Hand Starting the Engine Engines and Such Forums

The old DE32 1977 article also notes:" The engine can be started with a hand crank and there is sufficient clearance to use it."  Although this was perhaps on the smaller engine.

Oasis has the Universal diesel 5424,24HP.  No hand crank on board.  Has anyone seen the crank?  This engine is also used on older Catalina's,etc,so they must be around somewhere.  Is it even possible to start by hand or does the required torque make it impossible ?

The starter seems nearly impossible to service with the engine in place –no room to work. Would be nice to have a backup plan.

The lovely sound can be heard in this guy's video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/pe.....&ob=5

Our last boat was a Bayfield 25 with a 8 hp Yanmar. It came with a cast iron hand crank that fit on the nut on the drive pulley. You had to hold the raw water line out of the way with your foot, flip the decompression lever up, turn everything on and crank the little cast iron handle very fast then flip the decompression lever down when you thought it wouldn't go any faster. Speed was definitely the key and the hardest thing to accomplish.

I actually got it to start this way once or twice which amazed all of us but the idea that the handle would get stuck and not jump off the nut scared the bejesus out of me. I figured it would catch and spin a couple times and then fly off. Did I mention it was cast iron? That or it would break my arm like the old Model T cranks were known to do when it kicked back. 

I believe it's not even remotely possible on anything larger than a 2 cylinder especially since they don't even put the decompression levers on the new engines. Probably one too many concussions or broken arms.

Rick