✅Click here for a new starter ➜ amzn.to/2KrchLS For more videos like this, check out: 👉Generator Playlist ➜ ruclips.net/p/PLhORnVQxJe0XIIn22DGy0H356wVhXj2qq 👉How To Winterize A Lawn Mower, Generator, Pressure Washer, Etc. ➜ ruclips.net/video/qccdo2UMMsE/видео.html 👉How To Adjust Or Set The Valves On A Honda GC Engine ➜ ruclips.net/video/2bftAa9H8NA/видео.html 👉How to Adjust the Valves on a Stihl 4-Mix WeedEater ➜ ruclips.net/video/jAylJAcF-iA/видео.html 👉WOW! Hidden Greasing Spot On A Chain Saw ➜ ruclips.net/video/RdrAqpF3Pk8/видео.html You can connect with Steve here too: ✅Visit Steve’s WEBSITE ➜ www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/ ✅Visit Steve’s PARTS & TOOL STORE ➜ www.amazon.com/shop/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on FACEBOOK ➜ facebook.com/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on INSTAGRAM ➜ instagram.com/stevessmallenginesaloon/ ✅Follow Steve on TWITTER ➜ twitter.com/SteveSaloon
If you are worried about the kickback get a breaker bar ratcheting adapter and put it on your drill so it can free spin the other way once started, that way you can remove it without kickback
you are absolutely correct....a ratcheting adaptor works perfectly for this trick, no kick back at all !! but, remember, if the stud breaks in the block, you're in for a lot of work fixing it, so always use a drill, do not use an impact/driver, that will snap it off! even a drill could snap it. Sooooo do this at your own peril!
Funny enough the shaft inside my Milwaukee drill broke from the kick of starting my generator with it. Now the head of the drill starts to unscrew if I'm not quick enough about pulling it off when the geny starts up. My drill is now a dedicated generator starter with a safety feature built into it. lol
Find a hill to roll off and bump start in 2nd gear no throttle unless its a two stroke drop the clutch. If you manage to pull a wheelie all the better for getting more fuel into the carby let me know how you went. Aussie Jeff
project farm does this in every one of his lawnmower videos but he uses a corded drill that doesn't stop dead when you lay off the trigger and also i don't think he lets off the trigger until after he's pulled off, he explained it once and i'm pretty sure he said it was risky but some of those engines are getting weird fuels(for science) that don't always want to start
I used my corded drill to troubleshoot my pressure washer. It fired & twisted off the chuck shaft, darn near tore off my hand. After some thought I bought a ratchet for a breaker bar on Amazon. 1/2" socket driver for a drill chuck. Used drill with ratchet, same thing happened. The ratchet changed direction while cranking & locked up. SO, I took the ratchet apart, J B welded it so ratchet wouldn't change direction. Use it all the time to start pressure washer (it has no starter), put a shield over the flywheel, just a hole for socket. The ratchet allows the engine to overrun the drill (*L*)
His first error is to use a drill in first gear. A quick search seems to be a 600/2000RPM drill. Since he was in first gear, it was the 600RPM. The engine turn at 3600RPM and possibly faster initially... There is absolutelly no way for the drill to accelerate to 3600RPM while in first gear. If he had used a more powerfull drill in highest gear, it could have been accelerated to the engine speed. Project farm use a wired drill that is quite more powerfull, so is able to go in high gear (well iirc there is no gears, so always in high) which probably match more the engine speed anyway. Also, his drill do not brake when you release the trigger, unlike this dewalt one.
Thanks for the video, I use a large rubber bushing and press it against the shaft. If you do that there is not a direct connection. This is a lot safer and works great.
Hi Steve, You are correct, that a drill by itself will end badly with a damaged thumb- much like the old hand start cars from years ago. However, as the commenter below "Rhino and Coleslaw" remarked if you have a ratchet device or "one way bearing" between the drive of the drill and the socket that starts the generator, you won't experience the damage to your thumb. I have a setup with a one way bearing (sprag clutch) that allows me to start my model airplanes and helicopters without this issue. The trick, is finding the "ratchet" or one way bearing that allows the drill to drive in just the start direction and lets it "slip" once the motor starts.
I did this after I saw a mechanic on RUclips do it. The engine has a five pound flywheel on it and it fired three licks on only a tiny amount of carb cleaner. The tapered cone of the flywheel ran off and took a bounce and ripped my skin right off my finger to the bone. I could send you a picture of it if you want to lose your lunch.. one full month for the wound to close. I saw Bruce from Canada do it with just one hand Mustie1 often turns old motors like this without the spark plugs and installed when the engines have not run for a while Thanks for showing this. You reach many more people than I could I'm a lifetime
So you tried to start an engine with a cracked flywheel assembly? Sounds like you shouldn't be working on engines at all. Don't blame the tool for operator error.
@@almosthuman4457 Flywheel was not cracked. I used a Bosch drill motor that turns two thousand rpm. Do what you want because you have all the skillsets to never get injured. I'm in awe of you and will take your advice and never work on another small engine
I’ve always used this technique. I’ve had this generator now for 9 years and the pull start has been broken for 1 year. But ever since watching this video I don’t dare to do it anymore so I just bought a new pull starter assembly. Thanks for the tip.
Back in the late 70's, you could buy a tapered cup you installed on the flywheel and a matching rubber cone that you put in your drlll that drove it. It probably didnt kick like a socket does but it didn't stick around long either.
I have to do this. I just don’t have the strength to pull start. However. I use extension bits. The clutch on my drill so it doesn’t spin my drill and wrist. I also have a loose grip on the drill. And lean back. But it’s still an accident waiting to happen but I don’t have a choice.
I just started watching Steve's show and i think he makes small engine repairs seem not so tough to try. Makes everything seem it's as easy as having a couple of cold beers .
That notch in the starter bell washer is for rope starting. Hook the the knotted end of a rope in the notch and wind in the correct direction then pull. My first old school mower didn’t have a recoil starter! Install a large rubber plug that fits the bell washer on a shank and use friction to start the motor. Crank start engines had a crankshaft nut with hooked ramps that cammed the hand crank pin out when the motor started. This is how the term cranky entered our language.
