Anyone ever hand crank their 85HP Flathead?

ScubaChief60

ScubaChief60

Senior Member
I have been wondering if anyone on this forum has hand cranked their flathead 85? I have the crank and see how it works... but never used it. I guess I am concerned that I may finally break an arm. :)

In all my 65 years I have broken every bone you can break and still function but oddly enough never an arm...

Information on hand cranking will be appreciated.
 
there is a movte on tcm every now an then penney ceranade & the car has a dead battery. its a 36 ford & the actor cary grant starts it by cranking
 
it’s been a while but here goes key on AND MAKE Sure ITS IN NEUTRAL set parking brake if it works install crank slowly bring engine too compression stroke most important is too keep your thumb on top of the crank bar give quick hard turn and if it starts you’ll feel like a real man. just a note start it with the starter first leave it warm up then try your crank good luck
 
The 36 before it was taken apart to restore had a lazy starter and had to be hand cranked or pushed—- cranking was a 2 hand and spin it the compression strokes were too close together to flips it over like a 4 cylinder.
It can be hard on the grill and they cost too much now—- the grill it had it didn’t matter.
 
I can't hand crank start the engine in my Model A it's so tight. No way any of my V8 would be any easier.

Kurt is correct. It's too hard on the grille and they cost too much to replace/repair.
 
At the risk of repeating myself, I had a 1948 Seagrave pumper with a 468 ci Pierce-Arrow derived V12. I used to bet I could crank start it at car shows and always won. I have found that the more cylinders you have, the easier they are to start. A "one-lunger" fires every 720 decrees; a V12 every 60 degrees.

As mentioned above keep your thumb on the same side of the handle as your fingers and you'll be fine.
 
It is my understanding that Vincent Bendix invented the "Bendix drive" after a personal friend was killed attempting to manually crank an engine. And then, I'll never forget when I was in Vietnam a co-worker was hand cranking a "pony" engine ( two cylinder V configuration), the engine fired but ran backwards, the handle hit him in the head. Serious injuries resulted. Be careful out there!
Tom
 
tubman said:
At the risk of repeating myself, I had a 1948 Seagrave pumper with a 468 ci Pierce-Arrow derived V12. I used to bet I could crank start it at car shows and always won. I have found that the more cylinders you have, the easier they are to start. A "one-lunger" fires every 720 decrees; a V12 every 60 degrees.

As mentioned above keep your thumb on the same side of the handle as your fingers and you'll be fine.
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Interesting perspective. Haven't thought of it that way. Makes sense why my father's Gravely Model L's were so darn hard to start in the dead of winter.
 
It also helped that that engine had dual ignitions with 24 spark plugs, two distributors, and 4 coils. That's a lot of firing impulses in a 180 degree crank pull.
 
Seth Swoboda said:
I can't hand crank start the engine in my Model A it's so tight. No way any of my V8 would be any easier.

Kurt is correct. It's too hard on the grille and they cost too much to replace/repair.
Click to expand...

as I remember, my '36 grills were thin tin ~
s-l1600.webp
 
tubman said:
It also helped that that engine had dual ignitions with 24 spark plugs, two distributors, and 4 coils. That's a lot of firing impulses in a 180 degree crank pull.
Click to expand...

anyone ever see the youtube on the 500+ hp Model A engine that ran 238+ mph at Bonny few years back?....


:eek:
 
I had to hand crank m36 when I first got it as a couldn’t afford a new battery all had had was a scrap battery that was only good for running ignition.
 
Back in the old days, did'nt have good battery, hand cranked our 38 DLXcoupe many times, a month ago thought I would try to crank it just for fun; it started right up, make sure it is in neutral, or you can run really fast
 
Thanks all! May give it a try... so I can have a plan B or C if battery ever dies. Plan B would be roll start it and pop the clutch. C of course the hand crank. I guess AAA or Hagertys is also in the mix. :)
 
I had a 28 model A,i used to hand crank it for fun,just be careful to hold the crank with your palm,dont let your thumb get kicked back,thats the most often injury.i used to bring it up to the top of compression,then all it tokk was a good push down and it usually fired up,the model la has the spark and throttle on the wheel,that heps a lot with starting too.
 
richard crow said:
i have seen model t guys turn the crank just right then jump on the running board & the car started
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I don't know how they did it with Model T's, but with a Model A, if you had the crank in the right position, moving the spark advance lever would produce a spark and the car would start.

I would imagine T's had the same thing.
 
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