When you jack up a rear wheel to assist in starting an engine, does it matter which wheel (passenger or driver side)? From a safety standpoint, is there anything I need to consider when utilizing this starting procedure?
I am working on open valve engine #2840, which is proving to be a bear to get started at times. She just seems to need a little help in turning over.
Thanks for your input.
It makes no difference what-so-ever.
Mike,
Next time when you get the engine out just put a Jack Rabbit clutch in it and you will get it easier start up even cold. No need to jack up a rear Wheel. This clutch give you a real neutral.
Andre
Belgium
You may want to place a chock block under the front wheels to help keep it from falling off the jack as you start it.
Have you tried a multi-viscosity oil? I'm not sure if it would be appropriate for an open valve engine, but it may be worth a try. I use 5W-30 year round and hand crank almost exclusively. I run the stock Ford clutch, and I have never had to jack up a wheel. Granted, it doesn't get below the mid teens here, but still.....
Gotta second Hal's post. When i first got my T I thought 30 wt was the way to go and wore myself out jacking up a wheel.
The light dawned and I am now using 5w-30. I have never jacked a wheel since.
Like Hal I always hand crank and seldom in the teens. I lived in Houston for years, the weather here is similar.
Good luck
I tried the 30 W one year. After using 10/30 for many years on a 35F degree day I went to hand crank my car forgetting that the 30 W oil was in it, 'bout pulled my arm of of the socket on the first crank! Back to multi oil for me.
Actually the turbo jacked up clutches offer no advantage when cranking. This is just a lie concocted by folks who sell these products. You cannot improve on the performance of a Ford clutch for having free neutral and better clutch function.
If the car is hard to crank start when cold it is caused by improper clutch adjustment or oil that is too thick.
It is near 80 degrees here in Georgetown today, must be about the same in Houston. You need to check clutch adjustment or change the oil Mike.
A good grade of 5W-30 oil works great when ambient temperatures are between 10* F and 120* F.
A used stock Ford clutch pack works great if you pay close attention to wear marks on the disks when installing.
A new disk is flat, but once they have been run, the heat generated usually causes them to concave perpendicular to their face.
When reassembling a used pack, you need to be sure that all of the disks face the same way with respect to their wear patterns. It only take 2 or 3 disks put in backwards to wipe out the free-running clearance.
On a personal note, I run 10w-40 year round with no tight starting issues even down into the teens. While I have tried 10W-30, the loss to leaking was significantly greater, so 10w-40 it is.