Another thing that's bad news is using an impact wrench to try to start a small engine . It can, and usually will, wring off the nut and the end of your crankshaft
Oddly enough I used this method a couple of years ago (trying to get my lawnmower to start) and soon realised this risk. My solution though was to buy a socket with a built in ratchet which reduced the risk considerably.
I just had that same thought of the socket with a built in ratchet, and also had another idea, an old ratchet that you can weld a shank from a broke drill bit to(the side facing you)....it would require a certain type of ratchet I've got a couple, a Husky and a Greatneck....and I don't know if a drill bit shank is weldable, or too hardened....the ratchet would give another point to hold on to. mitis.shop
If you can come across an old bicycle sprocket that used a petal brake rather than the squeezy bits, those are a one way deal and will free spin when it starts.. you could also use the same thing with an elrctric motor strong enough to turn the engine over and it would act as a home made starter.. but i dunno how long the bearings in the bicycle would last running at a gas motor speec but id guess quite a. While seeing as how many bike to motor bike converdions you see...
A tip that may work - set the clutch on the drill so that it will be enough torque to turn the engine over but not so much that it will rip the drill out of your hand once it disengages.
I start my gas water pump with a drill. As others have mentioned, you have to keep the drill running (pull it off at the right time) or have a ratchet to prevent the drill from locking up because it’s spinning slower than motor as it comes up to speed. In my case, the nut on the end of the crankshaft came loose because I let go of the drill trigger too soon and the slower turning socket had the effect of loosening the nut. When the nut flew off the shaft, it destroyed the plastic cooling fan. I replaced the fan and put some Permatex Red on the threads and the nut has not loosened off since. I removed the recoil starter from the housing, drilled a one inch hole in the centre of the housing and remounted it on the pump. I use a 12mm deep socket that extends past the hole so it can’t fly off inside the housing. Works great...the pump was a hard start in the cold of spring when we get some flooding in the yard...now it starts easily.
It's all about how strong the drill your using is and if your trying to start something with too much compression I tryed starting a riding mower with a DeWalt drill and it wouldn't spin the motor but for my push mower it works great
There is a ratchet adapter that I use on a breaker bar that can be adapted to fit on a drill that works very well to start engines. Maybe a video showing this type of set up would be very helpful.
I have made up a socket set-up that works like the driver starter's for high pro racing engines where they use the external starter to turn the crank shaft, my socket can only go one way and when the engine catches it will free spin with the engine, and dose not stop abruptly like yours did, but will free spin.
I made a slip socket so it comes off once it starts. Been using it for years. But your right. Thats why i made my tool for this. If you think about it you will be able to make one. Really easy
Ive seen drill starts done on other youtube videos, but i thought it might kick back or start then break a finger or two. So i never tried it. Thank you for the heads up on safely emergency starting.
Thanks for showing this. I actually saw your other video first and was going to suggest the drill idea. I've not done it but appreciate the safety tip. I suspect you used a standard drill and that some of these hi torque drivers should be able to do it just fine, but good to know of safety.
Their is a safety trick to starting your lawn mower, generator, snow blower this way.....and it can be done safely!. Make sure the clutch on your cordless drill is not locked and set to a number only high enough to overcome the compression. Also make sure your cordless drills clutch will work similarly in both directions (this is actually the most important thing). The worst thing that can possibly go wrong is the socket sticking to the nut, but that is not a big problem.
I've never had a pull cord on my mower and as suggested in other comments if you have a violent brake don't let go of the trigger until you pull it off. One warning would be don't use your best drill! I use old dewalts as I have loads. Motor can get very hot and I've ruined one gearbox.
I believe that the threads on the flYwhell shaft are left hand threads ! Not totally sure on that for a generator , but I know it is left handed threads on my chain saws
Oh Man! I just asked your opinion about this yesterday (I think). I came back to watch more videos and found this one. I don't think I'll be trying this at home. Thanks for this vid!!
Most cordless drills have an auto brake feature that locks drill when trigger is let off for the purpose of preventing screws from being stripped out after screw is completely screwed in. The kickback is the momentum from the generator running while drill brake engages so your hand and wrist becomes the shock absorber.
First, let me say thank you. I enjoy your videos. The content length and humor are great. Do you have a video on best way to clean old gas tank? Thanks Justin from Las Vegas
Steve a tricky one but perhaps in a life threatening situation perhaps someone would have to resort to this method, but you did the right thing by far by pointing out the pitfalls and dangers of this action ( somerset mike).
Back in the day when we used to handcrank start the old McCormick tractor my Grandpa always told me to keep all your fingers on one side of the handle including your thumb or your going to break something If the engine backfires or engine pressure kicks back. The tractor shaft and handle had tapered engagement slots to push the handle out of the way when started but it was still a dangerous situation. If you have no choice, keep all your digits around one side of the handle so that the torque will throw the crank (drill) out of your hand instead of driving it into the palm of your hand. Or better still, just listen to Steve. That is why we are all here for. Right? Darn fool kids!
My Grandpa knocked his teeth out when he was 20 years old. He was starting a tractor with a crank and it backfired. Cought him right in the mouth and knocked almost all of his teeth out. He has had dentures ever since.
Jason Busch - I fully understand and sympathize with your Grandpa. Those were days of extreme DYI because it was the only option. Tougher than the rest, but showing us the path to a better way. Let’s hope we listen and pass on the family wisdom without losing eyes, limbs, or teeth. Cheers to Steve for alerting those without wise old Grampa’s, Dad’s, Uncle’s, and older brothers. Raise a glass and plot out tomorrow’s chores safely.
The problem is the brake in the drill. When you let go of the trigger the drill has an internal brake, this may also spin the nut off the crankshaft when the drill stops. An electric 1/2" drill without the brake would likely work with mush less chance of locking up or spinning off the nut. I raced go karts for years and we used an engine starter with a battery to start 4 stroke engine by using a socket on the ratchet device on the older Briggs. On two stroke engines it was no problem we used the starter directly on the shaft with a special deeper nut with a set screw in the nut and jammed into the shaft.
