Not to be confused with my previous question concerning starting a 2CV when hot.

Yesterday I discovered that the crankshaft had these slots like the one on my '58 Ford 800 tractor. HMMM, I knew the early 2CVs used a crank to start the engine but had no idea my model had this feature.

I work at a chemical plant and we feed wood pulp into a machine called a hammermill. Sometimes this machine jams which requires either pressing the emergency stop button or throwing the local disconnect.

Then we use a handle to fit onto the end of the shaft and manually turn it backwards or forwards to unclog the jam. Then walk over to a panel board and restart the motor.

25 years ago, someone coined the term "hot cranking". This is if you are an idiot. You stick the crank onto the shaft about halfway, then once the jam is clear, the motor takes off and then you, pull the crank off.

The problem being is the end of the shaft is square, not slotted like the end of a crankshaft. Needless to say this is against company policy and is highly dangerous. I think someone got smacked up side the head doing this. But I bet it was their last time.

I have not checked but does the jack handle double as the engine crank? I have not seen these for sale. What is the technical name for this? Maybe I'm using the wrong key words.

Is there a good reason? Sort of like for the same reason the US banned lawn darts and Kinder Eggs?

Yeh - it's a "starter handle" and the Jack handle goes into the middle of the fan and you can hand crank it to start - keep your thumb away from going over the bar so as not to break it if it kicks back!

Thanks! After I got off work, I gave it a shot and and sure enough was able to start the car with the jack! Wild that they left this feature on for so many years.

This method would only work on cold starts though!

It's even easier to hot start a 2CV with the starter (jack) handle if the ignition is properly set up.

And that's a whole other story.

Personally I like fitting the 1-2-3 electronic ignition to my 2CVs (partly because moderrn condensers are often cr*p).

Years ago on my same car I didn't have enough money to replace the starter motor, for about a year. Times were hard. The car stayed in service though thanks to the starter handle. I got really good at it, but the off-putting thing was that people stop to watch.
I was very grateful for the feature though.

I'll quite happily crank handle start a Morris Minor (had plenty of experience many moons ago), but after trying to start the 2CV with the starting handle and getting it biting back, I'll bump/jump start it instead,

Older cars had lower compression and in some cases the ignition could be manually retarded which eliminated the kickback.
In my early days of motoring car batteries cost a fiver and only lasted a year or two. Starting the engine on a 2 litre car, which might have cost marginally more than a fiver*, with the handle on a December morning was not uncommon.
Don
*I did buy a small boot Traction for a tenner.

A friend of mine with a 1928 Ford Model A said his car has a hand crank for his car. I asked him if he had ever tried to start it with the hand crank. He said once. I said it kicked back and almost broke his arm!

Forgot to set ignition timing at most retard..? That will explain it kicked back...

As was on 500cc AJS single what my friend has, forgot wich way was less advance and put full advance, tried to kick the engine running and the AJS kicked back. Result, cut his achilles tendon and the ankle was never healed correctly...


And, if points are set correct on 2CV, you cannot rotate the engine as slow it won't start. Started the engine several times with hand, never kicked back. But with near all electronic ignitions, you can't do that, only with "too simple" solutions what are only an electronic version of points (amplifiers, controlled by points or simple HALL-sensor, without any "brains")...

Got 123 fitted to my 2CV, but I think I might have been running it on points and condensor when I tried to start it with the handle. Was over ten years ago, that's for sure, and I haven't had the guts to try again since. Once bitten...