where has the hand crank gone????

SimonV · #1 08-15-2006

I was at the Boat show in Sydney the other week, checking out the cost of a new diesel engine.

The only one I found with a hand crank (should the power mysteriously evaporate, (kids) ) was the Kubota.

Has the marine diesel, gone the way of the motor cycle kick start? Is it a case of "Hello, hello could you come out about 200 mile and give me a boost?

A good hand crank always ends in, A HAPPY ENDING.

Cruisingdad · #2 08-15-2006

You know, I have heard about hand cranks, but for the life of me, I have yet to see one in action. Thoughts of a model T come to mind. I would be curious if anyone has ever actually tried this?????????? If so, are both your arms and "facilities" still in place.

It seems to me to be more like s storm glass. Looks good and sounds good, but questionable results in the real world. But again, I am very ignorant on this subject.

NickL · #3 08-15-2006

I tried once, and that was all it took for me to get a jumper pack. My yanmar has it. I about broke my wrist. I guess if both of my banks and my jumper pack go out, it will be nice to have. Or if I am somewhere seatow can come and get jump I might just wait it out.

timebandit · #4 08-15-2006

Being from a family of mechanics dating back to the late 1800 I'm gussing you are making a common mistake. Most people when trying to start an engine by hand or foot, place the piston just before the firing position. You should place the piston just after the firing and on the down stroke so that you have a chance to spin the engine and develope energy in the flywheel before the piston comes up on compression. You might also check to see if your engine has a compression release lever.

Cruisingdad · #5 08-15-2006

Just curious, how are you supposed to know that on a diesel? Also, I would think with the compression on a diesel, moving that thing at all would take a small act of God.

Ronbye · #6 08-15-2006

I have started my Volvo MD2B engine on hand crank. To start the engine you need to have the engine rotating fast enough to get through the power stroke. Not easy if you don't have decompression levers. Mine does. Secondly, the heat in the comustion chamber needs to be hot enough to ignite the air fuel mixture, I don't have glow plugs. So for me, this means that I have to crank the engine over with the decompression levers on and keep cranking until I think there is enough friction heat available. When I think it is right, I turn off one compression lever while cranking. When it starts on one cylinder, the crank handle slips in its slot, allowing me time to remove it and turn off the other decompression lever and the engine is now running on two cylinders. It sounds easy, but it is very difficult physically. You need to be in shape for this. If you have any medical problems at all I wouldn't attempt it.

timebandit · #7 08-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

Just curious, how are you supposed to know that on a diesel? Also, I would think with the compression on a diesel, moving that thing at all would take a small act of God.

Just like any engine, just move it slowly through and then past the compression stroke.
I'm guessing most engines fire on the compression stroke.
I read somewhere that some enterprising sailor rigged a line to the main boom and used the wind in the sail to pull a rope to start his engine.
Personnaly I would just sail over a water fall and pop the clutch about half way down

Cruisingdad · #8 08-15-2006

funny timebandit

sailingdog · #9 08-15-2006

Hand cranking a diesel is generally a losing option. Much higher compression makes it much harder to crank a diesel, compared to a gasoline engine. A better idea would be to carry a emergency jump start pack... like this.

captnnero · #10 08-15-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by timebandit

...
I read somewhere that some enterprising sailor rigged a line to the main boom and used the wind in the sail to pull a rope to start his engine.
...

That was an article in Sail or Cruising World several years ago complete with a nice 3D drawing of the starter cord routing. It was ingenious. As I recall he had about a 40 footer. He rigged it up with the mainsail in tight but on a reach. Then he let the mainsheet out to spin the motor. He started this way on a daily basis for a while to charge batteries until the next port.