Hand cranking a Model T.

In movies I see people cranking a Model T like they were using a meat grinder. They spin the crank very fast 3 or 4 turns. Is that the way it is done? I've never started a T but that's not how we start our tractors. Just curious.
Dave

Crank tour Model T just like you do your tractor

This brings back memories.

When I was 12, I was hand cranking a Model T farm truck, and slipped in mud and punched out the right headlight. I wound up with 5 stitches in my left little finger. There's still a scar there.

Quoting directly from my Ford Manual published in Detroit, Michigan in 1914: 'How is the engine cranked?' Answer: 'By the lifting of the starting crank at the front of the car. Take hold of the handle and push firmly towards the car till you feel the crank ratchet engage, then lift upward with a quick swing. With a little experience this operation will become an easy matter. Don't, as a usual thing, crank downward against the compression - for then an early explosion may drive the handle vigorously backward. This does not mean, however, that it is not advisable, when the car is hard to start, to occasionally 'spin' the engine by the use of the starting handle - but be sure the spark lever is fully retarded when spinning or cranking the engine against compression, otherwise a sudden back-fire may injure the arm of the operator. When the engine is cool it is advisable to prime the carburetor by pulling on the small wire at the lower left corner of the radiator while giving the engine two or three quarter turns with the cranking handle.'

The magneto is powered by the flywheel magnets. It gets to be hard to start on the magneto.
There is usually a 6 volt starting battery which provides the spark for starting. You don't need to crank so hard then. The battery was like the dry-cell type used in electric fencers. Self-starters came out in 1918, and had a wet-cell battery like others. In the hard times, people couldn't afford new batteries, so they cranked them the old way on the magneto.

My grandfather built a garage with a slight incline by the county road. That way grandmother could start it by rolling it down the road.

Not to change the subject but one of the largest suppliers of Model T parts in the world is selling out near Iola,Kansas on Nov 16-17th...Theres 4 acres of stuff....See the link....I dont know if they are completely quitting?
Model T Haven

My father cranked the old Fordson that way. He kept winding it until it took off. It had the same flywheel magnito as the Model T, but also had a Hot Shot battery to provide spark for starting.

Model T's had a magneto that had magnets on the flywheel. This made for really poor spark when engine was turned over slowly such as hand cranking. SO, the T's had a battery (9 volt I believe). The battery was used for electric feed to magneto for start up. Once running, the battery feed would be shut off. Since this was virtually all the battery was used for, the battery would last a long time. But, they would go dead over time. Some people were not good at keeping a charged battery in the car.
That said, some people may have adapted to incorrect ways of starting to overcome the dead battery issue.
Turning hand crank round and round to start engine on anything is a BAD idea. Just asking for a broken arm, or jaw, or worse.
To make matters worse, everybody has seen Goofy on the cartoons hand crank this way. Well, back in the day, Goofy's audience knew that wasn't the right way. It was comedy added to the cartoon. But fast forward to today, Goofy's audience (who never grew up with hand crank cars) don't realize that that way is a NO NO. They just think that's the way it must of been done. The humor in it just goes right over the top of the heads of a modern day audience.

Regarding the magneto, they are ordinarily pretty sensitive to where a quick lift on the crank is enough to fire a coil. If they are winding on it like a windlass to get enough voltage, there is something wrong with it. Most likely excessive crankshaft end play, the magnets are too far away from the magneto coils. Another cause of hard starting is a greasy/dirty timer. Add a little moisture and voltage leaks will fire any cylinder, not necessarily the one you need to start the engine. I think these neglected ignition components were a substantial contribution to injuries.

Moving to Florida and working on a smaller scale

That is where I bought my 17 Model T.

I only pull up on the crank of mine.
Spinning one will get you hurt.
Richard in NW SC

Good afternoon, all: I have had the understanding that a person was safer if he pulled up on the crank using his left hand. In case the engine popped or backfired, which could spin the crank backwards (violently), the crank would pull out of the person's fingers, and the left hand would be out of the way. If using the right hand, a sudden backward spin could also jerk the crank out of the fingers, but the crank would come around and hit the back of the person's wrist/hand. That's my story (from Dad) and I'm stickin' to it.

Dennis M. in W. Tenn.

If I recall you weren't suppose to wrap thumb around crank. Fingers and thumb all on
same side of crank.

I have told this story before so it might be redundant for some of you. My grandparents were dentists. Across the hall from them was the town doctor, dr Foley. Every so often dr Foley would call my granddad over to help him set an arm broken by a crank. My granddad said he would take his shoe off and sit on the bed beside the patient with his stocking clad foot under the patients arm pit. Then he would grab the patients hand and pull as hard as he could while the doctor squeezed around on the arm until he had it set. And this was back in the good old days.

That is the way I learned it. Ford Wood Bros Combine with industrial engine. My dad had cranked many Model
Ts and As.

I always crank with my right hand.
Thumb on same side as fingers. Never
had any problems, even with the
occasional kick back.
Pulling upward with right arm
crossways in front of me, keeps me
balanced in my stance. I would feel
very awkward and un-balanced if
cranking with left hand.
I wouldn't think being un-balanced
even before a kick back, would be a
good idea. If I was left handed, I
would still crank with my right hand.

Excellent thread!
It only takes a few volts to fire a good T coil. True enough, if wind milling the crank, something isn't right.
Never give the magneto any DC voltage. The Mag-Bat switch will guide you.
The left hand is the cat's meow for cranking, tried it, just ain't comfortable with it. Or that arm is weaker...
Pushing down on any crank is being very trusting of any magneto or ignition timing. I won't but some will say it's asking for trouble.
One of my T's engines is so wore out, only two cylinders have enough compression for starting on the crank.
It's mad at me right now so he's being ignored but he'll live again.
He'd be a breeze to start rolling down my hill. Get rolling a bit, clutch pedal mid-way, move the control handle forward and let the clutch out.
Tractor conversion folks are sunk (db). Not rolling that little bugger to start it. Trucks should be able to, they'll roll.
When I got another T with a self-commencer (starter), I was floored how easy it is to start. Just push the button.
Heck, after fixing it, I wind milled that one just a time or two before I got the starter working.
I'll admit I have started ONE of of my tractors by wind milling too.
Once, just after being belted up and turned over to wake it and lube it.
Generally, keep your head out of the way and pull up.
Great dentist story! A friend managed to get his shoulder out of socket. He and another friend pulled it back into place.
They may have some to drink...

This post was edited by Duey C on 11/12/2021 at 07:24 pm.

(quoted from post at 20:58:39 11/12/21) My dad had cranked many Model
Ts and As.

Click to expand...

So did mine. That's why he had 6 sets of divorce papers among all his documents.

How about 5 each 1.5v cells in series = 7.5 volts?