Yellowbird--how to 'pop start'?

MIK911 · 02-25-2006, 07:47 AM

Just read in Excellence that Yellowbird needed a pop start due to battery drain. It occurred to me that i never pop started a car, and not quite sure of the sequence of how to do it. What are the basics?

1. push car w/ clutch IN, gear in 2nd?
than what?

thanks. hope i never have to use this info

porschenut · 02-25-2006, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MIK911
1. push car w/ clutch IN, gear in 2nd?
than what?

2. Let the clutch out, SLOWLY.

It helps if it's rolling at least 5 mph. The faster the better.

HarryD · 02-25-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MIK911
Just read in Excellence that Yellowbird needed a pop start due to battery drain. It occurred to me that i never pop started a car, and not quite sure of the sequence of how to do it. What are the basics?

1. push car w/ clutch IN, gear in 2nd?
than what?

thanks. hope i never have to use this info

When I was in college, my buddy had an A-H 3000 with a weak battery. He almost always parked at the top of an incline... Occasionally, he needed a bit of help...

How to push start:
1-Put car in Second
2-Push in clutch pedal and hold it in
3-Push car to get it rolling
4-When you are moving pretty well (5+ mph?), release the clutch pedal. Hopefully the momentum will spin the engine and get it to start. BTW, if person(s) are pushing your car, let them know as the car will suddenly slow.

buster73 · buster73's Garage

Works even backwards. Once my old batteries died when the car was parked up a hill. Put it in reverse, let it roll backwards to reach a proper speed and released the clutch. Some onlookers were a bit surprised but it worked great. I guess with FI cars it is more of a gamble.

rick-l · 02-25-2006, 08:19 AM

3rd gear seems to have the best torque/speed trade off for me. You don't have to be easy with the clutch.

On level ground I could singlehandedly get my 1st gen RX-7 rolling, jump in, slam it in gear and take off.

78P930 · 78P930's Garage

Just don't forget to turn the ignition on.

HarryD · 02-25-2006, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 78P930
Just don't forget to turn the ignition on.

Good point. BTDT....

crashmy911 · 02-25-2006, 08:34 AM

I have3 push started my 78sc in a flat parking lot pushing it my self jumping in and poping the clutch. I used first gear.

brittbolen · 02-25-2006, 08:34 AM

I had to do this several times last summer, MFI isn't an issue, did it on flat ground too. I used 2nd gear.

B

buster73 · buster73's Garage

Of course there is the "alternative" method I learned long ago when training for my German military truck drivers license using a VW Thing. You jack up one side of the car, so one of the rear wheels is off the ground. Switch on ignition (if not magnetos), put it in gear and spin the rear wheel (in direction of normal wheel rotation). Looks like starting an airplane engine using the prop. The higher the gear, the easier the wheel is to turn, but the lower the chance to get the engine fired. Works great on a VW in 2nd or 3rd gear. Might be more difficult with larger displacement and high compression engines, but I have to try it one day - should be fun. Not a good idea if you have LSD though.

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

2nd or 3rd gear work better because you meet much less resistance than you would with 1st gear when you release the clutch..and the more resistance from the tranny, the more speed you'll need to spin the engine. i've done it using 1st, but once i learned from experience that it was much easier in 2nd or even 3rd..never again.
ryan

crashmy911 · 02-25-2006, 12:23 PM

Yeah I never thought about putting it in a higher gear that makes sence.

BrokeMyCar · 02-25-2006, 12:42 PM

Folks who do it by yourself... how do you keep the clutch pushed down while you push the car? Am I misunderstanding the method?

brittbolen · 02-25-2006, 12:57 PM

if you do it by yourself you have 2 options

1) park at the top of a hill, then just let out the parking brake with the ignition on, and the car in gear and the clutch pushed to the floor, once you've got some speed, let out the clutch, and voila started.

2) ignition on, car in neutral, start it rolling, jump in, cluch in, select your gear, clutch out, voila starts up.

Britt, roll start expert

BrokeMyCar · 02-25-2006, 01:00 PM

Ahh, thanks for clearing that up!

Babak

silverc4s · silverc4s's Garage

This thread is making me feel old.

In my youth I actually had a car that had to be push started all the time... 54 Ford with a totally trashed ring gear & burnt ot starter...owner with no money = push start, always park on a hill, not too easy in South Florida...

Spede · 02-25-2006, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brittbolen
2) ignition on, car in neutral, start it rolling, jump in, cluch in, select your gear, clutch out, voila starts up.

Britt, roll start expert

Between "clutch out" and "voila starts up," do you need to crank the key to "start?"

oldE · 02-25-2006, 01:49 PM

"Between "clutch out" and "voila starts up," do you need to crank the key to "start?"

No. If the key is 'on' and there is enough 'juice' in your battery to create a spark, the rotation of your engine, gained through the motion of your car with 2nd gear engaged, should be enough to get everything going.
Les

Spede · 02-25-2006, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oldE
"Between "clutch out" and "voila starts up," do you need to crank the key to "start?"

No. If the key is 'on' and there is enough 'juice' in your battery to create a spark, the rotation of your engine, gained through the motion of your car with 2nd gear engaged, should be enough to get everything going.
Les

WOW!! That's like magic!

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

spede..you need to get out more!

ryan