What can I use as a starting handle?

Post by **badfelafel** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:36 pm

I dont have a starting handle but want to turn the engine.

Is there anything I can use instead that I might already have in a toolbox?

Thx all!

Post by **Onne** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:40 pm

A large spanner, or an adjustinator

Post by **badfelafel** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:44 pm

Great! Thanks Onne, that was really quick!

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:33 pm

You should be able to turn it with your hands, especially if you take the spark plugs out first. Or try a long screwdriver in the dogs on the crankshaft pulley bolt.

Post by **dunketh** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 3:03 pm

I know its not a fast solution but they only go for a few quid on ebay... no excuse not to have one.

Post by **badfelafel** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:21 pm

Theres none on ebay! Have been looking for a week now!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:36 pm

Theres none on ebay! Have been looking for a week now!

There's about 8 in my garage...

Removing the pluggs should be a good place to start in case you have a cylinder full of water.

As your engine is siezed, then try moving the car in gear
There was talk of dodgy gearbox (unlikely) but to eliminate that, move the car in gear with the clutch open - that rules out a blocked gearbox.

With the gearbox in 4th and the car moving, releasing the clutch will transfer a decent torque to the engine. If your wheels just lock up, then a starting handle is not going to work either!

If/when the engine is un-siezed, you can turn it over using the fan blade. Normally the fanbelt will slip a little so use the other hand to add more tension to the fanbelt.
I've been using this method on POD as some previous owner has placed the number plate over the starting handle hole

Post by **Willie** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:53 pm

Incredible! The Minor is one of few cars with this extremely useful facility
to use a starting handle, useful for starting with a low battery, adjusting the valve clearances and setting the ignition and they fit the number plate over the hole!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:17 pm

Ray - if you have so many spares - sell one to Barry! I quite like your idea of a cylinder full of water - at least it's not the complete death sentence of a totally seized engine - well worth investigating.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:20 pm

Ray - if you have so many spares - sell one to Barry!

He can have one for free! Unfortunately it's a long way down here to collect.
Based on current performance (mainly due to POD's bad behaviour) It'd take me a few weeks to post it, but that's also an option.

Post by **Packedup** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:45 am

I've got at least one spare, but it's a bit rusty. Could have it for a couple of quid plus p&p, or a fiver plus p&p if I electrolytically derust it and maybe badly slap some chassis black on (I'm a bit addicted to this electric rust removal trick now

).

But for the sake of seeing if the engine turns, yeah, a decent long scredriver will do fine. Making sure of course that if it does turn it can't fire, as it could get a bit messy otherwise...

Post by **badfelafel** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 8:56 am

Thanks everyone for your help! Cant understand why there hasnt been one on ebay... Ray has kindly offered one, so I will soon be a proper Minor owner. All I need now is a hat!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:10 am

A hat ???? Never wear one - except when it's snowing.

Post by **picky** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:39 am

(I'm a bit addicted to this electric rust removal trick now ).

Glad to come across a fellow believer Packedup!! Hardly anyone seems to use this but its really handy...

Post by **JimK** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:16 pm

picky wrote:
(I'm a bit addicted to this electric rust removal trick now ).
Glad to come across a fellow believer Packedup!! Hardly anyone seems to use this but its really handy...

Share the secret? How do you do this?

Post by **picky** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:30 pm

cant find the original link that I had, but this one seems to explain it all http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

basically you use electrolysis to chemically remove rust, by reversing the chemical process of rust in the first place. you attach the negative terminal of a DC power supply (cant use AC!) to the part you want to clean, and then maake some positive electrodes out of some bits of steel that you dont need. (they will corrode badly) then u stick it all in a bucket with water and bicarbonate of soda, switch it on and off you go! the more amps the better. The rust particles end up in the solution which needs replacing after a while.

you have to paint it straigh afterwards though or it will rust really quickly. I did a whole 1275 cylinder block, head and loads of other parts.

Post by **picky** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:48 pm

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

explains it all i think...

Post by **picky** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:48 pm

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

explains it all i think... basically you let the mains do all the hard work removing rusr for you

Post by **Packedup** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:12 pm

picky wrote:http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

explains it all i think... basically you let the mains do all the hard work removing rusr for you

Yep, that link goes into a lot of depth concerning method and science, compared to my article in my sig (now working, or should be!) which is a very short and to the point "Lookee, it worked" one. I'm really very impressed, by far the majority of the work is done by the process, leaving just a bit of finishing to do by hand

Gives a rough idea of before and immediately after

Post by **picky** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:34 pm

Packedup's link gives you what you need to know without having to read pages and pages. have we hijacked this thread now??