PMDG 737 Discussion (PC Version) (Part 2)

Nope, the bleed isolation valve is open.
Strange thing is that the left engine is starting normally.

Do you have a multi-lever throttle quadrant with mixture controls? If an assigned mixture control (only used for piston engines) is not fully forward, it can prevent a PMDG 737 engine from starting.

I’m afraid that’s also not the case.
I also tried changing liveries (a lesson from the past) but that also didn’t help. I even disabled all my add-ons, of course with the exception of the PMDG 737.

Silly question but any failures active?

Post a video. Just capture it with OBS and upload to youtube

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@Gorony Fair question. It wouldn’t be the first time I overlooked a setting I apparently changed. But in this case there are no failures active.

This might be a good idea. I’ll try to record the procedure I’m following and post a link here.

Btw. If I choose “Load settings” from the FMC panel and select “Taxi-state” both engines are at idle. So it’s possible to fly the 737 but (of course) less fun.
I followed the startup procedure “by the book”. (Thanks to Jonathan Beckett). This is the procedure that always worked for me.

Thanks so far and I’ll try to get back with a Youtube link later today.
Edit: My apologies. I assumed all the 3 pages would have been separately saved. I noticed only page 1 was uploaded :frowning:

Are the Packs set to off?

Air cross bleed between left and right side open?

Yeah, those are mostly nonsense. Just download an FCOM and find the chapter NP (normal procedures).

The only conditions for starting the engines (ignoring the rest of the preflight steps) is that you need power and air, both provided by the APU. Packs off, all bleeds on, isolation valve open. Start one engine at a time.

Start switch to GND → Look for 25%N2 → Engine start lever to idle → wait for starter cutout. Repeat on the other engine. ENG GEN on busses.

If that doesn’t work then there’s some corrupted file in your addon.

This playlist is by a former colleague and it’s done as per real life procedures. At first it’ll take you 40 minutes to get the airplane ready. After some practice it shouldn’t take more than 5-10.

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No, they’re set to “auto” which might not be the correct setting but never caused the engine(s) not to start.

No, I “learned” this activates the fuel flow from the side fuel-tanks? On short flights they don’t have to be switched on. Forgive me for being an absolute amateur but so far I managed to switch both engines on without using the cross bleed. But in future flights I’ll make sure I switch-on the cross feed knob, thanks :wink: .

Thanks for the link to the Youtube video from A330 Driver (Emanuel). I always enjoy watching his video’s and even try to learn a thing or two. I know he must have a tutorial about the Startup procedure of the PMDG 737 but I couldn’t find it.

The video below describes the procedure as I follow it (for over a year). Fast-forward or skip to 20:40 min!!
Jonathan Beckett already states this procedure isn’t 100% correct but mainly to minimize the necessary official steps.

I’ll try to record and post my own procedure later today.

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Packs should be off. Otherwise they’ll steal duct pressure and in certain weather conditions the other engine will not start correctly. There’s a way to use the right pack after starting the right engine but that’s a whole different story (Isolated pack operation). Just follow the real procedure on any of Emi’s videos. If you need something specific I can do a 5 minute video with full startup like you’d do in real life at speed.

Yeah. Just had a quick look. Don’t follow that video. It’s full of nonsense. There are enough real 737 pilots on youtube making straight to the point videos.

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Thanks for you reply,

I gave it another try but this time with the packs “off” as recommended. I also watched Emanuel’s “Tutorial 6: Pushback, Startup, Before Taxi Procedure”.
I have dual monitors so it’s easy to watch Youtube on the right monitor while I run MSFS 2020 on the left side.
Even though I followed every step I still get stuck when I try to start the Right engine (left is no problem). I still hope I’m making a mistake and there isn’t a software problem.
Your more than welcome to show me a video with the “real life” procedures. And again, I hope this will point me to the procedure I didn’t follow correctly.

Then at this point I think it’s safe to say that your procedure isn’t the problem and you may have a problem with your controllers triggering mixture cutoff (from a piston airplane) or a corrupted panel state.

Try to make that video. OBS Studio is free and easy to use. Capture MSFSs window, upload to youtube and we’ll have a look.

Unlikely this is related, but I’ll throw this out there (I posted about this several weeks ago here) :

At random times during my flight, the Left engine knob mysteriously gets flipped from AUTO to GND. I use Spad.Next, and I combed the profile XML file extensively to see if there is some control conflict, none found. I went as far as setting up an event on Spad’s Script Panel to have a voice alert whenever the control gets changed - “Microsoft David” simply says “Ground” when it changes. The alert works, and gets triggered even when I’m not touching any of my physical controls.

The plane flies just fine when the knob is stuck on GND, so I’m not losing sleep over this (though the FAA might have a few things to say about this :-)) . I probably should put in a ticket at PMDG one of these days.

Just wonder if there is some spurious event that is affecting us both in different ways.

@PathlessSpore60

RE: FMS Pushback > COMMS > VOICE missing. From PMDG via Ticket:

“This has been removed from the FMC as MSFS is not capable disaplying the text as P3D/FSX was”

As stated, the issue was due to Headphone Simulation set to ON.

Again from PMDG:

“the Headset Simulation option does cause issues with sounds in the simulator so we recommend it be selected OFF in the introductory section of the manual for the 737.”

Note, they recommend it be turned off, but the docs don’t state it will conflict with the pushback comms.

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Cross BLEED and cross FEED are two different things. You’re talking about cross feed, here.

Boeing calls the cross bleed the isolation valve. It needs to open to start engine two from the APU; the auto position is fine (and what we use in reality) because as long as the packs are turned off, the valve will be open.

Do note that the isolation valve is a 3 position switch. If you think you’ve got it open, but you’ve really only got it in auto (the middle position), AND you aren’t in the habit of turning your packs off for start like you should, then the number two engine will not spin.

Packs off, isolation valve in auto or open.

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Update from my question in post #19.
As requested I uploaded a Youtube video. My apologies for the brightness but YT can’t handle HDR-10 very well.

Anyway
Probably I’m not following the correct and / or official procedure. Main problem is that I can’t start my Right-engine.
If any of my settings are wrong I would assume none of both engines would start.
I disabled (disconnected) my Yoke to be sure it isn’t the cause of the problem.

@FormerSnail5736 I hope you can pinpoint the step(s) I overlooked.
@TheSevenflyer Thanks for your reply.
@SteveKane I’ve had similar problems in the past but those ware due to a faulty Livery.

@ everyone: Thanks for your help, appreciate it :+1:

I’m seeing a couple of things here. First, the normal procedure is to start engine 2 first. But the big things that are keeping engine 2 from starting are that you are closing the isolation valve rather than having it Open and leaving the packs in Auto rather than Off.

I’m aware of that. It was only to show the Left-engine started up normally. Also shouldn’t the closed isolation valves be preventing both engines from starting?
Thanks for pointing my out to the closed valve, I’ll keep it in mind in future flights.

The APU pressurizes the left bleed air duct, so even with the isolation valve closed, the left engine can be started.
The isolation valve being closed isn’t just a tip or suggestion here - it is the literal answer to your problem. Open that valve and the right engine can start (turn the packs off too.)

Remember, Boeing switches operate “backwards”; up is off. Down (forward, in Boeing’s philosophy) is on.

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