Steve, when are you going to get around to zero turn mowers, that are the rage now. I'm retired but still work part time at a 600 acre abbey repairing farm, but mostly lawn equipment, the sisters have three zero turn mowers .
I'm really glad you brought this up. Come to think of it newer drills with "one hand" keyless chucks have a sprag clutch to lock their arbor, this is what allows bits to be safely loaded with only one hand on the chuck. If they're overrun the chuck will lock... things could get real violent form there. Thanks for posting you may have saved me a broken wrist!
sir you are right the kick back is a mother trukcer. I used to have a 3hp engine that kicked back hard and it ripped the pull cord out of the handle and i was hurting. Heres one way to make it a electric start is get a slip clutch so it would not destroy the housing or what is ever around it. Like the ones on a 10 speed bike our mountain bike maybe a old dirt bike may have the right parts
Never use an impact wrench (nut smacker) fot this. I tried it and it worked a couple of times but then I stripped the woodruff key that keeps the flywheel in the right place. The hole in the flywheel was so mangled that I couldn't even see where the key had been so the whole weed eater was scrap. The key doesn't like the hammering force from the impact wrench.
Hi Steve, thanks for the video. I’ve got the same generator you’ve got on the bench but when I try and start it , it kicked back and damages the pull starter. I can get it going with the electric start but it kicked back on that and the stater motor seems to be under strain. Any ideas? I’m thinking timing but don’t know where to start with thar. Thanks in advance, Tim from the UK.
Lol. You need a one way clutch. Like an old crank shaft twist handle start. Better yet. Scrap an old starting motor keep the bendex drive and pinion gear on the shaft from the motor. Take everything off the shaft machine the shaft under 1/2". Then make a hole in the flywheel guard to pass the bendex drive through to make with the engines ring gear. Great tip. Good job.
The reason you get that kickback may be because your cordless drill has the instant stop . Meaning it actually reverses the polarity on the DC motor to stop when the trigger is released. Then with the inertia from the flywheel /rotating assembly/ and the stator suddenly attempting to be stopped by a 2 lb drill that energy is then continued on torqueing the drill in your hand.
I have 240 volt drill for starting all my mowers, I can't start small engines by hand anymore my shoulders are still strong but won't allow rapid movements and an older style cordless drill with 20v battery only for the generator.
I remember trying to hand crank a British Ford 4 cylinder motor . I got it to fire once . I went to the store and bought a new battery . This was in Florida .
Steve, what can you recommend to start a a small 1.6 KW Yamaha EF2000is inverter generator with compression unload? I dropped a tablespoon of motor oil in the combustion chamber and turned the crank to the valve closed position. When it comes time to start after its been setup like this for storage, the starter rope is really hard to pull. How can I unload the oil in the combustion chamber to make it easier to start?
It's safe if done right, like this preferably with another person helping: Spin it up with the drill, person helping flicks the ignition switch as you pull the drill off. Easy, safe. You -can- do it all yourself, but really shouldn't be holding the drill with one hand just in case.
I’ve turned my outboard on like this. It actually saved my behind a few times. I found that the trick to turning it over is to spin it with the drill then pull the drill off the nut so it doesn’t kick back.
Thanks, i would have forgot all about the new drills stopping with a brake, and yep, breaking a finger, wrist or hand. Thanks for the warning! I was just getting my gen ready for a winter emergency! Just bled and refuelled with a 1 litre of engineered 4 cyl fuel, & if I need it, it will start and i can add some fresh premium. (Thanks again for that video too!)
I get a lot of redmax backpack blowers from the scrapyard and they are sometimes missing the recoil so I start them with my drill until I get a new recoil from China. I always keep the drill running until I pull away from the flywheel
Model airplane flyers used a 12 volt hand held starter motor (geared) with a rubber cup inside an aluminum fitting to spin the engine's propeller. This worked safely, but left a ring on the model's spinner (if it had one). Model helicopters first used a belt that would fit onto the aluminum fitting just mentioned. This provided a real headache for starting the engine. Later, model helicopters used a female hex fitting driven from a male hex fitting on the hand held starter, but the starter had a one-way bearing driving the hex fitting. This worked well, and had a good safety record. Witout a fitting that can spin freely when the engine starts, you run a real risk of injury. Models used engines from 1/10 HP up to 5 HP (roughly). A generator can have anything up to 12 HP (roughly). Using something like a one way bearing makes normal starts fairly safe, but does not address a kickback on a starting attempt.
I tried to start my snow blower this way . My cordless drill wouldn't turn it over so I got my corded 1/2" drive Millwauki on it. Hanging on with both hands I hit the trigger & it fired a few times, the thing was running faster than the drill motor, this caused the nut to come off in the socket then the fly wheel came off and was spinning around in the fan housing. I gave up at that point. NOT recommended by me. Love you'r show Steve, you are the best.
I've never had to use that method, same risk I assume as hand crank an old Model T. I watch a lot of Mustie1 repair videos and he uses that technique on stubborn engines. Some of the posters here mentioned modern drills that include a break. Doubt how much of an effect that has. Even without a drill brake if the engine kicks back in the opposite direction the drill is going it is going to rip it out of your hand. I wimped out and got electric start on our backup generator. If does have a recoil starter as a backup.
You can RAP not tie a rope around the silver cup adapter for the pull starter . I think there is a Enoch for the end of the rope . Rap the rope around the cup so it slips off at the end , make sure when you pull the rope the engine turns in the right direction and it is turned ON .OR set your drill clutch to a lower setting ? I learn a lot from your videos , thanks i won't brake my thumb .
That idea came from RC car starting idea, however RC nitro engine electric starters have a reversing clutch once the RC engine starts. Yikes never direct drive start a small internal combustion engine with an electric drill, you'll snap you wrist in a heartbeat. Learned this back in the 80s and they had the cordless Makita drills back then.
