Hand Cranking the AC B

Got the B to fire off 3 times by hand cranking this way "Engage crank at the 12 o'clock position. Stand on left front side of tractor, looking across tractor. Grasp crank with left hand, DO NOT wrap thumb around crank. Place right hand against tractor hood. Push off with right hand while pulling with the left.

In this way if the tractor kicks backs it jerks the crank out of your hand away from you while you will be moving away from spinning crank.

REMEMBER - If you place crank in nine o'clock position & pull up when it kicks back it has a tendancy to pull you into the spinning crank.

Hmmm. On my '42B it's not possible to engage the crank at 12 o'clock unless you are already far up on the compression stroke. The crank handle is at about 9, possibly a touch before when the noticeable compression stroke begins. I pull up and over until the mag snaps at TDC which occurs when the handle is somewhere between 1 and 2, approximately. It's been that way since it was new. I am curious to know if my crank is different than others as far as the orientation of the drive pin with the handle. For the orientation of my drive pin, see this drawing. If you didn't start the compression stroke until about 12 o'clock, you wouldn't get to TDC until below 3, which is just what you don't want, I would think. The crankshaft has to rotate 180 degrees between BDC and TDC - and so does the hand crank. Perhaps there is something wrong with my thinking here or maybe my crank is different, especially since it was lengthened by the dealer to accommodate a front snowplow lift when new. I am interested in anyone's thoughts on this.

Rod

Wil