912iS Engine Pre-Heat / Cold Start
- PacNW Pilot
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:47 pm
- Location: Portland, OR, USA
912iS Engine Pre-Heat / Cold Start
I own a Sling 2 S-LSA with the Rotax 912iS (fuel injected). Plane is hangared but the engine wouldn't start last week when it was ~42F out, so I put electric heating pads under the crankcase and oil sump and covered the top cowl with a sleeping bag for a couple hours and it fired right up. The set-up was temporary (and a bit of a PITA) to verify that was the problem, and I'm going to install a pre-heat system. Did some research and settled on the Reiff product as the best for my needs. FYI for others with trouble cold starting.
- PhilipRueker
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- Location: Washington, USA
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Re: 912iS Engine Pre-Heat / Cold Start
In the club I'm flying with we put a moving blanket over the cowl of each plane and have a portable space heater with a muffle that we put into the cowling to pre-heat planes.
That keeps them pretty happy to start in the colder months up here in Washington State.
That keeps them pretty happy to start in the colder months up here in Washington State.
- PacNW Pilot
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:47 pm
- Location: Portland, OR, USA
Re: 912iS Engine Pre-Heat / Cold Start
Nice! Good info, thx, I covered the cowl with a sleeping bag and it did the trick.
The Reiff instructions aren't great and no existing Rotax install videos on YouTube, so I may have to create some content
No wifi at my hangar, so going to build a GSM relay switch that I can use to turn on the preheater remotely before heading to the hanger so she's ready to go when I arrive.
The Reiff instructions aren't great and no existing Rotax install videos on YouTube, so I may have to create some content
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
No wifi at my hangar, so going to build a GSM relay switch that I can use to turn on the preheater remotely before heading to the hanger so she's ready to go when I arrive.
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- Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2019 4:15 am
- Location: Tennessee
Re: 912iS Engine Pre-Heat / Cold Start
I use a twin hornet. Long, flexible cord, and you just set it in the cowling with a blanket over the top. Very happy with it.