Hand Cranking a Motor in 39?

[MercMontMars]

Hi there, while I’m waiting on a shop to rebuild my starter I’ve been reading old forum posts about starters and such. I found a post that suggests you can hand crank the motor but that seems somewhat antiquated by 39.. is this actually possible? Now that I think of it, I think I saw a hole on my 39 Chrysler that would imply you can put a hand crank through. Not positive though.. gonna have to check today and see for sure. Would be a nice feature to have if I ever have starter issues again. 

 

The post I read:

 

 

[TerryB]

My 1937 Dodge truck had the ability to be started with a crank. You had to remove a piece of chrome at the bottom of the grill to access the hole.  Of course you need a crank that fits plus the crank handle will close to the bumper when you are trying to crank it.

[oldcarfudd]

Decades ago I had a '49 MG TC That could be - and sometimes had to be - crank-started.

[wayne sheldon]

Amazingly, a lot of cars and trucks even in this country continued to have hand cranking capability even into the early 1950s. My dad's 1951 Chevrolet pickup originally had it, even the front crankshaft pulley for the hand crank to engage in. That part went away when he had the engine rebuilt about 1960, but I remember it on the original engine. Even at least some of the 1952 cars had access for a hand crank to be used. Replacement front pullies quit providing the engagement on them by the 1960s, and originals with that feature are few and far between (I might even have one still???).

What I found interesting many years ago, was a 1950s service manual that stated that "hand cranking access" was provided for the mechanic's convenience to turn the motor over slowly for servicing and adjusting things like valves and ignition. Made me think they didn't want people to think the car was unreliable and might need to be started by hand crank.

Numerous European and British cars and trucks provided hand cranks well into the 1960s!

[MercMontMars]

@wayne sheldon It’s a great feature to have! You never know when a starter might give up or your battery ran low. I’m not sure why they phased it out, you’re probably on the right trail though which is that the consumer took it as a negative thing.

[MercMontMars]

So this is a bit odd, looking at my Chrysler today told me that I can absolutely hand crank it with a tool suggested by the specially machined hole and “wings” for disengagement once the motor started. The odd part is that Chrysler didn’t make it very easy to access, I’d have to unbolt the center piece on the grille which isn’t a big deal but strange that this feature is still there but totally hidden. The rad even has a little bit of a curve in it to allow a crank tool. All I need to do now is find one..
 

Edited October 21, 2023 by MercMontMars (see edit history)

[ply33]

On my '33 Plymouth the cover on the hand crank hole is held on with a spring clip. The original spring was rusted to the point where it failed shortly after I bought the car. It would not surprise me if others in that situation would rig something where they would just permanently bolt it on. At the time, mid-1970s, I was working at a place where the old timers knew how to make an appropriate spring so mine is still retained by a spring clip.

[Littlestown Mike]

If you are tempted to try hand-cranking, be sure you know the procedure.

Always pull up.  Never wrap your thumb around the handle.   I see videos of people just spinning an engine over, round and round and I wonder how many times someone got hurt following that example.

The electric starter was invented becasue people died trying to start their cars.

It can be done, but please do it safely.

 

[Marty Roth]

4 hours ago, oldcarfudd said:

Decades ago I had a '49 MG TC That could be - and sometimes had to be - crank-started.

When I first got my 1948 MG-TC (XPAG - #4749) it was worn and well used. 

I was able to crank start it even after a nut and bolt restoration

[Century Eight]

I Agee with @Littlestown Mike.  I used to hand crank my ‘31 Chev 50 years ago (gosh that seems a long time ago) when the battery would die.  It just about gave me a heart attack when the engine was cold , but turned over easily when it was warm. Always pull up with your LEFT hand, and thumb not wrapped around, so if the crank springs into action and jumps out of your hand, it won’t take your arm with it.  I’ve even seen mustachioed famous car tv show personalities do it wrong and was appalled to see them be that unsafe. I wrote him ,but didn’t hear back.  
 

If your starter is known to be bad, it’s just easier to go find a hill to park on and the pop the clutch when it’s time to go.  That’s what we did in college with our stick shift cars.

