Can I do this with my engine and the starter?

As the engine sit here out of the car,



Is it possible and if so, safe to connect the starter to a battery to turn the engine over to see if everything is moving correctly up top? If so, how would I do it?

Paul

Sit it on wood blocks under the edge of the pan or hook you lift to the top so it can't tip over and you're good to go ahead and run it by the starter.

Absolutely! In fact, it you want to take the time to hang the carbs and the exhaust manifold on it and fill the float chambers with gasoline you can start the thing and let it run for a half a minute or so just sitting there. Noisy and a bit scary the first time you do it but it is certainly possible.

Jack

i dont see why you cant ......ive watched John Twist do it on some of his videos on youtube, he has a barell full of water hooked up for the coolant and a hose hooked up to the exhaust and a small lawn mower gas tank to gravity feed the carbs with some blocks of wood to steady the motor...all you need is a battery to power the coil and dizzy and starter

Thanks John. So, the Neg. on the small male tab and pos on the top bolt on the starter? I can't remember since it has been a while.

go to youtube and search universitymotorstld and find one of Johns vids he does it with a couple motors on there

Now you guys are making it a BIG test. :)

brian70mgb Wrote:

I was thinking the same thing.. Here it is, a TC engine test at University Motors.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvMlSrleLS0

Norm

Negative on the engine anywhere. Positive to big stud on starter. Bridge from big stud to the little tab with a screwdriver or something to activate the starter.

if all he wants to see is if everything is moving correctly on top why not just turn the engine with a socket. will do a lot less damage if everything is not moving ok. zero chance of starting a fire.

gooser Wrote:

Besides that the oil pump can't prime and squirt oil all over that garage if you turn it by hand. I was lookiing forward to a post about that.

Or blowing the rear welch plug just after getting everything running well.

I really can't go along with the idea of starting an engine that isn't bolted down. If the throttles open even a little, the torque will send a 300+ lb engine dancing around the garage. If you want to start it, build an engine stand.

With the plugs out you would easily spin it fast enough with the starter (or even a drill on the crankshaft bolt - might be hard on the drill, though) to prime the engine. Most of us do it that way when we put the engine back in the car.

It's a pity you're not closer, I planned to do this and even built the stand to suit. Turned out that the engine was so crap that I ended up doing a complete rebuild.
The engine stand was handy while I attached the gearbox and other bits but I never ended up using the stand to run the motor. After the rebuild and assembly I put it back in the car and it's first run was from there.
There is a thread about July last year when I asked the same question if you want to go looking.
But now the stand is just taking up space along with the rotisserie and the other engine stand.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n255/sweep_2006/Engine%20stand/



Chris

more than just a few seconds without water jacket, though, and you risk real damage. I ruined a Datsun 1300 engine that way in less than 2 minutes. rig a water feed (a barrel plumbed to the bottom hose and then the top hose back to the barrel)

and the ground will be important..grounding the engine.

sweep Wrote:

Lamb-Man Wrote:

ingoldsb Wrote:

I'm guessing by the pics you have a digital camera, so by all means video record your experience for us! :)

Ummmm..

Thanks for all the responses, but... I am NOT going to start it. All I want to do is have it spin faster then I can spin it via a ratchet and socket.
Working for three days so it will wait 'till the weekend.

Paul

KLUTZ Wrote:

I dare you. DO IT, DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!!

WHO YOU CALLIN' CHICKEN????????

:X

:D


I would have to put ALL the crap back on it to do that. Don't suggest starting it again. :)

You're going to have to put it all back on at some point anyway, and it's a lot easier with the engine out of the car. :)

Please note, I did not actually suggest starting it. :D

Ryan Reis Wrote:

Maybe I will lug it down to Ancaster in a few weeks, and we can giver her a go then. :)
Of course, it would have to take up Mary's seat in the "B"

Paul

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I seem to remember someone posting a pic on here a few years ago of an mg engine in the passenger seat of his corvette.

I gotta get mine back together 'cause I wanna do it too!!!

I used to run Beetle engines on the floor all the time, their centre of gravity is a little lower but they never showed any signs of moving even when revved.