Another safety lesson for you all, "Dave" bit me ...

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
7,700
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"Sunny" Plymouth
Well i've finished the wallpadding in the shed to kill a lot of the noise from running the engine, i thought i'd give it a spin (just an excuse to play really, only bolted down to some pieces of 2x4 and no exhaust system fitted).

Oops.

To put it mildly, oops.

In fact i'll spell it out, i'm a total coughing idiot.

You start this engine by cranking a ratcheted handle, it will only pull the engine in one direction, and once the engine picks up speed the driveshaft runs faster than the handle and the ratchet just "freewheels" so you can pull the handle off for safety.

See that last word there? "Safety", i've just learned that it doesn't ALWAYS work that way, sometimes the handle won't slide off the drive shaft.... like i said, oops.

I crank, drop exhaust valve to fire engine, engine fails to start, repeat 10 times. One last time, then i'll sack it until i can put the engine on a few blocks to get it to a more accesable height.

Wish i'd waited. Really wish i'd waited. Really really ..... you get the idea.

Ok, i crank the engine, drop exhuast valve, engine coughs into life, i pull the starting handle off. Sorry, i try to pull of the starting handle, but don't. Either too slow, or it's got a bit of rough rust somewhere along the shaft which is catching.

The handle continues to spin as the engine reaches operating speed. Of one thousand, eight hundred revolutions per minute. And my leg is in the way. My shin to be exact. Oops.

On with the pics, wiefy took most of them after we'd packed my shin with packs of frozen chips and peas. (and she'd stopped laughing at me, i sound quite pathetic when i'm in pain)



legs1.JPG

legs2.JPG

legs3.JPG

legs4.JPG


Can you spot the slight difference between te legs?

I may be waiting until the engine is bolted to a solid concrete base before i start it again.
 
You've put my wounds from last night to shame :p

I'm debating whether to post a picture of mine, as although not that bad there is enough blood for it to have annoyed a few people on another forum :p
 
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We have seen the enemy!

phukit.JPG


Worked out the problem, the cover for the starter has had a knock at some point and it's too close to the ratchet mechanism, forcing the pin to stay in the slot in the driveshaft. Another excuse to play with the lump hammer :D REVENGE! :D
 
Overload said:
Were you holding a packet of screws and nails when you were attacked?

heh, no, that's what i knocked off the side while i was cacking myself trying to get to the decompression level.
 
The mechanism probably needs cleaning and regreasing. Try a graphite grease.

I know a guy who really did break his leg trying to kick start a Maico Alpha 1. Now that's a dangerous engine!
 
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