Somebody ought to market a device for doing that. Maybe it would contain something like a centrifugal clutch that works in reverse releasing torque past a certain RPM when the engine fires. That way you could just take your sweet time in pulling it away from the engine. I think they use a handheld starter device with that function when cranking up a fuel dragster. Imagine one of those jerking something out of your hand.
Years ago had a push mower I could't get the pull start parts for, took a brand new 1/2 inch corded Sears drill to start with a socket on flywheel and it worked ok untill motor backfired one time and sheared all the teeth off the gears in the drill. Lesson learned.
Steve how do you take the plastic fan wheel and fly wheel off a stihl BG86 leaf blower? Mine’s locked up and I wanted to open the engine and see what was going on. By the way, stay awesome.
Works just fine as long as you use a 1/4” hex drive. The retention notch will fail at about 10 ft lbs which is way less than what it would take to break your wrist.
Is there an easy mod to make this work? If the socket was just on the edge of the nut maybe? Turn down the resistance on the drill to just high enough where it cranks the engine but slips when it starts?
You need a ratchet adapter that will to start locked in one direction to spin engine and free spin opposite way and allow you to safely pull your drill away. A lot of You Tube videos doing it safer.
Steve did you really try that? I can't believe you actually tried that. No, I did not suggest it. Power drills have more power than you think. Short story: On the job one day, and this guy from another crew ( newbie or I don't know what ) was holding on to the drill like most unaware folks would. Problem is this drill is about 2' in length and had a 3' long bit on it. To make matter worse he was on a ladder. The job was an old red brick building. Buildings such as this one was pure brick, it was not a facade. The wall was about 4' thick of all red brick. The bit at some point hooked on something (sometimes a cavity or mortar etc) and of course the drill bit stopped dead. When this happens the drill motor doesn't stop, and turns opposite bit direction. If you have a wrapped death grip on a drill motor when its bit suddenly stops and you don't have a hold of the motor in such a way to allow it to slip through your hands it will break usually your the wrist. I tell you what when this guys wrist broke it sang out with a crack louder than his scream.
The guy on Project Farm starts almost all his test engines with a drill and apparently he's never been hurt. I've done it and not been hurt. Hundreds or thousands of people have done it without being hurt. Maybe it's just you. My guess is that you're releasing the trigger while the socket is still engaged. Keep the trigger pulled and pull the socket away when it starts.
Definatly but I thought that the idea was that when the engine kicks in, it will move much faster that the drill and over run it, is this why the guys say adjust the torch, (clutch) ? I would think then the torch for starting it wouldn't be their, also. I got a nice new brushless makita, and was amazed and pissed that the chuck came off a small bit when I drilled through metal and went to reverse it to clear out the hole. Just f ing pulled right off the damn but. Am I not setting something g right?
@@ryanb1874 I just realized why it kicked so hard, he's using a brushless drill. A brushless will stop hard when you release the trigger, and it probably won't let the engine overspeed it so it'll get yanked when the engine starts. A standard brushed drill motor will overrun pretty easily so it's easy to pull the drill off when the engine starts, and if you release the trigger while spinning a non-running engine it'll keep spinning until the engine stops. As for your chuck coming loose, my guess is that they didn't tighten the screw properly. Open the jaws and you should see a screw down in there.
Glad I saw this video a few months ago, I started to do this with that honda I tossed and this video started ringing in my ears so I put the drill down!
I must admit I use the drill a lot its not good for the drill but Iv probably done more damage to my self pulling and pulling at a pull cord specially with temperamental stuff or a engine that has been sitting awhile.
Even trying to crank handle start a old tractor or car is a painful job if you don't get ready for that moment the engine fires up. Many people who used to own old 1940's Fordson tractors said that there was a way of anticipating when they would start as the starting handle usually did what your drill did and hurt their wrist or hands.
Definitely it's not safe! Some guys do it in certain way like corded electric drill and keep pressing the switch till the drill pulls out. It's like starting a old stationary engine. And in that video which you have shown now, the engine you are trying , seems like it needs valve gap adjustments, by sound I feel like so. If the automatic pressure release is not functioning, the kick back will be unimaginable makes the situation worst. All the best my friend. I will keep watching your videos.
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For more videos like this, check out:
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👉How to Adjust the Valves on a Stihl 4-Mix WeedEater ➜ ruclips.net/video/jAylJAcF-iA/видео.html
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If you are worried about the kickback get a breaker bar ratcheting adapter and put it on your drill so it can free spin the other way once started, that way you can remove it without kickback
🤣
you are absolutely correct....a ratcheting adaptor works perfectly for this trick, no kick back at all !! but, remember, if the stud breaks in the block, you're in for a lot of work fixing it, so always use a drill, do not use an impact/driver, that will snap it off! even a drill could snap it. Sooooo do this at your own peril!
@@frank9649hi, can I use a drill to start a chainsaw?
How would this work? If it kicks back it’s still going to break your wrist.
Funny enough the shaft inside my Milwaukee drill broke from the kick of starting my generator with it. Now the head of the drill starts to unscrew if I'm not quick enough about pulling it off when the geny starts up. My drill is now a dedicated generator starter with a safety feature built into it. lol
I tried push starting my generator and it didn't work, just ended up scratching the paint off the bottom as I pushed it on the ground ...
Try bump starting it bump in too it a couple of times it should start 😋
Yeah, one time I had trouble and so I kick started the crap out of it and now it leaks gas?
Put it in second gear and Pop the clutch...
@@conner5611 I'm thinking ... put in a C130 and drop it on China.
Find a hill to roll off and bump start in 2nd gear no throttle unless its a two stroke drop the clutch. If you manage to pull a wheelie all the better for getting more fuel into the carby let me know how you went. Aussie Jeff
project farm does this in every one of his lawnmower videos but he uses a corded drill that doesn't stop dead when you lay off the trigger and also i don't think he lets off the trigger until after he's pulled off, he explained it once and i'm pretty sure he said it was risky but some of those engines are getting weird fuels(for science) that don't always want to start
Kyle Hodgkinson yup what I came here to say !
Yup, didn't see this comment before posting my own.
Many cordless drills actually shorts the motor when you release the button fully and that's what causes this problem.
