Manual crank for engine?

[tstrand]

I have a 1988, hull number 572, with a Universal M-25XP. The forward end of the crank shaft is splined and very accessible (with the access panels removed), so it seems like it would be easy to slip a hand crank on it in an engine starting emergency. Has anyone tried it? Any thoughts on where to buy a crank? And how would the crank release after the engine fires up? Seems like a helical spline would be better than straight.

Thanks,
Tim

[Jack Hutteball]

Hi Tim,
I have no experience with your M-25XP, but I had a 6 HP single cylinder diesel on my previous 27' boat.  I could hand crank it but it was a lot of work.  I would doubt that you could hand crank a 4 cylinder engine.  Just my opinion.

Jack

[Ron Hill]

Tim : Guess that you're not old enough to have tried hand cranking a Model "A" and had to be very careful of the .kickback.  
If you decide to make a hand crank, make damn sure it has a ratcheting mechanism.
I wouldn't recommend hand cranking, because with an M25XP you have a decompression lever.  If you engage that lever, even with a very low battery the starter will spin the cylinders with no compression.  You will need to preheat with the glow plugs.  Then while the engine is turning, turn the decompression off and the engine (now with compression) should kick in.  A thought.  

[Stu Jackson]

Tim

It would appear that it would be more prudent, and possibly safer, to ensure that your electrical system is up to snuff and you can start your engine properly, rather than depending on the decompression lever (an old C30 "trick") or the shaft.

There's been lots written here about electrical systems, and separate starting batteries.

I'd keep checking the all of the electrical connections regularly, and maintaining your batteries properly, rather than hoping the flywheel would work.

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

Someone else on this board carried one of those automotive emergency jump start packs in his boat.  I thought that was an excellent idea.  They're small, say they have around 450 cranking amps, usually have a cigarette output for running other 12 V accessories and you can throw them in the trunk of your wife's car when you don't have it on the boat.  As far as the hand crank goes, I like the idea of being self sufficient and have toyed with several ideas to get the motor started if everything goes wrong and I think one of these power paks is probably a safe/inexpensive alternative.

[Ron Hill]

In the vain of a backup, that's why most of us have a separate starting battery.  
If all of my house + the starting battery were to fail to start, I'd crank up my Honda and then start the diesel engine that way.  

[tstrand]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I agree that the best policy is making sure the electrical system is in good shape, but if there were a cheap (and small, and lightweight) backup technique available it would be worth carrying. It sounds like the M-25's can be started with a few flashlight batteries as long as you use the compression release, though.

Incidentally the topic came up because I recently had my first "engine won't start" experience while in a somewhat remote anchorage, out of VHF and cell phone coverage areas. It was no real problem; solved by cleaning some connections and using compression release (plus it's a sailboat) , but it got me to thinking more about self-sufficiency and redundant systems.

Thanks again,
Tim

[Stu Jackson]

Tim

Also remember that there is a fuse in a 20 cent plastic fuse holder between your start switch / button and the starter.

Our fuse holder died last summer and the engine wouldn't start.  Spare fuse holder, wiring, connectors and proper tools saved the day and the trip.

Earlier reading of the FAQs and old Mainsheet articles were the only information source to that "hidden" gem - glad I had a few brain cells left (at least back then :)).

[Ken Juul]

Too many years ago to remember I spent the weekend on a friends 27, can't remember the builder.  It had a one or two cylinder Diesel.  Due to a cracked starter housing our only choice was to hand crank.   It was standard equipment for his boat.  As I remember the crank slid over the end of the crankshaft, it had a tooth arrangement on the crank the meshed with teeth on the pully that would only catch in the correct direction to prevent kickback.  An old fashoned pull cord that you have to wrap before each pull might also work.  Ask around some well established engine shops, they all have their "junk" drawers, might be able to fix you up.

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

The Cal 27 had a little "Ferryman" diesel that was supposed to be outfitted with a hand crank.  We looked at one before we bought our previous boat, an Islander 28.  That little Ferryman diesel shook the whole boat when it idled.

I also remember reading an article about a sailboat travelling to Hawaii.  They left the battery switch on "all" and ran all their batteries down to the point that they couldn't crank the engine to recharge them.  They were resourceful though and shut everything off for several hours so the batteries could recover and stabilize a little bit.  They fiddled with the belts on the crankshaft pulley and actually wrapped a leather hold you pants up type belt around the crankshaft pulley.  When the time came, they cranked the engine with the remaining juice while pulling on the leather belt and got the motor started.  Cool story on over coming adversity.