[c49er]

My 53 Dodge 4 ton has a hand crank..

Way too hard to turn over...413 six.

[keiser31]

I have a crank handle that may do the job. Where are you located?

[MercMontMars]

@keiser31 That’s great! I am located in Florida. Message me and we can discuss more there.

[MercMontMars]

@c49er Beautiful truck! Gosh she’s huge, I love Dodge trucks. Very hard to come by nowadays. Love the red!

Edited October 21, 2023 by MercMontMars (see edit history)

[Pomeroy41144]

My 1937 Ford can be hand cranked.  

 

I am going to buy the crank handle and try it some day.  Next spring perhaps.  

 

I have been taught how to hand crank Ford Model T, so I am aware of the hazards.  

 

I'll let you guys know how I do.  

[wayne sheldon]

1 hour ago, Pomeroy41144 said:

My 1937 Ford can be hand cranked.  

 

I am going to buy the crank handle and try it some day.  Next spring perhaps.  

 

I have been taught how to hand crank Ford Model T, so I am aware of the hazards.  

 

I'll let you guys know how I do.  

 

I hope we don't get to see a photo of you with your arm in a sling?! 

Just kidding of course. I have had a few cars that didn't have a starter, and crank started cars many hundreds of times. I have crank started many cars over the years that weren't mine, including a six cylinder Pierce Arrow, a few Buicks, among others.

My first model T speedster had an original era Bosch magneto without an impulse. It was cantankerous to say the least. I often had to spin the crank to get enough spark to fire it off, especially at that magic time about five to thirty minutes after being shut off when all the heat was in the wrong places. It did manage to backfire on me a couple times over the years I drove it. But I never broke anything.

[Leif in Calif]

On 10/20/2023 at 4:06 PM, oldcarfudd said:

Decades ago I had a '49 MG TC That could be - and sometimes had to be - crank-started.

My '59 Triumph TR-3A had a crank hole in the grill and a crank in the tool kit. 

[Pomeroy41144]

22 minutes ago, wayne sheldon said:

 

I hope we don't get to see a photo of you with your arm in a sling?! 

Just kidding of course. I have had a few cars that didn't have a starter, and crank started cars many hundreds of times. I have crank started many cars over the years that weren't mine, including a six cylinder Pierce Arrow, a few Buicks, among others.

My first model T speedster had an original era Bosch magneto without an impulse. It was cantankerous to say the least. I often had to spin the crank to get enough spark to fire it off, especially at that magic time about five to thirty minutes after being shut off when all the heat was in the wrong places. It did manage to backfire on me a couple times over the years I drove it. But I never broke anything.

 

 

 

 

...

 

Thanks Friend.  My dad thinks I am crazy.  Caution will be forefront if I do try.  

[Littlestown Mike]

The alternative is to park on a hill, andlet gravity be your emergency starter.

 

[brasscarguy]

Most British cars had had hand cranks up to the early 60's. I'm guessing t was because Lucas made the batteries.

 

just sayin'

 

frontyboy.

[AzBob]

The rear engine 1967 Renault R10 I owned back in the '70's came with a crank. I started it one time with the crank just to see if it could be done.

[hook]

7 hours ago, brasscarguy said:

Most British cars had had hand cranks up to the early 60's. I'm guessing t was because Lucas made the batteries.

 

just sayin'

 

frontyboy.

Most British cars had cranks for setting points and timing and adjusting valves. I think the 30's - 40's US cars used it for the same reason. There is nothing wrong with Lucas! You just have to maintain the smoke level.

[nat]

     On a cold engine, shut the ignition off, give it some choke and throttle and pull it through a compression stroke for each cylinder.  Turn the ignition on and give it a crank.  

     If the timing has a manual control and is set to after TDC, it won't kick back.  If no one is watching, my 24' Dodge will start first try 99.9% of the time.  That success rate decreases as the size of the audience increases.

     If an engine has timing marks and a manual timing control that can be set well after TDC, prime the cylinders as above, set the crank to just after TDC and turn the ignition on.  Now advance the timing to open the points and, (on a good day), the engine will start.