MTFCA Forum

Something I've observed with my 24 Touring now that I've been driving it for 6 months...

When I pull the choke out and press the starter button (with the ignition off) and let the engine roll over only two or three times...if I then switch on the ignition and move the the spark lever until it catches a coil, it'll try to fire on its own and occasionally will actually start up without me doing anything with the starter button. It's almost like a primitive self-starter.

I think it's a nifty little trick that the car does.

Before, I was doing the same thing but letting the engine roll over several times (7 or 8) and it never tried to do the little self-starting trick. I think that shows that I was introducing too much fuel into the system.

Anyway, it amuses me how it tries to start on its own like that.
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I used to do "start it with the crank" demonstrations for people. I get asked everywhere I go.

So I'd go through the process. Make sure key is off, pull the choke (people just LOVE that there's a choke pull on the front of the car), turn it over 3 times or so...explain "ok I am going to go turn the key to battery now"...and do so...and it free starts. And they would always say "oh! THAT's how it works!" And I'd say..."no no...its not supposed to do that....I mean it is...but...never mind."

So now I just tell them that the starter became an option in 1917 and my grandfather spent the money for one when he bought the car in 1923.

About 40 years ago, when I worked on my 1926 T Coupe a lot, to get it to run purrfect, I had it start up by just slamming the door. I believe the spark lever was on the verge of engaging a coil and the jar of the slamming door jiggled the lever down. It only happened once and while it was impressive that it was so well adjusted, it was also scary. Good thing the brake was set or it could have taken off on me. Jim Patrick

In Gilltraps Auto museum in the 1960's they had a car with T type ignition. For the crowd, they'd go through the hand crank BS for starting. First with no switch on and no choke. He'd crank away , get no reaction and feign frustration. Then he'd fiddle the switch, have a few goes, this time with the choke to prime it but still no go. In his feigned frustration and anger, he'd give it a mighty kick in one front wheel, and away it would go. That kick dropped the switch for the free start. Cleverly done. Amazing to the un-initiated. I watched him have to deliver 3 kicks to make it work one time.

Allan from down under.

Soon new cars will start the same way. They will not have starters. Will give a shot of fuel and spark to cly that is on top. Less weight mote miles to gal.

History is circular.

You figured it Don. Free starts!
For me with the 18: I just turn the switch ON, pull the choke and hit the starter for a couple compressions and it's running.
Once warmed up, he seems to enjoy giving some free starts. I smarted off to some lady riders after I simply turned the switch ON and it was running: Ooh, he likes you!
The dizzy powered crank start 24 has even attempted a couple free starts before.

To me, getting a start by cranking and choking with the ignition off and then turning it on, isn't a "free" start', it's just a "cheap" start. A free start, IMHO, is when you go out to the T after it has set overnight at least, turn the key to Batt., after making sure the levers are set where they are supposed to be, and it starts. My old '25 beater coupe has done that several times, and after setting a couple of weeks a few times, once even after setting for a month. Scared the crap out of me, I was NOT expecting that! Ain't these old hunks of iron a HOOT?!! Dave

On second thought, anytime you shut it off and then turn on the key no matter how long it sat would be a free start, if you don't have to prime it, such as stopping to get gas or something. Again, JMHO. Dave

D Stroud wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 27, 2020 4:58 am

To me, getting a start by cranking and choking with the ignition off and then turning it on, isn't a "free" start', it's just a "cheap" start.

That’s a perfect name for it

I would suggest not moving the spark to get it to buzz though. It gets a free start or it doesn't, I wouldn't move the spark to force it, or someday, when the free start didn't happen and the spark was advanced, and you go to crank it...ouch.

Ding! Dave nailed it to the wall! Cheap starts!
I should note that the '24 Dizzy hand start will usually go in two or three pulls.
Depending on which of the low to near no compression cylinders are lined up where.