I used my corded drill to troubleshoot my pressure washer. It fired & twisted off the chuck shaft, darn near tore off my hand. After some thought I bought a ratchet for a breaker bar on Amazon. 1/2" socket driver for a drill chuck. Used drill with ratchet, same thing happened. The ratchet changed direction while cranking & locked up. SO, I took the ratchet apart, J B welded it so ratchet wouldn't change direction. Use it all the time to start pressure washer (it has no starter), put a shield over the flywheel, just a hole for socket.
The ratchet allows the engine to overrun the drill (*L*)
His first error is to use a drill in first gear. A quick search seems to be a 600/2000RPM drill. Since he was in first gear, it was the 600RPM. The engine turn at 3600RPM and possibly faster initially... There is absolutelly no way for the drill to accelerate to 3600RPM while in first gear. If he had used a more powerfull drill in highest gear, it could have been accelerated to the engine speed.
Project farm use a wired drill that is quite more powerfull, so is able to go in high gear (well iirc there is no gears, so always in high) which probably match more the engine speed anyway.
Also, his drill do not brake when you release the trigger, unlike this dewalt one.
Thanks for the video, I use a large rubber bushing and press it against the shaft. If you do that there is not a direct connection. This is a lot safer and works great.
Therein lies the difference between dangerous and genius! Good thinking!!!
Hi Steve,
You are correct, that a drill by itself will end badly with a damaged thumb- much like the old hand start cars from years ago. However, as the commenter below "Rhino and Coleslaw" remarked if you have a ratchet device or "one way bearing" between the drive of the drill and the socket that starts the generator, you won't experience the damage to your thumb. I have a setup with a one way bearing (sprag clutch) that allows me to start my model airplanes and helicopters without this issue. The trick, is finding the "ratchet" or one way bearing that allows the drill to drive in just the start direction and lets it "slip" once the motor starts.
You keep holding the trigger on the drill as you take it off the engine it doesn't hurt me that's my opinion
Feel like a ninja could since it and back off quick enough
That's what I do, but sometimes still gets me a bit and hurts, I also stick a nut in the socket so not so deep and comes away quicker.
I did this after I saw a mechanic on RUclips do it. The engine has a five pound flywheel on it and it fired three licks on only a tiny amount of carb cleaner. The tapered cone of the flywheel ran off and took a bounce and ripped my skin right off my finger to the bone. I could send you a picture of it if you want to lose your lunch.. one full month for the wound to close. I saw Bruce from Canada do it with just one hand
Mustie1 often turns old motors like this without the spark plugs and installed when the engines have not run for a while
Thanks for showing this. You reach many more people than I could I'm a lifetime
So you tried to start an engine with a cracked flywheel assembly? Sounds like you shouldn't be working on engines at all. Don't blame the tool for operator error.
@@almosthuman4457 Flywheel was not cracked. I used a Bosch drill motor that turns two thousand rpm. Do what you want because you have all the skillsets to never get injured. I'm in awe of you and will take your advice and never work on another small engine
I’ve always used this technique. I’ve had this generator now for 9 years and the pull start has been broken for 1 year. But ever since watching this video I don’t dare to do it anymore so I just bought a new pull starter assembly. Thanks for the tip.
You're Welcome...
Dude! I’m old enough to remember when every small engine had the notch and nothing else! Keep on keeping on!
What about the hand crank ? Wind it up and ....nothing . Do it again and again and again .......
Back in the late 70's, you could buy a tapered cup you installed on the flywheel and a matching rubber cone that you put in your drlll that drove it. It probably didnt kick like a socket does but it didn't stick around long either.
I have to do this. I just don’t have the strength to pull start. However. I use extension bits. The clutch on my drill so it doesn’t spin my drill and wrist. I also have a loose grip on the drill. And lean back. But it’s still an accident waiting to happen but I don’t have a choice.
I have that as well but I put a free spin one directional gear on the end of the drill and it works great to stop that kick back
I just started watching Steve's show and i think he makes small engine repairs seem not so tough to try. Makes everything seem it's as easy as having a couple of cold beers .
Right on Vic! Thank You...
That notch in the starter bell washer is for rope starting. Hook the the knotted end of a rope in the notch and wind in the correct direction then pull. My first old school mower didn’t have a recoil starter! Install a large rubber plug that fits the bell washer on a shank and use friction to start the motor. Crank start engines had a crankshaft nut with hooked ramps that cammed the hand crank pin out when the motor started. This is how the term cranky entered our language.
Another thing that's bad news is using an impact wrench to try to start a small engine . It can, and usually will, wring off the nut and the end of your crankshaft
it snap the crank in half all together, I've seen guys do this on weed whips. snaps the crank right at the rod journal
If you use a air drill it will free wheel when started.
Good idea man
Will try that with mine cheers
Well fellas? Did it work?
If I got air, I got power, which means I don't need the generator :D
Oddly enough I used this method a couple of years ago (trying to get my lawnmower to start) and soon realised this risk. My solution though was to buy a socket with a built in ratchet which reduced the risk considerably.
I just had that same thought of the socket with a built in ratchet, and also had another idea, an old ratchet that you can weld a shank from a broke drill bit to(the side facing you)....it would require a certain type of ratchet I've got a couple, a Husky and a Greatneck....and I don't know if a drill bit shank is weldable, or too hardened....the ratchet would give another point to hold on to. mitis.shop
If you can come across an old bicycle sprocket that used a petal brake rather than the squeezy bits, those are a one way deal and will free spin when it starts.. you could also use the same thing with an elrctric motor strong enough to turn the engine over and it would act as a home made starter.. but i dunno how long the bearings in the bicycle would last running at a gas motor speec but id guess quite a. While seeing as how many bike to motor bike converdions you see...
weak hands weak wrists
A tip that may work - set the clutch on the drill so that it will be enough torque to turn the engine over but not so much that it will rip the drill out of your hand once it disengages.
I liked the idea of the drill to turn over the engine for my outboards,I get tired of pulling the rope,when I’m working on them.
