Can 8n's be hand crank started if needed?

Eriklane · Feb 4, 2013

Curious if one could start an 8N by hand crank, if needed.

mattwillson · Feb 4, 2013

Of course. In 1984, dad and I took the 8n to the steam show in Brigden. The bendix gave up on the starter, so I started it everytime with the crank. I was 11 yrs old at the time.
We had a farmall A back then too, no electrical on it. started with crank only.

souNdguy · Feb 4, 2013

as stated. yes.

I havn't hand cranked my N's.

I do have other tractors I have hand cranked.. though DO prefer to use a starter..

Dean · Feb 4, 2013

Yes, if you have a hand crank and the engine is in decent shape and state of tune, especially the ignition system.

That said, the N engine does not have an impulse magneto (no need to comment about the rare exceptions), a device greatly facilitating starting by hand cranking.

If mine, I would park it on an incline and roll start it.

Dean

Eriklane · Feb 4, 2013

So once it fires, how does the crank not go flying in circles, taking the cranker with it?

teddy52food · Feb 4, 2013

It is designed to engage one way & release when the engine fires up. Just make sure the timing is at TDC or later, never before.

JMOR · Feb 4, 2013

(quoted from post at 11:03:50 02/04/13) So once it fires, how does the crank not go flying in circles, taking the cranker with it?

hat is not the real danger, as it is taken care of by a one-way connection crankshaft to crank, viz a ratchet like connection,. (see picture)
Real danger is a kick back. More likely on N's since there is no manual spark retard as compared to Model T car. So one must be careful in hand/arm/thumb/crank positioning technique.
http://www.external_link/catalog/images/products/lg/9099-2N6319-A1.jpg

ericlb · Feb 4, 2013

sure, if the crank pully has the hand crank notches on it, and you know how to do it without breaking your arm or loosing your teeth, that being said its a little harder to start a tractor with a distributor ignition vs a mag system, but it can and is done all the time,that being said rolling it down an incline in 3rd or 4th gear and letting the clutch out with the key on may not look as studly but its a whole lot easier

Gary (Or) · Feb 4, 2013

I have crank started my 8N once just to say I've done it. Mine was already warmed up and followed old timers advice to pull the crank, never push so if it did kick back it would pull loose from my hand and not break my arm. Was never an issue and mine started very easy with a quarter turn.

Gary (Or)

L. B, · Feb 4, 2013

I have crank started my 2N for 30 plus years, it has a mag no starter or battery. It bit my hand 1 time. The secret is dont put your thumb around the crank, if it backfires it will come out of your hand. Try and start it only on the pull up not on the push down. Pull up is hand and crank at 6 oclock pulls up to about 9 oclock, push down is 12 oclock to 6. My choke rod comes out of the right side dog leg, you will have to find a way to choke it from the front or get someone to choke it at the dash.If ya flood it walk away and wait 20 mins.LOL

Royse · Feb 4, 2013

This may be painfully obvious, but since an 8N has a distributor ignition it won't
crank start if the problem is a dead battery. A weak one maybe, but not dead.
As long as the battery is good it could be done though.
I have to hand crank my F20, and often wish it had a starter!
Joan says the battery is getting old. Hmmmm.

Eriklane · Feb 4, 2013

Ran it 15 mins tonight to plow some snow. Tried hand cranking after when warm 3 times, nothing. Not even close. Didn't want to chip the paint on my grill so I stopped. Didn't seem like it would fly, but, from the posts, it sounds like it'll work. New battery...

old · Feb 4, 2013

Many time hand cranking a tractor when warm is harder to do then when cold. All the tractors I have owned that are/where hand crank once warm they where bears to start be when cold pretty easy unless it was real cold. I have a JD-B that I would not even think about trying to start this time of year but it is a 1935 model and is only hand crank

Eriklane · Feb 4, 2013

I'm def. going to try again...

W_B · Feb 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 21:51:06 02/04/13)
The secret is dont put your thumb around the crank, if it backfires it will come out of your hand.

Dad didn't know this and broke his hand starting a Farmall Cub. Worst thing is he was working alone and had to drive himself to the hospital to get it worked on (the hand, not the tractor!)

L. B, · Feb 5, 2013

It only takes once.

JMOR · Feb 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 12:59:49 02/05/13) It only takes once.

y brother still has stitch scars in chin from hand cranking a B-Farmall when just a little tyke.

NoNewParts · Feb 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 09:28:58 02/04/13) Curious if one could start an 8N by hand crank, if needed.

sure
everything has to be in tip-top shape, carb, ign, etc
and being very familiar with your tractors starting settings helps
and like the other poster said, if you don't get it going right
away, walk away and try later.
Like Dean says, an impulse magneto makes all the difference.
I have a few off brand tractors with worn flywheel teeth,
so I leave the crank in them, to turn the flywheel some before engaging the starter.
The ones with the mags actually start about 50% of the time,
when I gently turn the handle to get to good teeth

hd6gtom · Feb 5, 2013

Heck they will hardly start with an electric starter, I used to crank on the neighbors for what seemed like hours at a time. Would usually unhook the rake and go home get dads tractor. Took less time to walk the mile home than it did trying to get the darn thing started.

ZANE · Feb 5, 2013

When I was 16 and lived in Bossier City LA with my oldest sister a couple of boys and I decided to go out into the Badcaw Swamps out from Mendin LA. We got about 10 miles back down a really muddy road and when I tried to turn around we got stuck in the mud. Couldn't get it to move with all of us pushing and throwing stuff under the wheels so we just decided to spend the night in the car since it was about dark and nobody but us stupid enough to go out in the swamp in a 38 Ford business coupe.
It got down to about 25% that night and the ground froze. We nearly did too!!!!
When we tried to start the car the battery wouldn't turn it over. I jacked up one rear wheel, put it in high gear, pulled out the choke and the throttle and two of us turned the rear wheel forward. The old Ford started at the first stroke of the engine. Took it out of gear and let the jack down and with the ground froozen drove right out of the mud and on back to civilazition.

Don't go down in the Bodcaw swamp in a '38 Ford!!!!

Zane

Eriklane · Feb 5, 2013

Stud. Today, kids would text their pa to save their wimpy behinds after 5 mins.

Can 8n's be hand crank started if needed?

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