Two Cylinder hand start flywheel starting position

Navajo350

Member
For my unstyled A, what would be the best flywheel position for it starting the quickest?

I would think I should set the "just prior to intake position," then turn on the gas, full choke (wait a little bit), and turn it over. But starting on the "just prior to intake stroke flywheel position," I would only get one flywheel rotation before the flywheel stops, unless I really crank on it, which I know you really don't need to do.

Let's just say the tractor is cold, and we are talking in general, since every tractor has it's own personality. I am jus talking about in theory.

Thanks!
 
....and obviously it would stop just prior to compression and wouldn't have fired yet.

So, the best way would be get the flywheel just prior to intake, gas on, full choke or "choke," slowly turn it over and have the flywheel stop just prior to compression and then crank it over?

I didn't say anything about throttle, but again every tractor would be different there.
 
Here's a copy of what I told Richard in Bee works for my Unstyled B Hand Cranker. Your tractor may be different:


FWIW here's how it usually started for several years the FIRST flywheeler pull over.

John T's Hand Start Tips


1) Mag has to impulse fire right at TDC, if before she kicks back, if after shes harder to start. Of course, the Mag and Plugs and Timing and Carb have to be near PERFECT for first pull starting and 75% perfect don't cut it.

2) I ALWAYS start it so that the Left Number One Cylinder is to fire first, so only 180 (1/2 crank revolution) degrees later the right cylinder will be firing. If you start it on Number Two Right, it has to turn 540 degrees before it gets a second shot of power via the Left Cylinder, and that's a pretty long coast cycle (not enough flywheel momentum left after that to bring Number one up on compression again). I prefer to try for a start on the Left, so only 180 later (versus 540 otherwise) it gets a second compression power stroke.

3) I rotate the Flywheel so the Left Number One is at TDC (exhaust) such that after 360 (1 flywheel turn) of cranking her over, the Left will fire at TDC on its Compression Power Stroke.

4) I set the Throttle to the slow idle position to create a good vacuum when cranking NEVER fast open throttle position .

5) If cold I set the choke to about 7/8 full, if warm maybe none to 1/2 max, if real cold maybe initial to full.

6) With the Left Cylinder at TDC on Exhaust ready to suck in gas I give it a fairly rapid 1/2 turn spin to bring in a good charge of fuel/air, then pull it over the other 1/2 turn on compression and at TDC she ought to start. If not often the second pull (Right Number Two) over will.

7) It seemed to help to let it die by shutting the gas off so it eventually dies from starvation and then set the throttle WIDE OPEN when shes just sitting there.

THATS MY STORY AND IMA STICKIN TO IT, It worked for me for years until just recently.



John T
 
Open petcocks turn on gas full choke crank over two compression strokes (1 left 1 right) if it starts get choke off NOW. If no start keep cranking. If gas sprays out the petcocks its flooded. Dont worry about flywheel position.
 
This could be an interesting thread to follow. Every person is different just like every tractor is different. What works on one tractor may not work on anything else. I have "gotten to know" each of our tractors, what each likes and does not like. The H, when its flooded, just go get a glass of tea and take a break. The D, just flood it right away as it will not start until it is drowning. I have never really found a certain place to start with the fly wheel, does it really matter. It has to go all the way around at some point. My D tends to fire on #2 to start most times.
 
It stops on No 1 because when you shut it off after No 2 fires its last breath its a long dry 540 degree coast cycle and theres just not enough stored flywheel energy to take Number 1 over on its compression again.

John T
 
In my opinion choke is a minor issue unless it's very cold out and you must have a coat on. Throttle PLATE position at near idle seems to be very much more important if you are looking for a quick fire up. Rocking it back and forth six or more times is rumored to be the secret ingredient for the 'once over' start up and the really old timers do it just this way.

Several have stated that they don't even use the choke on their B, which shows just how important that really is. I do know that once it kicks, it won't fire again until way after I have that choke rod all the way in again and it's had a couple of revolutions to clear the excess fuel caused by the halfway on choke in the first place. I was raised up taught that the choke was vital on a cold engine and it may not be at all on these.

Especially on the older models if you put the choke on full, you have just shut off ALL air flow thru the carb - it can't breathe at all. So 3/4 choke should be considered the maximum choke that it can run with anyway. Later carbs had cut aways or holes in the choke plate that allow some air to pass, but my 44 A has a solid choke plate. NO air at full choke.
 
I just recently got a BR. I've started it several times and still haven't gotten the sequence down. This afternoon I tried about everything listed on the thread further down the page. Finally I took a plug out and it was still dry. I opened the throttle a little more almost to wide open and the next twist it started right up. I have a '37 B and it's a 1 pull, turn the gas on 1/2 choke, 1/2 throttle and 95% of the time the first twist it's running.
 
Fixerupper way below has the best answer IMO. Flywheel position to start out means nothing. Two turns gets you 720 degrees and two intakes and two compressions and two fires. If you don't see a little mist out of petcocks then it ain't got enough fuel. Once you see mist, open choke. When warm you won't need mist. Pretty hard to flood if good plugs/spark. Eventually you will know exactly how much choke for a determined temp. and it will fire off before or right at the time you see mist
 
Looks like its as many of us already noted DIFFERENT TRACTORS HAVE DIFFERENT BEST STARTING TECHNQUES PERIOD LOL

Find what's best for YOUR tractor, NOT someone elses

John T
 
John you nailed it. They are all different. The starting procedure I described for my A has worked ever since I was big enough to turn the flywheel which was over fifty years ago. It's been in the family since 1950. When I try to start someone else's hand crank two banger I am totally lost. One thing my dad taught me years ago is it doesn't need to be spun over, just get it over the top and it will start. If it kicks and runs backward a few revs be prepared to crank it a few times before it will try again. Nothing beats that good feeling we feel when it fires off and runs.
 
My uncle back in the mid 70's had a pair of hand crank B's. He would grab the fan blade and give it one spin. They fired off every
time! Dad kept telling my uncle he was "going to get it one of these days" My uncle said "he knew just when to let go!"

It never did get him.He later sold them for a electric start B and a model 50.
 

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