VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Cranking by Hand

I've never actually given a full on, 100% try at cranking my car by hand. I've turned the engine over for valve adjustment or the once-in-a-blue-moon when the starter hangs. I've always been too afraid of kick-back breaking my arm or hand, even if I hold it without wrapping my thumb around. I know the crank has cutouts which seem as though they would allow the engine to turn backwards without allowing the crank handle to kick back. Has anyone had experience with this? Is it relatively safe? I'd really like to try it once.


Thanks,
Brandon

I also saw this description on a tractor starting video...

Tractor magnetos have an impulse, which fires the plug after top dead center when you are cranking, (antique cars have a manual advance/retard lever) but if the impulse doesn't work right, the engine can fire before top dead center and pull your face down into the radiator, or jerk the crank out of your hand, spin around, and break you wrist. Keep your fingers and thumb on the same side of the crank; pull the crank from the bottom of its swing to the top (called a Quarter Turn; 1/4 of the combustion cycle), and stand so your arm will escape the arc of the crank if it jerks loose and spins around. I have been lucky and never had my arm broken when an engine kicked back, and that crank really gets your attention when it spins around like a helicopter. If the engine kicks when you are pushing down on the crank; well, it's going to hurt. Have fun, but remember Safety First.

Thanks, brewster. Very timely (pun intended). I will be trying to start my 1925/26 Chevy 2 cylinder engine soon cranking by hand. Since it has a John Deere magneto, I'll be extra careful.

Cheers, Dean

Dene, have you ever posted pictures of your 2-cylinder engine?

I crank my 29 now and then for fun. I pull up on the crank and I have had no problems.

I have thought of starting mine by hand. Just to say I have done it. My 1930 has the bumper on front. This makes even less room for hands and cranking. Is there anything extra to know when hand starting car with bumper?

I hand cranked a couple of my '31 Chevys once they had already been started that day. Did it mainly to know I could do it.

Retard the spark is the most important first step. Position the crank with the key OFF to 8-9 o'clock and on a compression stroke. Turn on the key. Grab the crank handle with fingers pointing left and thumb tucked against the index finger. Your hand should be in a cup shape. Pull up quickly and firmly. Let your hand come all the way off the crank. If all is right then engine will start and have a slightly rough idle until you advance the spark. The crank should come forward enough so it does not continue to spin.

Check out the responses to my 12-16-15 thread on this forum, Feeling Cranky. You'll be an expert. Also here's a cool link from Rustoholic. You need the hat and suspenders to master the technique though.

http://www.abarnyard.com/workshop/handcrank.htm

I hand crank when engine has not started in a while. I remove all the spark plugs and with the ignition turned off. Get everything lubed and moving with several hand crank sessions.