Although I have few elecrical gadgets to use power, I do worry about
having enough juice to run my VHF and running lights and am also
partial to having a small fan. Auto-pilot is also nice on long runs.
So what happens if my batteries accidently get run down? My old
Yanmar 1GM could be han cranked but my 2GM, no. However, while
looking into the engine compartment one day while under sail, I
noticed my prop shaft was spinning like mad cuz I hadnt put it in gear
(Yanmar says put it in reverse). So: maybe not so useless Idea #3727


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly
giving it compression? I might try this next time I am out.

For that matter, I have heard of these spinning things you can drag
behind to generate power but I can imagine getting it caught on a crab
trap or something or having its line wrap round your prop. So, why
not put a v-belt pulley on the prop shaft and use it to turn a belt
attached to another alternator. This way you could charge your
batteries without starting the engine (sure it slows you down some).
This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.

I've never started a diesel this way, but 40 years ago we started a 4
cylinder gas engine by letting the prop spin and slam it into gear.

Actually I didn't think it would work, but it did and we were able to
recharge our dead battery.

Of course I always thought you couldn't push start a diesel but then someone
proved me wrong by getting a couple guys and push starting a 2.5 ton Izuzu
truck.

I think the key is to have the engine properly tuned, timed and primed
before you attempt this.


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 08:20:18 +0000, Steve wrote:

I've never started a diesel this way, but 40 years ago we started a 4
cylinder gas engine by letting the prop spin and slam it into gear.


Wow - never figured that would work!

I look for the crank attachment on the engine. It's not easy, but you CAN
hand-crank a diesel up to maybe 30hp or so. I knew a guy who used to
hand-crank his every month or so just for practice. (Then again, he used
to pull off the fuel line so he could say he was "disabled" and sail under
the First Narrows bridge...)

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36

Honest, we did it. I think the main factor was the size and mass of the
prop. This was a little 4 cylinder gas engine. I think it was a Universal.
Brand new.

This boat had about a 16 dia. wheel on a 1 1/2" shaft..

We had been anchored in Cat Harbor, Catalina Is. for about a week and hadn't
realized that the engine room light was on all that time. This was back in
about '60 and we had no VHF or elect cabin lights so never noticed that the
battery (1) went dead. Couldn't hand crank it because it was on a vee drive
with the pulley end of the engine backed up against the mizzen step...

We hoisted anchor and sailed out into open water and once we were on a broad
reach the boat speed picked up and the prop shaft started spinning because
we had forgotten to put it in gear.. We has also forgotten to turn off the
ingnition switch from our earlier attempts to start it.

The skipper kicked the shift lever into fwd to stop the prop rotation, BAMM!
the engine kicked over and started. Wow! what a feeling of relief, since we
know the summer wind wouldn't last all the way to San Diego.

BTW. I have often bragged that I could hand crank my MD2B diesel. In fact I
did it regularly on my last boat. I now have the same model engine on my
present boat but last Fri. I had a starter problem and tired to hand crank
this one. I must be getting older (67) and weaker but I couldn't get enough
rpm up with the cold engine oil (30 weight, plus this eng. only has 100
hours on it).

I finally took the starter apart and repaired it(broken brush spring), but
I am looking into some way to release the compression lever while still
keeping both hands on the hand crank.

Or else I need to go the the gym and work on my upper body strength and
cardiovacular stuff.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 18:10:59 -0700, "Steve" wrote:

snip

BTW. I have often bragged that I could hand crank my MD2B diesel. In fact I
did it regularly on my last boat. I now have the same model engine on my
present boat but last Fri. I had a starter problem and tired to hand crank
this one. I must be getting older (67) and weaker but I couldn't get enough
rpm up with the cold engine oil (30 weight, plus this eng. only has 100
hours on it).

I finally took the starter apart and repaired it(broken brush spring), but
I am looking into some way to release the compression lever while still
keeping both hands on the hand crank.

Or else I need to go the the gym and work on my upper body strength and
cardiovacular stuff.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions


Bunge Cord trying to pull the compression lever closed while a rope
held under your foot holds the compression lever open.
Once it starts running you can slap the other lever/s closed.
Mark E. Williams

Parallax wrote:


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly

The large diesels used to power freighters can be restarted this way
quite easily, no compression release required.

This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.

Many of these same ships use a "shaft generator" driven off the
propeller shaft.

Rick

Used to start 6-71's with mechanical reverse gears, this way all the time.

Parallax wrote:
Although I have few elecrical gadgets to use power, I do worry about
having enough juice to run my VHF and running lights and am also
partial to having a small fan. Auto-pilot is also nice on long runs.
So what happens if my batteries accidently get run down? My old
Yanmar 1GM could be han cranked but my 2GM, no. However, while
looking into the engine compartment one day while under sail, I
noticed my prop shaft was spinning like mad cuz I hadnt put it in gear
(Yanmar says put it in reverse). So: maybe not so useless Idea #3727


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly
giving it compression? I might try this next time I am out.