I start my gas water pump with a drill. As others have mentioned, you have to keep the drill running (pull it off at the right time) or have a ratchet to prevent the drill from locking up because it’s spinning slower than motor as it comes up to speed. In my case, the nut on the end of the crankshaft came loose because I let go of the drill trigger too soon and the slower turning socket had the effect of loosening the nut. When the nut flew off the shaft, it destroyed the plastic cooling fan. I replaced the fan and put some Permatex Red on the threads and the nut has not loosened off since. I removed the recoil starter from the housing, drilled a one inch hole in the centre of the housing and remounted it on the pump. I use a 12mm deep socket that extends past the hole so it can’t fly off inside the housing. Works great...the pump was a hard start in the cold of spring when we get some flooding in the yard...now it starts easily.
I've read many comments here, and the pull back "out" method dosent always work! 👍
Thanks brother!
It's all about how strong the drill your using is and if your trying to start something with too much compression I tryed starting a riding mower with a DeWalt drill and it wouldn't spin the motor but for my push mower it works great
I've done this for years, both thumbs intact.
Does it kick on all drills or just his
Can you start a diesel generator too?
There is a ratchet adapter that I use on a breaker bar that can be adapted to fit on a drill that works very well to start engines. Maybe a video showing this type of set up would be very helpful.
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for posting this. I was about to do a video on the drill method to test it, but no anymore. I can see that really going south.
I have made up a socket set-up that works like the driver starter's for high pro racing engines where they use the external starter to turn the crank shaft, my socket can only go one way and when the engine catches it will free spin with the engine, and dose not stop abruptly like yours did, but will free spin.
I made a slip socket so it comes off once it starts. Been using it for years. But your right. Thats why i made my tool for this. If you think about it you will be able to make one. Really easy
Please describe a "slip socket"
@@jimfarmer4391 you grind down every second tooth on a 8 point socket backwards so when the motor starts or kickbacks it just pulls away
Ive seen drill starts done on other youtube videos, but i thought it might kick back or start then break a finger or two. So i never tried it. Thank you for the heads up on safely emergency starting.
You're Welcome...
Thanks for showing this. I actually saw your other video first and was going to suggest the drill idea. I've not done it but appreciate the safety tip. I suspect you used a standard drill and that some of these hi torque drivers should be able to do it just fine, but good to know of safety.
Great tip Steve, thanks for sharing! This method is very dangerous!
Their is a safety trick to starting your lawn mower, generator, snow blower this way.....and it can be done safely!. Make sure the clutch on your cordless drill is not locked and set to a number only high enough to overcome the compression. Also make sure your cordless drills clutch will work similarly in both directions (this is actually the most important thing). The worst thing that can possibly go wrong is the socket sticking to the nut, but that is not a big problem.
i use 12 point socket. run my air conditioners everyday. havent had a problem yet. my generator is a dewalt 6500
I've never had a pull cord on my mower and as suggested in other comments if you have a violent brake don't let go of the trigger until you pull it off. One warning would be don't use your best drill! I use old dewalts as I have loads. Motor can get very hot and I've ruined one gearbox.
I believe that the threads on the flYwhell shaft are left hand threads ! Not totally sure on that for a generator , but I know it is left handed threads on my chain saws
I do it all the time no issues. Just gotta know when to pull out!
Oh Man! I just asked your opinion about this yesterday (I think).
I came back to watch more videos and found this one.
I don't think I'll be trying this at home.
Thanks for this vid!!
You're Welcome...
Most cordless drills have an auto brake feature that locks drill when trigger is let off for the purpose of preventing screws from being stripped out after screw is completely screwed in. The kickback is the momentum from the generator running while drill brake engages so your hand and wrist becomes the shock absorber.
First, let me say thank you. I enjoy your videos. The content length and humor are great. Do you have a video on best way to clean old gas tank? Thanks Justin from Las Vegas
Steve a tricky one but perhaps in a life threatening situation perhaps someone would have to resort to this method, but you did the right thing by far by pointing out the pitfalls and dangers of this action ( somerset mike).
Thank You...
Great advice Steve. This is really good for people who are maybe not mechanically inclined. Love the show buddy🤙🍻
Thank You...
When I was working on a farm (60 tears ago) we had a john deer with hand crank start. It wood kick back, you learned quick how to work it!!!!
Should replace the starter once it’s running ? I thought the fins on the top of the flywheel were designed to air cool the engine?
Back in the day when we used to handcrank start the old McCormick tractor my Grandpa always told me to keep all your fingers on one side of the handle including your thumb or your going to break something If the engine backfires or engine pressure kicks back. The tractor shaft and handle had tapered engagement slots to push the handle out of the way when started but it was still a dangerous situation. If you have no choice, keep all your digits around one side of the handle so that the torque will throw the crank (drill) out of your hand instead of driving it into the palm of your hand. Or better still, just listen to Steve. That is why we are all here for. Right? Darn fool kids!
My Grandpa knocked his teeth out when he was 20 years old. He was starting a tractor with a crank and it backfired. Cought him right in the mouth and knocked almost all of his teeth out. He has had dentures ever since.
Jason Busch - I fully understand and sympathize with your Grandpa. Those were days of extreme DYI because it was the only option. Tougher than the rest, but showing us the path to a better way. Let’s hope we listen and pass on the family wisdom without losing eyes, limbs, or teeth. Cheers to Steve for alerting those without wise old Grampa’s, Dad’s, Uncle’s, and older brothers. Raise a glass and plot out tomorrow’s chores safely.
Did you see any of the videos on making an drill adapter involving a starter bearing ?
The problem is the brake in the drill. When you let go of the trigger the drill has an internal brake, this may also spin the nut off the crankshaft when the drill stops. An electric 1/2" drill without the brake would likely work with mush less chance of locking up or spinning off the nut.
I raced go karts for years and we used an engine starter with a battery to start 4 stroke engine by using a socket on the ratchet device on the older Briggs. On two stroke engines it was no problem we used the starter directly on the shaft with a special deeper nut with a set screw in the nut and jammed into the shaft.
