We had a little discussion about hand cranking our oletrucks to start
them over the last day or two, but I thought that a couple of cautions are in
order for those unfamiliar with the drill.
1. As has been pointed out earlier, check the timing is to spec.
2. Further, check that the auto advance in the distributor is retarded
and not stuck at some advanced setting.
Back in the days when handcranks were the normal way to start a car, a
manual "spark" lever was fitted to the steering column so the driver could be
sure that the ignition was truly retarded and the car was safe to crank.
Right after the motor fired the driver had to run around and tug the spark
lever down to smooth the engine out or risk it stalling.
The last is the most caution to remember when hand cranking car motors!
3. When you grab the handle, ALWAYS KEEP YOUR THUMB ON THE SAME SIDE AS
YOUR FINGERS. Never grab the handle with your thumb opposing your fingers,
even though this is by far the most natural way to do it. The only word in
the medical lexicon with an automotive origin that I know of is "Ford
Fracture," a particular type of broken bone in the hand caused by poor hand
cranking technique. Few modern medicos would have much experience treating
these injuries, so please use a little caution.
Paul O'Neil, Hudson29@aol.com
1951 Chevrolet 3600 Pickup Project, See it at:
The Poor Man's Advanced Design Tech Tips Page
http://home.earthlink.net/~conntest47/
Fullerton, California USA
AEROMARK - Need Rubber Stamps or Signs? See:
http://www.aeromark.net
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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