For that matter, I have heard of these spinning things you can drag
behind to generate power but I can imagine getting it caught on a crab
trap or something or having its line wrap round your prop. So, why
not put a v-belt pulley on the prop shaft and use it to turn a belt
attached to another alternator. This way you could charge your
batteries without starting the engine (sure it slows you down some).
This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.

otnmbrd wrote in message link.net...
Used to start 6-71's with mechanical reverse gears, this way all the time.

Parallax wrote:
Although I have few elecrical gadgets to use power, I do worry about
having enough juice to run my VHF and running lights and am also
partial to having a small fan. Auto-pilot is also nice on long runs.
So what happens if my batteries accidently get run down? My old
Yanmar 1GM could be han cranked but my 2GM, no. However, while
looking into the engine compartment one day while under sail, I
noticed my prop shaft was spinning like mad cuz I hadnt put it in gear
(Yanmar says put it in reverse). So: maybe not so useless Idea #3727


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly
giving it compression? I might try this next time I am out.

For that matter, I have heard of these spinning things you can drag
behind to generate power but I can imagine getting it caught on a crab
trap or something or having its line wrap round your prop. So, why
not put a v-belt pulley on the prop shaft and use it to turn a belt
attached to another alternator. This way you could charge your
batteries without starting the engine (sure it slows you down some).
This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.

Bob Griffith wrote about doing this regularly on his cutter "Awahanee"
in his book "Bluye Water"; went on a beam reach and when she was going
fast enough, put her in gear.
john

You have to put the Yanmar in reverse to stop the prop because
reverse is mechanical. In forward the prop will still rotate because
it is fluid drive. So much for push starting a Yanmar. I was thinking
of getting one of the windup starters as a backup.

Doug

"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
Although I have few elecrical gadgets to use power, I do worry about
having enough juice to run my VHF and running lights and am also
partial to having a small fan. Auto-pilot is also nice on long runs.
So what happens if my batteries accidently get run down? My old
Yanmar 1GM could be han cranked but my 2GM, no. However, while
looking into the engine compartment one day while under sail, I
noticed my prop shaft was spinning like mad cuz I hadnt put it in gear
(Yanmar says put it in reverse). So: maybe not so useless Idea #3727


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly
giving it compression? I might try this next time I am out.

For that matter, I have heard of these spinning things you can drag
behind to generate power but I can imagine getting it caught on a crab
trap or something or having its line wrap round your prop. So, why
not put a v-belt pulley on the prop shaft and use it to turn a belt
attached to another alternator. This way you could charge your
batteries without starting the engine (sure it slows you down some).
This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.

Doug,

I think you're thinking of the 35 engine The transmission in the 1gm (and 2
and 3GM) are all purely mechanical. At least from my investigation of the
service manual, the forward gear is a mirror image of the reverse gear. the
cluch cone simply bears against the forward drive gear, just like it does in
reverse. The transmission is "spalsh lubricated, not hydraulic at all.

Still it doesn't mean you can bump start. The 2GM20F in my doc neighbours
boat (Tanzer 31)is hand startable. Parallax's should be also, you just need
to use the decompression levers. (the hand crank drive pin has a bolted on
cover plate on the newer 2GM20F's) so it looks like it's not hand
startable, just take the plate off and cut the end off Reinstall and your
engine is now hand crankable!

Pierre
"Doug Dotson" wrote in message
...
You have to put the Yanmar in reverse to stop the prop because
reverse is mechanical. In forward the prop will still rotate because
it is fluid drive. So much for push starting a Yanmar. I was thinking
of getting one of the windup starters as a backup.

Doug

"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
Although I have few elecrical gadgets to use power, I do worry about
having enough juice to run my VHF and running lights and am also
partial to having a small fan. Auto-pilot is also nice on long runs.
So what happens if my batteries accidently get run down? My old
Yanmar 1GM could be han cranked but my 2GM, no. However, while
looking into the engine compartment one day while under sail, I
noticed my prop shaft was spinning like mad cuz I hadnt put it in gear
(Yanmar says put it in reverse). So: maybe not so useless Idea #3727


Can you release the compression of the engine with the decompression
levers, get going good under sail with engine in gear an use the
spinning prop to sorta "push-start" the engine with you suddenly
giving it compression? I might try this next time I am out.

For that matter, I have heard of these spinning things you can drag
behind to generate power but I can imagine getting it caught on a crab
trap or something or having its line wrap round your prop. So, why
not put a v-belt pulley on the prop shaft and use it to turn a belt
attached to another alternator. This way you could charge your
batteries without starting the engine (sure it slows you down some).
This cannot be original cuz I know I saw it somewhere but cannot
imagine where.