Steve, when are you going to get around to zero turn mowers, that are the rage now. I'm retired but still work part time at a 600 acre abbey repairing farm, but mostly lawn equipment, the sisters have three zero turn mowers .
I'm really glad you brought this up. Come to think of it newer drills with "one hand" keyless chucks have a sprag clutch to lock their arbor, this is what allows bits to be safely loaded with only one hand on the chuck. If they're overrun the chuck will lock... things could get real violent form there. Thanks for posting you may have saved me a broken wrist!
You're Welcome...
I checked that video and I am glad that you gave us this information and it is helpful and I will use it if needed.
Next time you go to lowes they have a drill attachment for like 15 bucks that is made for starting small engines
just bought one last week best investment I've made in my adult life
sir you are right the kick back is a mother trukcer. I used to have a 3hp engine that kicked back hard and it ripped the pull cord out of the handle and i was hurting. Heres one way to make it a electric start is get a slip clutch so it would not destroy the housing or what is ever around it. Like the ones on a 10 speed bike our mountain bike maybe a old dirt bike may have the right parts
Good video Steve thanks for the advice I have seen this on u tube never tried thank you for keeping us safe
I have tried with drillpro brushless electric screwdriver 1000 watt and it works
Right on
I understand. I have never done it on a generator but have done it on a smaller engine.
I made a little ratcheting device that spins clock wise but free spins counter clockwise so when the motor stars, I don’t break my wrist... again.
You mean a bicycle gear?
Never use an impact wrench (nut smacker) fot this. I tried it and it worked a couple of times but then I stripped the woodruff key that keeps the flywheel in the right place. The hole in the flywheel was so mangled that I couldn't even see where the key had been so the whole weed eater was scrap. The key doesn't like the hammering force from the impact wrench.
Thank you Steve for looking out for us
You're Welcome...
You're right Steve don't use a drill driver use a mid torque or high torque impact wrench they don't kick back like that.
Hi Steve, thanks for the video. I’ve got the same generator you’ve got on the bench but when I try and start it , it kicked back and damages the pull starter. I can get it going with the electric start but it kicked back on that and the stater motor seems to be under strain. Any ideas? I’m thinking timing but don’t know where to start with thar. Thanks in advance, Tim from the UK.
Lol.
You need a one way clutch. Like an old crank shaft twist handle start. Better yet. Scrap an old starting motor keep the bendex drive and pinion gear on the shaft from the motor. Take everything off the shaft machine the shaft under 1/2". Then make a hole in the flywheel guard to pass the bendex drive through to make with the engines ring gear.
Great tip.
Good job.
The reason you get that kickback may be because your cordless drill has the instant stop . Meaning it actually reverses the polarity on the DC motor to stop when the trigger is released. Then with the inertia from the flywheel /rotating assembly/ and the stator suddenly attempting to be stopped by a 2 lb drill that energy is then continued on torqueing the drill in your hand.
Excellent Steve and thank you for saving hundreds of thumbs. 👍👍 from my safe and not broken thumb 😁
I have 240 volt drill for starting all my mowers, I can't start small engines by hand anymore my shoulders are still strong but won't allow rapid movements and an older style cordless drill with 20v battery only for the generator.
I remember trying to hand crank a British Ford 4 cylinder motor . I got it to fire once . I went to the store and bought a new battery . This was in Florida .
Steve, what can you recommend to start a a small 1.6 KW Yamaha EF2000is inverter generator with compression unload? I dropped a tablespoon of motor oil in the combustion chamber and turned the crank to the valve closed position. When it comes time to start after its been setup like this for storage, the starter rope is really hard to pull. How can I unload the oil in the combustion chamber to make it easier to start?
It's safe if done right, like this preferably with another person helping:
Spin it up with the drill, person helping flicks the ignition switch as you pull the drill off.
Easy, safe.
You -can- do it all yourself, but really shouldn't be holding the drill with one hand just in case.
I’ve turned my outboard on like this. It actually saved my behind a few times. I found that the trick to turning it over is to spin it with the drill then pull the drill off the nut so it doesn’t kick back.
Thanks, i would have forgot all about the new drills stopping with a brake, and yep, breaking a finger, wrist or hand. Thanks for the warning! I was just getting my gen ready for a winter emergency! Just bled and refuelled with a 1 litre of engineered 4 cyl fuel, & if I need it, it will start and i can add some fresh premium. (Thanks again for that video too!)
You're Welcome...
I get a lot of redmax backpack blowers from the scrapyard and they are sometimes missing the recoil so I start them with my drill until I get a new recoil from China. I always keep the drill running until I pull away from the flywheel
I agree. Guys please don't do that with the drill. I sprained my wrist pretty bad years ago. Great info Steve👍
Right on Buddy...
Model airplane flyers used a 12 volt hand held starter motor (geared) with a rubber cup inside an aluminum fitting to spin the engine's propeller. This worked safely, but left a ring on the model's spinner (if it had one). Model helicopters first used a belt that would fit onto the aluminum fitting just mentioned. This provided a real headache for starting the engine. Later, model helicopters used a female hex fitting driven from a male hex fitting on the hand held starter, but the starter had a one-way bearing driving the hex fitting. This worked well, and had a good safety record. Witout a fitting that can spin freely when the engine starts, you run a real risk of injury. Models used engines from 1/10 HP up to 5 HP (roughly). A generator can have anything up to 12 HP (roughly). Using something like a one way bearing makes normal starts fairly safe, but does not address a kickback on a starting attempt.
Thanks, Jeff Bridges!
I did this with an old 12hp Kohler way back..luckily the handle on the drill cracked before my wrist did.
I tried to start my snow blower this way . My cordless drill wouldn't turn it over so I got my corded 1/2" drive Millwauki on it. Hanging on with both hands I hit the trigger & it fired a few times, the thing was running faster than the drill motor, this caused the nut to come off in the socket then the fly wheel came off and was spinning around in the fan housing. I gave up at that point. NOT recommended by me. Love you'r show Steve, you are the best.
Thank You...
Make a hand crank. Could pick up an extra pull cord assembly.That was a bought a .25 beer job. Thanks.
