Can someone tell me how they "prime" a cowled in engine. I have 3 planes now with the engines cowled in. It is a real chore to get the engine started without a prime. I'm used to covering the throat of the carb and hand cranking a couple of times, then attaching the battery and bumping the spinner with the starter and away it goes. With these cowled in engines I cannot get to the carb. I have tried covering the muffler exhaust with limited success. I have to use the starter for quite a while before it pulls in enough fuel to start. Surely there is an easier way. Any help will be appreciated.

Phil

Surely carb wide open + covered exhaust pipe + starter for a few seconds should do the trick? That's the way I always do it, and it works like a charm; I have more than "limited success". Perhaps you're simply priming your engines too little, or too much? Try applying the starter for different lengths of time and see what works best.

agreed. If you can put your thumb over the muffler exit, this forces air into the tank and in turn forces fuel to the carburetor. Must do this with the starter. If you simply flip the prop a few times, there is not enough pressure in the tank to do anything. But with the starter (about 1 or 2 seconds), the engine should get fuel.

You are running muffler pressure ain't ya? If your not running muffler pressure then what these fine gentle men are telling you would be wrong. (I can't even imagine any one not running some sort of pressure on a glow engine) Do these engines have the remote needle valve assemblies that are on the back plate. If so it does take a bit of turning over with an electric starter and the muffler outlet blocked off to get fuel to the spray bar.

Yes, I'm using muffler pressure! Two of the three planes have Pitts style mufflers and are difficult to get to when applying the starter as they are exiting the bottom of the cowl. The other plane has an OS 46AX with stock muffler. It isn't quite so bad as there is only one exit.

Okay, I give up! I'll try more diligently the "block muffler" method as soon as the temps get out of the 20-30's.

Phil
AMA 99294

The only other suggestion I have is maybe a long needle on a syringe if you have an angle to get to the venturi. You know you could cut a small hole in the cowl to facillate this, or not the choice is up to you. You never mentioned if these motors had the remote needle valve assemblies.
They keep you hands away from the prop but otherwise are a PIA. Just one "ole fart's" opinion.