Pressed-together crankshafts

Likewise.

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany
Loading thread data ...

I managed to start my '50 Austin A40 by pouring a couple ounces of gas down the carb below 20 deg, F. and use the crank below zero. Lately I've resorted to ether instead of priming old B&S lawn mowers with the prime passage molded into the carb.-air cleaner joint, that plus a cordles drill adapter in place of the rewind starter kept the "mechanical mutton" working. This year, for my 82nd birthday, I got my first new lawn mower - self propelled with electric starter. I had never paid over $15 for a mower in my life, most of them dumpster diving finds.

Reply to
Gerry

Yes indeed. If you look closely, it looks like they're all the same motor, with different paint jobs.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Yes indeed. If you look closely, it looks like they're all the same motor, with different paint jobs.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

One can still buy ether in the US, packaged as "starting fluid" in auto parts stores.

Seems to come in sporadic waves these days. Gunner has not posted in a long time.

Joe Gwinn

Reply to
Joe Gwinn

Aha! Yes, hotter running is an interesting point. I also noticed from the Amazon detail listing that compression ratio is 22:1, which is at the high end. I wonder what it's like using a recoil starter with a 22:1 compression ratio.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I haven't noticed the cross-posting that created the whole mess in the first place. Well, good luck. I used to really enjoy this NG. These interests are confined to a smaller group these days, but there is still a core of interest, I'm glad to see. Since I retired, I spend more time fishing and doing outdoors things. My lathe gets more service turning cork grips for my fly rods. d8-)

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I had a Yanmar L40 which is similar but upright and that is 20:1 compression ratio and was easy to start when the decompression lever on the head was used, I knew one guy that was strong enough to start it without its use. I suspect that amazon engine has one and if anything like the Yanmar it's the lever with the  red knob to the right of the cylinder head in the last image.

Reply to
David Billington

The thermodynamics of these things has always interested me, but the reality is that it's usually over my head. How a diesel can start cold, at low rpm, with a reduced compression ratio, boggles my understanding of what is going on.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I think it was more to do with allowing the user to get the engine up to speed with the recoil starter. The start procedure was to set speed lever to run position, pull the engine over till it was on the compression stroke, let the start lead back in, push the decompression lever down, and pull hard to start. The decompression device reset automatically after that first compression stroke by which time hopefully you had imparted enough inertia to the flywheel that it would go through the next compression stroke itself at full compression and start. In the summer it would often start first time, in the winter it could take a few more pulls to get it running, that was UK summer/winter temperatures.

Reply to
David Billington

I'm still surprised that it worked, given all of the quenching going on with a cold engine and a (relatively) slow speed. But, hey, that's why I'm not an engineer. I have seen some other starting aids on larger diesels, like hot-tubes and even ether injection, but I have no experience with diesels and I don't know what constitutes contemporary and practical operating practices. Meantime, as much as I like small engines, I made a first leap this year and bought a battery-powered lawn mower, which I love (Ryobi 40V, 21"). Next, maybe an electric car. Just turn the switch, and hummm...

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I'm still surprised that it worked, given all of the quenching going on with a cold engine and a (relatively) slow speed. ...

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Ah yes, the fire piston! I learned about them here on RCM many years ago. I made one out of stainless on my SB lathe, and it worked great. I'm sad to say it was lost somewhere. Mine had no gaskets; I lapped the piston for a very close fit. I used rubbed inner bark from a red cedar for tinder, but I had no pocket on the end of the piston. I don't think one was needed. It's pretty hard to get enough compression with your hand to crush the fuel. But you had to invert the cylinder and bang it hard to get the burning tinder out of it.

The kickback was pretty sharp when the fuel started to burn.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Diesel starting - probably mentioned elsewhere - anyway... You need to keep cranking a diesel engine until it starts.

Improvised and quick - v. cold day on-land - put a towrope to an LPG-fueled forklift-truck, get it trucking along and drop the clutch on your diesel vehicle so it keeps cranking the engine as it's towed along until it starts...

Russian way as I have seen on Russian equipment - a small gasoline (petrol) cranking-engine to keep cranking the diesel for however long it takes until it starts.

Hand-start - decompression-valve which "drops" when the engine has spun a turn / up to a speed.

Just some observations. Ask the experts for details.

Reply to
Richard Smith

Richard, as I read this thread, I'm reminded that I may be lucky that I've never had to start a diesel engine. d8-)

(Well, I started a diesel VW Rabbit once. I don't remember much but that it was as easy as starting an IC engine.)

Reply to
Ed Huntress

That engine reminds me of something that Vera Lynn used to sing: "There Will Always Be an England." It's just hard, sometimes, to keep it running. d8-)

Or, as I once said after a tough day working on my MG, "England, the country of many oil cans."

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Diesel starting - probably mentioned elsewhere - anyway... You need to keep cranking a diesel engine until it starts.

Improvised and quick - v. cold day on-land - put a towrope to an LPG-fueled forklift-truck, get it trucking along and drop the clutch on your diesel vehicle so it keeps cranking the engine as it's towed along until it starts...

Russian way as I have seen on Russian equipment - a small gasoline (petrol) cranking-engine to keep cranking the diesel for however long it takes until it starts.

Hand-start - decompression-valve which "drops" when the engine has spun a turn / up to a speed.

Just some observations. Ask the experts for details.

-------------------------

Another Russian trick which a prisoner shared with the Germans was to pour gas into the oil tank before shutting down. They would also open the cowl and light a small fire under the cold engine. I don't know if they used both at the same time.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Richard, as I read this thread, I'm reminded that I may be lucky that I've never had to start a diesel engine. d8-)

(Well, I started a diesel VW Rabbit once. I don't remember much but that it was as easy as starting an IC engine.)

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Cat used to use a "pony engine" to start their big tractors ( actually even the little D2)

Reply to
Clare Snyder

Gasoline would stop the diesel oil freezing in extreme cold?

Lighting a fire under the engine - better only on a mechanical injector engine ? (not vulnerable to hot gases flowing over the engine) Not to be recommended in this time of engines festooned with electronics and electrics boxes?

Reply to
Richard Smith

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.