Great idea
I've never had to use that method, same risk I assume as hand crank an old Model T. I watch a lot of Mustie1 repair videos and he uses that technique on stubborn engines. Some of the posters here mentioned modern drills that include a break. Doubt how much of an effect that has. Even without a drill brake if the engine kicks back in the opposite direction the drill is going it is going to rip it out of your hand.
I wimped out and got electric start on our backup generator. If does have a recoil starter as a backup.
That's why you add a ratcheting mechanism between the drill and the socket.
You can RAP not tie a rope around the silver cup adapter for the pull starter . I think there is a Enoch for the end of the rope . Rap the rope around the cup so it slips off at the end , make sure when you pull the rope the engine turns in the right direction and it is turned ON .OR set your drill clutch to a lower setting ? I learn a lot from your videos , thanks i won't brake my thumb .
That idea came from RC car starting idea, however RC nitro engine electric starters have a reversing clutch once the RC engine starts. Yikes never direct drive start a small internal combustion engine with an electric drill, you'll snap you wrist in a heartbeat. Learned this back in the 80s and they had the cordless Makita drills back then.
Somebody ought to market a device for doing that. Maybe it would contain something like a centrifugal clutch that works in reverse releasing torque past a certain RPM when the engine fires. That way you could just take your sweet time in pulling it away from the engine. I think they use a handheld starter device with that function when cranking up a fuel dragster. Imagine one of those jerking something out of your hand.
Years ago had a push mower I could't get the pull start parts for, took a brand new 1/2 inch corded Sears drill to start with a socket on flywheel and it worked ok untill motor backfired one time and sheared all the teeth off the gears in the drill. Lesson learned.
Thank You...
Use to start my old mini bike like this all the time!
Steve how do you take the plastic fan wheel and fly wheel off a stihl BG86 leaf blower? Mine’s locked up and I wanted to open the engine and see what was going on. By the way, stay awesome.
Works just fine as long as you use a 1/4” hex drive. The retention notch will fail at about 10 ft lbs which is way less than what it would take to break your wrist.
Is there an easy mod to make this work? If the socket was just on the edge of the nut maybe? Turn down the resistance on the drill to just high enough where it cranks the engine but slips when it starts?
You need a ratchet adapter that will to start locked in one direction to spin engine and free spin opposite way and allow you to safely pull your drill away. A lot of You Tube videos doing it safer.
I've been doing it that way for years, its just in the knack of withdrawing in time!
That's what she said.
yea ,that what she said!!
How many beers was that start, lol? A case? After a case, the pain should subside, but the memories will last a lifetime!
I don't understand. Why don't people put a longer extension on the drill, and put the drill between your legs/thighs?
That’s a great way to shear the key way
Oh man I hope your thumb is OK bro thanks for sharing and I completely understand why its not safe
Thank You...
Steve did you really try that? I can't believe you actually tried that. No, I did not suggest it. Power drills have more power than you think. Short story: On the job one day, and this guy from another crew ( newbie or I don't know what ) was holding on to the drill like most unaware folks would. Problem is this drill is about 2' in length and had a 3' long bit on it. To make matter worse he was on a ladder. The job was an old red brick building. Buildings such as this one was pure brick, it was not a facade. The wall was about 4' thick of all red brick. The bit at some point hooked on something (sometimes a cavity or mortar etc) and of course the drill bit stopped dead. When this happens the drill motor doesn't stop, and turns opposite bit direction. If you have a wrapped death grip on a drill motor when its bit suddenly stops and you don't have a hold of the motor in such a way to allow it to slip through your hands it will break usually your the wrist. I tell you what when this guys wrist broke it sang out with a crack louder than his scream.
The guy on Project Farm starts almost all his test engines with a drill and apparently he's never been hurt. I've done it and not been hurt. Hundreds or thousands of people have done it without being hurt. Maybe it's just you. My guess is that you're releasing the trigger while the socket is still engaged. Keep the trigger pulled and pull the socket away when it starts.
Definatly but I thought that the idea was that when the engine kicks in, it will move much faster that the drill and over run it, is this why the guys say adjust the torch, (clutch) ? I would think then the torch for starting it wouldn't be their, also. I got a nice new brushless makita, and was amazed and pissed that the chuck came off a small bit when I drilled through metal and went to reverse it to clear out the hole. Just f ing pulled right off the damn but. Am I not setting something g right?
@@ryanb1874 I just realized why it kicked so hard, he's using a brushless drill. A brushless will stop hard when you release the trigger, and it probably won't let the engine overspeed it so it'll get yanked when the engine starts. A standard brushed drill motor will overrun pretty easily so it's easy to pull the drill off when the engine starts, and if you release the trigger while spinning a non-running engine it'll keep spinning until the engine stops.
As for your chuck coming loose, my guess is that they didn't tighten the screw properly. Open the jaws and you should see a screw down in there.
Good call. I just watched your other vid and I had forgot to like it.....2 likes from one video! Good job Steve!
Glad I saw this video a few months ago, I started to do this with that honda I tossed and this video started ringing in my ears so I put the drill down!
Wouldn’t an impact prevent that kick back?
I must admit I use the drill a lot its not good for the drill but Iv probably done more damage to my self pulling and pulling at a pull cord specially with temperamental stuff or a engine that has been sitting awhile.
Good advice Steve, thank you. Should be able to purchase a Universal Replacement Cup with notch ?
What is the best 7500 watt generator. In you opinion.Thanks
Even trying to crank handle start a old tractor or car is a painful job if you don't get ready for that moment the engine fires up. Many people who used to own old 1940's Fordson tractors said that there was a way of anticipating when they would start as the starting handle usually did what your drill did and hurt their wrist or hands.
Definitely it's not safe! Some guys do it in certain way like corded electric drill and keep pressing the switch till the drill pulls out. It's like starting a old stationary engine.
And in that video which you have shown now, the engine you are trying , seems like it needs valve gap adjustments, by sound I feel like so. If the automatic pressure release is not functioning, the kick back will be unimaginable makes the situation worst.
All the best my friend. I will keep watching your videos.
Thank you Steve