Morris Minor Owners Club

The way I was told/shown and the method used to start the engine using the handle is :
From cold and before switching on the ignition give the engine a few turns on the handle to overcome the oil resistance and get things moving.
Pull out choke and switch on ignition.
Engage the handle again and slowly turn until you're past the bottom of the turn and just before the next compression, you'll feel this easily enough.
DO NOT grip the handle as you normally would with your thumb underneath forming a ring. Try and place your thumb above the grip touching your index finger knuckle (does that make sense?).
Give the handle a sharp pull upwards, if engine doesn't start repeat until it does. It may take a few attempts before sufficient fuel is drawn into the cylinders.
When running don't forget to remove the handle completely and immediately, chances are you will forget it once you have entered the car to push choke in a bit etc.
The risk to your thumb if gripping the handle fully is "kick back" the engine fires but there is insufficient momentum to continue clockwise rotation, it turns rapidly anticlockwise and the handle hits your thumb. I've done it and it's sore!
Obviously the engine should start easier when warm/hot.

that's a very good description of starting on the handle.
Believe or not I once found a man who thought that you
merely turned the handle and it roared into life.....No choke,
no ignition on ......nothing!! The important bit is that all four
fingers AND your thumb should be on the same side of the
handle as stated. I have also read that, in bottom gear, you
can use the handle to 'wind' the car out of a ditch etc but I
don't fancy trying!!
Willie

Great description olonas! Read it, tried it, started it - yippee! She's back in business.....

This is great description of starting the car. One of the first thinks we tryed when we go the car was using the starting handle and it worked first time with out any problems.

I have helped my friend Stuart start a 2CV engine with no battery sitting on a frame with a rope rapped around the front pulley.

On the point about British car. I have just bought a 1973 1275 Morris Marina with no rust or welding that passed an MOT first time and it is doing 40 Miles a day. It's a bit hard to put done a car that cost £150.00 and hasn't had any money spent on it.


James

On the subject of winding out of a ditch...

There was an old B&W film (I honestly cannot remember the title) but it was about a bedford truck which got stuck in a sand dune. The two drivers took the spark plugs out and put it in gear, and then they took hours winding the truck over the sand dune.

Two guys then tried to prove this with an old beatle on a road (which wasn't very steep) didn't take the plugs out, and were exhausted after about 10 metres!


Chris

Ice cold in Alex?

The British thought of everything (a very un-biased comment )

We are a very un-biased race!!

It's great to know how to start the car using the handle - however is there any detrimental affect on the engine, should it only be a temp thing???? (apart from nearly tearing the front bumper off!!!)

Shouldn't think there will be any detrimental effects to the engine, after all you're only substituting for the starter motor. However I would suggest that the handle is only a "get you out of the sewage" device. At some stage in automotive history a handle was the only means of starting (other than a push or roll down a hill - the car I mean!).

Indeed, my 1928 Austin 7 'Chummy' didn't have an electrical
starter just a handle permanently hanging out of the radiator!
You can use the handle as often as you like...it saves wear on
the starter/drain on the battery and keeps you fit!!
Willie

Further thoughts on the starting handle. it is invaluable for
getting the engine to the exact position to set the points
gap, and to align the timing marks for static ignition timing,
AND very useful when you are setting the rocker clearances.
If you haven't got one you are losing these advantages.
Willie

Exactly.

Call me a Philistine, but I got the angle grinder to mine because the socket wouldn't fit, Ahh! the benefits of living on a hill.

Ok, your a Philistine! god help you if you move
Willie

Hmmm....all this talk of starting handles is making me think that I need to put the starting dog on my engine. should be easy enough (famous last words ). Although with my compression 10:1 it will probably break my hand on the first attempt

Ice cold in Alex?

Yes that was it, thanks les



Chris

Ahhhh well cam you have another hand i suppose !