[TR] Hand cranking a Triumph - was TR3A radiator re-core

[Terry Geiger]

I feel like such a whimp with my TR6 with my 
shiney-dime-store-gear-reduction starter.

Ford Model A's had a stem on the streering column that allowed you to retard 
the timing to allow easier starting by hand.  Once you had the engine 
running you would move the lever to advance the timing back to normal 
position in order to get power out of the engine.

Terry Geiger
www.GeigerGarage.com


> I have hand cranked my TR3 (mostly as a parlor trick at car shows) which 
> got
> me to thinking about the safety issues.  To me the big problem is due to 
> the
> fact that the timing is set before TDC.  If the spark ignites the fuel 
> BTDC the
> engine can run backwards for half a turn or so.  And it will do so with a 
> lot
> of force.