of mistakes, but don't wish to do a public critique.
First of all, I'm glad you plane is OK. Glass and paint are easy to fix and hopefully a valuable lesson learned. I've done the same with a C-85 and Stromberg carb on a friend's C-140. I was so excited that I literally huffed and puffed and blew the airbox fire out without even getting the paint scorched. Not a recommended procedure. :o) Mistake #1. You have a Marvel Schebler carb with a mixture control. If you're flooded, pull the mixture lean, but don't open the throttle more than 1/4". With the mixture at idle cutoff it will draw air only, so as soon as the mixture leans out enough to fire (about 8 - 10 blades), the engine will start at a low throttle setting, even cold. I demonstrated this to a friend in his C-182 this weekend by hand propping it after he had run out of battery trying to start it. By keeping the throttle mostly closed, it really discourages an intake manifold backfire and acts as a spark arrestor if it does backkfire. Mistake #2. If you get an airbox fire, crank the engine on the starter if possible. It won't burn long, but will usually draw the flame up through the carb and manifold. If the gas is burning outside the airbox, this isn't going to help, but usually it starts inside the airbox and can be contained with no damage by use of the starter. Something unique to the small Continentals to take into account: The primer on your O-200 shoots fuel sideways into the manifold spider just above the carb. It's a lousy way to prime an engine as the fuel typically sprays against the side of the spider and runs right back down through the carb into the airbox, which is a great way to start a fire if you happen to get a backfire through the carb with the throttle plate open. You know that now. ;o) BTW, this didn't work on the C-140 when I had it on fire. On the other hand, your MS Carb has an accelerator pump that shoots fuel straight up through the spider. Although it really sounds backwards, it does a better job of priming the engine than the primer that's mounted sideways in the spider. For a cold start, I usually give my O-200 1 or 2 shots with the throttle, then set it at 1/8 - 1/4" before engaging the starter. It rarely turns more than 2 blades before it starts. I never pump it at all for a warm start. One rule that I almost never violate is that I never turn a carburated engine forward with the throttle open, either hand propping or on the starter. If they won't start at idle, they won't start. I don't think I have so much as unlocked the primer since I removed the C-85 and Stromberg carb and installed the O-200 and Marvel Schebler carb. Fuel injected engines are a whole different story. Hope this is helpful to you. Best regards, -Jeff -- larry flesner <fles...@midwest.net> wrote: This seems to be "sharing and learning from others mistakes" weekend so I'll share with you a few exciting moments I had this morning as 13 years of building and lots of fun flying flashed before my eyes !!!! After diver dumping (hauling skydivers) all day yesterday in a tired C182 I was looking forward to some KR time today. I was off to the airport at 7:30AM with blue skies and light winds. I rolled the trailer out of the way, rolled out the Rans S-6 a friend of mine has in the hangar, and rolled out the KR. With everything put back in place and a quick preflight, I was ready for another YEE HAA kind of day. A quick shot of prime and a pull on the starter handle had the blades rotating. Wouldn't fire a lick. D#m*, must have flooded it so I kept the starter engaged and went to full throttle to try to clear the induction system. Still didn't hit a single time. O.K., let it set for a minute or two and let the gas evaporate. Tried it again and it coughed to life, ran maybe 10 seconds, stumbled and died. HEY, IS THAT SMOKE ROLLING OUT OF THE COWL !! SH*#, NOW WHAT DO I DO, KEEP CRANKING OR RUN FOR MY LIFE. I shut off the fuel and jumped out. As I reached the front of the KR I spotted a two inch rolling flame on the bottom of the cowl with melting, burning, dripping paint and what I learned later was melting, burning epoxy!!!!! DUMB MISTAKE #1 : I had flooded the engine. Jeff Scott told me, and maybe the net, on at least one occasion that the 0-200 is an easy starter without prime. I never listened and have on several occasions flooded the engine without any problems. DUMB MISTAKE #2 : No fire extinguisher handy. I quickly remembered the two gallon weed sprayer setting in the hangar that I use to wash down the engine. Hoping it had some water in it I made two or three 20 foot leaps to the hangar and back. It was nearly full !!!! I know you're not supposed to spray water on a fuel fire but hey, MY BABY WAS BURNING !!!! The first shot of water quickly extinguished the burning cowl on the outside so I stuck the nozzle in the access hole for the oil quickdrain, pumped like hell on the sprayer and directed the nozzle in every direction I could inside the cowl. It probably only took 10 seconds to extinguish the flame but I think I pumped the sprayer half empty. Thinking I had the fire out I ran to the truck to get my battery powered drill and bit to remove the cowl. Not knowing what shape the battery was in I grabbed the extra battery also. Turns out they were both nearly run down but between the two of them I removed the cowl. Soot everywhere but no damage at all that I could detect to the engine. The paint was not even scorched on the carb heat box. The cowl was another issue. An area about twice the size of your hand and fingers was TRASHED ! The epoxy had burned completely out of the glass cloth and you could see daylight right through the weave in several areas. I have no clue as to what ignited the fire. I'm sure I flooded the engine and supplied the fuel but there was no hint of a backfire or anything that would hint of trouble. Lesson 1: Raw fuel outside the induction system is BAD NEWS! I may remove my primer and will use a different starting procedure from now on. The engine will be cranking before I induce any fuel into the system by either cracking or pumping the throttle. Lesson 2: I intend to purchase a small fire extinguisher and carry it in the KR. Lesson 3: Resin and paint can continue to burn even after the fuel (gas) has burned off. When I repair the cowl next week I intend to build in a small stainless or aluminum catch basin under the carb that will route any fuel leakage to the access hole for the oil quickdrain rather then let it possibly pool in the cowl. Being a taildragger it will have a nice natural incline. If a fire does develop, it will keep the flames out of contact with the resin and what little fuel stays on the metal will hopefully burn off quickly. 1000+ hours and this was my first experiance with an engine fire. Hopefully it will be my last ! I'm sure others may see other lessons to be learned here and if so, good. As for me, I'M ONE LUCKY DUDE !!! My "Little Phoenix" will rise from the ashes to fly again !!! YEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !!! Larry Flesner
