need crank handle

[n1gzd_plymouth]

Does anyone know where I can find a crank handle? I just want it to use for manually turning the engine for maintenance. It seems to be a handy way to do it rather than get a socket that is larger than 2 inches.

Thanks,

Rebecca

[Don Coatney]

Best check your radiator. My guess is that it does not have a hole in it to allow use of the crank. I am sure there is a hole in the grill and if you have the original crankshaft hub it has provisions for a hand crank but as mentioned does your radiator have a hand crank hole in it?

[Young Ed]

Kinda hard to see but I believe there is a space between the radiator and the bottom of the U to allow the engine hand crank to pass through.

[n1gzd_plymouth]

yes.that is correct. The access is below the radiator.

The larger than 2 inch nut on the crank pulley also has some sort of teeth that appear to be designed to engage with the hand crank tool which I don't have. It seems like that would be a convenient way to turn the engine during maintenance but i don't have one. my other choice is to get a huge socket and turn it with a wrench. However, I think that to do that I might have to jack up the engine a half inch if the socket is too deep.

Rebecca

[RobertKB]

Best crank handle is a reasonably tight fan belt. You can turn over the engine then by pushing on the fan. That's all I ever do.

[John Reddie]

Rebecca,

You can contact Moore's Auto Salvage. The list quite a few '36 Plymouth parts cars and they are good to deal with. Good luck to you.

John R

http://www.mooresautosalvage.com/parts.asp

[TodFitch]

Best crank handle is a reasonably tight fan belt. You can turn over the engine then by pushing on the fan. That's all I ever do.

Unless, like me you find that having a "reasonably tight fan belt" means I have unreasonably short water pump bearing life. Unless I pull the plugs there is too much slippage on the fan belt for me to get the engine turned over to just exactly TDC.

So I pull out the hand crank from behind the rear seat and use it to turn the engine over. The trick is to have a good shop light illuminating the timing mark on the flywheel so you can see it from in front of the radiator where you are turning the crank.

Come to think about it, the line of sight would not be as good on your newer cars with the timing mark on the crank pulley, so maybe if I had a P15, I'd just pull the plugs and then use the fan to turn it over.

[Don Coatney]

I dont have a belt driven fan. I have a remote starter button I use to get close to TDC. Once close I place the transmission in top gear (making sure the key is off or the coil wire is pulled) and push the car slightly until my pointer aligns with the mark. Of course this only works if the car is not jacked up or on a lift.

[n1gzd_plymouth]

Unless, like me you find that having a "reasonably tight fan belt" means I have unreasonably short water pump bearing life. Unless I pull the plugs there is too much slippage on the fan belt for me to get the engine turned over to just exactly TDC.

So I pull out the hand crank from behind the rear seat and use it to turn the engine over. The trick is to have a good shop light illuminating the timing mark on the flywheel so you can see it from in front of the radiator where you are turning the crank.

Come to think about it, the line of sight would not be as good on your newer cars with the timing mark on the crank pulley, so maybe if I had a P15, I'd just pull the plugs and then use the fan to turn it over.

I would pull the plugs to make it easier.

I would like to get a crank so I will start looking for one starting with the link above. Thanks.

Rebecca