Hand Crank a 218

[squirebill]

Anybody started a 218 cu. in. engine with a hand crank?  I'm building up a 218 for a B1B and was wondering if it is worth the effort to use a hand crank style crankshaft nut.  The engine I'm replacing had to be scrapped out due to a cracked block.  It had a hand crank  nut but was seized to the crank shaft.  In my working life I had the opportunity to hand crank a Wisconsin V4 engine, 154 cu. in. I think, but was not able to get it started. Anybody successfully started a 218 using a hand crank?  Regards

[ggdad1951]

calling Merle and Brent....MERLE?  BRENT?  

[JBNeal]

additional information - Brent hand cranking a flathead 

Edited October 17, 2019 by JBNeal
revised link

[Todd B]

We all watched Brent start his truck at Back to Fifties show.  It was cool. 

[pflaming]

My truck engine has the crank nut. Will order a crank. Be fun to walk up to it, on the street downtown, and crank start it! 

[Plymouthy Adams]

LOCAL MAN THROWN INTO PATH OF ONCOMING BUSS, HAD STRANGE SHAPED METAL OBJECT IN HAND....DETAILS AT 11:00

[Mike36]

Hello emergency room, this is ambulance number 1. We are bringing in a elderly man with a broken forearm.

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 minute ago, Mike36 said:

Hello emergency room, this is ambulance number 1. We are bringing in a elderly man with a broken forearm.

 

yeah, why batteries and starter were created way way back in the dawn of the automobile....95% of emergency room visits start with , hold my beer and watch this!

[B1B Keven]

I've done it. Not hard.

Chrysler also designed the nut with 'ramps' on it so that if the engine backfired, it would spit the crank out.

Not an arm breaker like other manufacturers.

[Todd B]

I have an international A engine in my wood splitter and it starts very easy with the hand crank. Just don’t put your thumb over the handle 

[bach4660]

I do it for show,  great fun. Never realized how much quieter it is OUTside of the cab. I do chock the wheels cause I don't trust the park brake.

[48Dodger]

22 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

....95% of emergency room visits start with , hold my beer and watch this!

 

Well....with 34 years in the Emergency room I can say with much certainty, that this is still true.

 

48D

[kencombs]

22 hours ago, B1B Keven said:

I've done it. Not hard.

Chrysler also designed the nut with 'ramps' on it so that if the engine backfired, it would spit the crank out.

Not an arm breaker like other manufacturers.

 

Don't rely on the ramp.  Take a close look, it's designed to push the crank clear when the engine starts.  There is a straight face toward the crank if/when the engine kicks back in a cc direction.  The only way to avoid that, is never, ever, have hold of the crank when it's on a down stroke and you're pushing, pull up only and never have your thumb wrapped around the handle.  All that and pray.

[ggdad1951]

back on the farm I started many a tractor (M and H model Farmalls) and never had a kickback....in fact I don't think we ever did between anyone in the family.  I think the dreaded kickback is overplayed as to how often it happens.  Considering the M had an engine of close to the same hp...I really do wonder.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I was setting the timing on my 850 Norton Commando...went high, killed the engine.....backed off timing to restart.....was not backed off enough...that puppy kicked me way harder than I ever kicked it...about 15 minutes later I could put pressure on the knee to kick it over and finish the tune up.  Need a fine tuned engine for hand starting...

[ggdad1951]

4 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

I was setting the timing on my 850 Norton Commando...went high, killed the engine.....backed off timing to restart.....was not backed off enough...that puppy kicked me way harder than I ever kicked it...about 15 minutes later I could put pressure on the knee to kick it over and finish the tune up.  Need a fine tuned engine for hand starting...

 

LOL I don't think dad ever "fine tuned" too much! 

[Eneto-55]

1 hour ago, kencombs said:

 

Don't rely on the ramp.  Take a close look, it's designed to push the crank clear when the engine starts.  There is a straight face toward the crank if/when the engine kicks back in a cc direction.  The only way to avoid that, is never, ever, have hold of the crank when it's on a down stroke and you're pushing, pull up only and never have your thumb wrapped around the handle.  All that and pray.

Yes to all of this.  I had an 11 horse diesel single lunger that didn't have an electric starter at all.  Someone told me that I should pull the crank out just a bit when I released the compression release lever.  Well, it came clear out, and caught me in the chin.  The way the tractor was designed, a tall guy had to bend way over in order to engage the compression release.  Anyway, I had to get stitches.  I found a different way to reach the compression release after that, too.

[Plymouthy Adams]

2 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

LOL I don't think dad ever "fine tuned" too much! 

cut pops some slack, he was just highly skilled at this tuning process that the ease of the task just slipped right by you...

[Dozerman51]

Hey guy’s, thanks for reminding about the hand crank. When I go out this afternoon to give the WC-12 a road run, it’s going to be, “Handcrank starting time . I think since I re-engined the truck from the 23” 230 to the 25” 236, I’ve only done it once. Will come back with the results, either from the comforts of my own home or the emergency room. LOL.

[Ram Man 02]

I have a had crank for my truck and i have used it before. I only use it as a novelty,

 

[MBF]

I've cranked many tractors successfully, but I am one who can personally speak about breaking a wrist cranking an engine.  Do not wrap your thumb around the crank handle.  Lift up on the crank handle on a ccompression stroke only, and do not chase it if it tries to start (keep cranking in a full circle).  If it doesn't start on the first couple of tries-walk away from it or hit the starter.   I've been through a bunch of really tough gut surgeries, but this wrist injury was the most painful thing I have experienced.  I did this over 30 yrs ago, and I can now tell you when it is going to rain with more accuracy than the weatherman.   That's my 2 cents.

[Dozerman51]

Well here I am back on my easy chair writing to you all. The 236 was cold from it’s last run over 8 Hrs ago. Turned key on, 2 pumps on the gas pedal, inserted DPCD starting crank #568949 and on the second compression crank she fired right up. Gotta love those Mopar products. “It’s Mopar or no car” as they say.