Using the starter to move the car in an emergency | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Sat 22 Apr 2023 10:34

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Ex Alfa mail

Suddenly, helped by liquid refreshment, we remembered our early days of driving. Being young and keen we attended courses (that would now be called advanced driving but really everyone should be exposed to). Anyway, one of the things we were taught was that in an emergency (the example used was flooding the engine on a level crossing) you put the car into second or reverse and use the starter motor to get you to safety. Is there a way that can still be done on a modern car? Certainly on the cars we have we couldn't do it. The starter simply doesn't turn when in gear. I appreciate it is somewhat random but that technique got me out of trouble regularly with an old GTV (which was truly unreliable).

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Sat 22 Apr 2023 10:47

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Xileno

Depends what you mean by flooding. If the engine is hydro-locked then it's game over. If the engine has cut out due to water getting on the electrics then you could use the starter in the old days. I don't think it's possible now. In the old War film Ice Cold in Alex they used the starter to get the Army truck up a sand bank but they used the starting handle.

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Sat 22 Apr 2023 11:27

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - bazza

It still works on slightly older cars lol ke our Panda but many modern cars require the clutch pedal pressed to activate the starter. "Flooding" back then referred to excessive use of the choke causing the plugs to be soaked in petrol and hence no spark. Not a problem these days!

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Sat 22 Apr 2023 11:44

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Adampr

It still works on slightly older cars lol ke our Panda but many modern cars require the clutch pedal pressed to activate the starter. "Flooding" back then referred to excessive use of the choke causing the plugs to be soaked in petrol and hence no spark. Not a problem these days!

I used to have an Astra with an automatic choke, which flooded the engine about 50% of the time. I eventually learned that I could fully depress the accelerator and use the starter to pump the excess fuel out of the exhaust....

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Tue 25 Apr 2023 09:59

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Andrew-T

Depends what you mean by flooding.

I think that means getting too much fuel in the carburettor (etc) for spark ignition to work - nothing to do with actual water ?

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 11:25

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - edlithgow

The old Eagle comic (or maybe The Lion) had a series on emergency fixes in which the railway crossing/ starter motor trick featured.

Another one was opening the airlock door on a c******d spacecraft to scoot it out of the path of a meteorite .

Can't remember any others

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 12:28

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Crickleymal

The old Eagle comic (or maybe The Lion) had a series on emergency fixes in which the railway crossing/ starter motor trick featured.

Another one was opening the airlock door on a c******d spacecraft to scoot it out of the path of a meteorite .

Can't remember any others

I'm trying to figure out what the asterisked word is.

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Thu 27 Apr 2023 03:52

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - edlithgow

The old Eagle comic (or maybe The Lion) had a series on emergency fixes in which the railway crossing/ starter motor trick featured.

Another one was opening the airlock door on a c******d spacecraft to scoot it out of the path of a meteorite .

Can't remember any others

I'm trying to figure out what the asterisked word is.

Insert “ripple”, IIRC. Perhaps “disabled” is more PC, tho I doubt a spacecraft would care. Maybe one of Ian Banks sentient ones, but they,d mostly be too intelligent to include Mary Whitehouse Modules

Edited by edlithgow on 27/04/2023 at 03:59

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 11:26

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - edlithgow

IIRC the old Eagle comic (or maybe The Lion) had a series on emergency fixes in which the railway crossing/ starter motor trick featured.

Another one was opening the airlock door on a c******d spacecraft to scoot it out of the path of a meteorite .

Can't remember any others

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Mon 24 Apr 2023 12:47

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - gordonbennet

Obviously any car with a solid clutch and manual box could be moved on the starter, but would require the inhibitor switch being disconnected.

The first manual cars i came across with a cluch pedal inhibitor switch was Hyundai Lantra and Accent, both of which featured in large numbers at the time in rental fleets presumably to get them established, good cars they were too and after defleet sold like hot cakes to retirees along the south coast, most car drivers hadn't come across such things (as a transporter driver i hadn't till then) before causing umpteen out of hours phone calls for non starting cars so the switches were by passed for the duration of rental service, which incidentally made my life easier too.

In theory if you could get an automated manual to select a gear you could also shift it on the starter, after all its only a manual box with an automated gear selector mechanism, however i doubt it would be as simple a trick as by passing a switch as on a clutch pedal.

Dare say it would only be 'preppers' who would think of pre rigging their vehicles for such a just in case scenario, and they are more likely to have something a bit more industrial and riot/war proof than an automated manual hatchback.

You could also by pass the low tension system as in hot wiring and operate the starter remotely via a toggle switch, again in theory any vehicle with a manual box and physical clutch could be moved on the starter so long as a gear can be selected.

Edited by gordonbennet on 24/04/2023 at 12:48

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Wed 26 Apr 2023 19:06

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Jamie Slinn

I gotta say, I'm not sure. The cars I've had lately don't seem to allow the starter to turn when the car is in gear. Maybe it's a safety feature or something? I'm not exactly a car expert, so don't quote me on that. But it's definitely worth looking into, especially if you're someone who likes to be prepared for any situation.

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Thu 27 Apr 2023 03:56

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - edlithgow

Works on mine. Knee bruises to prove it.

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Wed 31 May 2023 20:49

Using the starter to move the car in an emergency - Ethan Edwards

Sure it works on a manual but if you have an Auto, don't waste your time. Last time I did that was in a 65 Ford Corsair 1500 to get it to the side of the road.

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