Homebuilt starter works well even under compression!

[mbryner]

Chevy 350 starter & flexplate, mounted to 1" square stock steel, lagged to 4x6 timbers.   Spins like engine isn't even there!   Now my wife can go down and turn the switch.   Presto.   

(Pictures coming....too late tonight and listerenginegallery broken...)

[Carlb]

Is this a gear reduction starter or the old style straight shaft ?

[mbryner]

Old style straight shaft,  reverse drive ("marine" style), mounted out the back of the flywheel.

[mbryner]

Here's a link to some pics, just taken with a cell phone, but pics none-the-less.

https://picasaweb.google.com/109202812067759379131/Listeroid

[Tom Reed]

Nice!!! But how much compression is left on the engine? IIRC it was getting low and hard to start. Man I need to get a lathe, I've got a nice flywheel and starter from an International Harvester in the basement ready to go.

[LowGear]

Looks nice and smart (simple).  Moving pictures on Youtube?

Casey

[mbryner]

But how much compression is left on the engine?

Well, this morning after sitting all night in the cold, it started right up w/ the electric starter.   Maybe 4-5 compressions, but that's not bad.   I may have overestimated the loss of compression and it may be a little more difficult to start just due to the cold.   When it's not ice cold outside the 'roid still usually starts on the first compression.

Moving pictures on Youtube?

Soon.   The only video I have is from the cell phone, and it wasn't pretty...

[quinnf]

Man, Marcus, looking at that starter arrangement, I hope you don't have a long-tailed cat that likes to snoop around looking for mice in there!

I gave my Toyota starter/friction drive a whirl last week and found it cranks through compression just fine, but the 20 durometer roller I used sheds rubber like a pencil eraser.  And the hinge I used twists, so I need to machine something more beefy and use a harder rubber/urethane roller.

Quinn

[sailawayrb]

Brilliant Marcus!

Bob B.

[mbryner]

Here's the youtube video.   I forgot to turn on the fuel rack at first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4utVBWjJBGU

Thanks sailawayrb.   Are you still coming down this direction in the next few days?

Quinn, no cat's in there, but it looks like a great way to make a bobcat!   

[Ronmar]

That is great Marcus!  The electric start on the ChangChai S1100 I am prepping is starting to get me spoiled, so that will probably be a not to distant mod to the 6/1 also...

[veggie]

Marcus,

Nice job on the starter.
I love the sound of a 6/1 when run at the lower speeds such as you are doing.
Ticking over like a swiss (er...Indian) watch   

cheers,
veggie

[sailawayrb]

Thanks sailawayrb.   Are you still coming down this direction in the next few days?

Yes, will be driving down on 22nd and returning on 2nd.  We be celebrating Xmas eve and our wedding anniversary eve on 31st at Porters.  Gayle has to work virtual in Medford Tuesday-Thursday (and we only have one vehicle).  Otherwise, we are pretty much free and will give you a call.  Our Rogue River landline is 541-826-7222.

Bob B.

[SteveU.]

Hey MarcusB
Great job on the square tube mounting on this GM pad mounted starter. I have never seen it done this way.
Anyone not "up agasinst the wall" as you are could opposite mount and use a normal CW car/pickup starter.
Your machined crankshaft shaft to flexplate/flywheel adapter looks like another machine 'em/supply 'em opportunity for someone here with, say the ability to machine up hollow dip tubes and offset idler bolts.

Regards to the family in this season of reason
SteveU.

[mbryner]

My whole setup is not very refined and kind of Rube Goldberg, nothing like what most of you guys build!, but thanks for the kind comments.   SteveU, that's a great idea.   Someone here could mill up these adapter collars and sell 'em.   I took the flexplate and a bent crankshaft down to Alternative Power and Machine here in town and they matched it no-problem.   It wasn't cheap, and it's fabricated from a solid hunk of aluminum.