Bukh starting handle.

[rotrax]

I have advertised in the "wanted" forum with no replies.

I wondered if a more focused approach might bring a result-I need a starting handle for a Bukh DV20.

Can anyone help?

Waiting with anticipation......................

 

[bedouin]

I think they are available new, but the price is eye-watering.

I'd like one myself - but not at that price.

 

[LittleSister]

New they're £99.32 + VAT from T. Norris. Presumably Bukh UK also at similar price.

Might be worth trying marine engine 'reconditioning'/second hand sales firms.

 

[rotrax]

Ouch!

Think I might make one or modify an old tractor one.

Thanks for the info.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

....... and when you've found one they're a sod to start!

 

[Poecheng]

I recall reading about the best method of deploying the Bukh starting handle.
Spread your legs, crouch down and grasp the handle with both hands. Ready yourself. Then with a sharp upwards movement of the body - to get maximum momentum - bring the hands up as fast as possible and .....throw the thing overboard.
Hot or cold, you will never be able to start one - even with all your mechanical knowledge.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

I only tried once in the 3 years I had one in my last sailing boat ... 1983, same age as the boat. Did my back in so never tried again. That Bukh was an 'orrible old thing but actually never let me down when it was battery started ... the handle effort was just to see if I could do it if I had to ... luckily I never had to!

 

[banger]

There was a chap advertising ex life boat bukh on boat's and outboard, he may have some.

 

[rotrax]

Well, if that IS the case a starting handle might not be a good idea.

In a previous life I would regularly-and quite easily-start 2 and 3 cylinder Lister diesels by hand. The engines were fitted to narrowboats.

I have always used the same teqnique-operate the decompressors to release compression, rotate the crank as fast as possible-for 15-20 seconds- and drop the decompressor levers when going at maximum.

I assumed-perhaps wrongly-that the big 'ole flywheel at the front of the engine would gain enough inertia to get it going by using this teqnique. It always worked in the past-even on a poor old Lister that needed flames from an oil soaked rag on a stick sucked down the intake to compensate for its general state of knackeredness.

The engine in question is fitted to a Steel 1986 Hartley 30 which resides in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand.

The infrastucture for cruising in NZ means you need to more self reliant than in UK waters.

I thought a starting handle might be a bit of insurance. Thanks for the replies-if I get one and get it there I'll let you know if it works using the decompressor method-hopefully without the oily rag burning on a stick...................................

 

[Poecheng]

I would treat yourself to a Red Flash or similar on an isolated system (or starter leads) only available for emergency use and with a little 5w solar charger (in your particular circumstances).**
I dare say they are capable of being started by hand (especially in a lifeboat ) but the prob with yachts is the space to swing and how low down the engine is.

I have had them spinning as fast as possible with the decompressor lever dropped by Mrs P only to come up against a brick wall of compression; basically if the engine is worth starting, you won't be able to do so by hand ! It's 'cos it's a single cylinder.

There have been previous threads about alternatives - spring starters, use of rigging and emergency gybe etc that will appeal to the engineer in you. You could winch Mrs R to the top of the mast and then organise a rapid decent connected by rope to the flywheel somehow - that might do it :encouragement:

** and a spare starter motor

 

[rotrax]

Thanks for the reply and advice.

In the installation in question space to swing is not a problem-the starting handle would be waist high and the lid comes off the engine compartment for using the decomp levers. By the way, the DV20 is a 20HP twin cylinder diesel.

Now I have been told how difficult it is to start them I want to give it a go!

In my previous life as a Motorcycle Racer I would start my Speedway and Longtrack bikes by putting them on the stand, preparing for a cold start if required and then pull the rear wheel backwards untill full compression was felt.

By putting my right hand under the bottom of the wheel and gripping the tyre and my left pushing the rear mudguard down a long pull would invariably light it up. These were methanol engines with 12 or 13:1 compression ratios.

I have a friend who lives near Napier-he was once captain of the Oxford Cheetahs Speedway team and an NZ international in the days of Barry Briggs and Ivan Mauger. He collects old bikes and knows all the local vintage enthusiasts-perhaps he can find me a suitable handle in NZ-save the weight in the suitcase.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

 

[James_Calvert]

As an experiment I have started my 20hp Bukh by hand once. The engine had recently been run. So not at all the same as a proper cold start.

 

[rotrax]

As an experiment I have started my 20hp Bukh by hand once. The engine had recently been run. So not at all the same as a proper cold start.

For the record, could you describe the method used please.

 

[bedouin]

By Bukh is a replacement for a Volvo MD2B - I did have a starting handle for that but I never managed to start it by hand - the best I could do was two compressions after dropping the decompression levers which was not enough.

The lack of success with that has meant that I am less than keen to shell out £100+ just to find I can't hand-start the Bukh either

 

[Poignard]

I started my 34-year old BUKH engine using the starting handle a few minutes ago, from cold (it last ran yesterday morning).

It was easy to start. All it needs is the right technique. Position the starting handle so that it is moving downwards on the compression stroke, open the decompressor, turn the engine over as fast as you can and close the decompressor.*

If I, a frail 76-year old can do it, there's no reason anyone else can't.

:encouragement:

* Just imagine the starting handle is Farage's neck.

 

[James_Calvert]

With the decompression levers engaged, turn the engine over as fast as I could, then flicked the levers off and the momentum of the flywheel takes the engine over the first hump and it starts.

If it doesn't start you have no hope of getting it over the next compression stroke. Options also to separate the decompression levers so you try to start up on just one cylinder, or to operate the starter using a weak but not wholly dead battery in combination with decompression and hand cranking as well.

But you need several hands simultaneously for some of these options...

 

[jamie N]

My own engine is a single cylinder RC8D Renault Couach; about 270cc, derived from a cement mixer engine. There's no fitting on the flywheel to attach a starting handle, but what it does have is a space around the flywheel to wrap a line around, and pull start it, similar to an 'old Seagull' engine. I can report that it worked just as well as the way in which old Seagull engines are remembered. This being the case, I now carry a bible as it's lighter, it takes less space and is more likely to work!

 

[rotrax]

So-it appears that a Bukh can be started using the decompressors without too much drama-that is what I hoped.

It does appear though that some owners do not have this technique in their toolbox-parsifal and James Calvert seem to have it sussed.

I once started a Bollinders semi-diesel with the hot tube blowlamp method. That required a rope around the flywheel and a run across the towpath with the decompressor open-not an easy job!

 

[Poignard]

Excuse me if I'm stating the bleedin obvious, but make sure you have no loose clothing, lifejacket straps etc that might get caught up in the alternator belt when you're starting the engine. I knew a man who suffered a badly broken arm when his clothing got caught up in this way.

 

[rotrax]

In my NZ Hartley the engine box will remain in place-I will just need to make a reinforced hole in the right place to insert said handle.

I take your point re loose clothing etc-a collegue had his foot pulled into the primary chain/clutch on a motorbike once when the bottom of his baggy overalls caught in said chain. Without the heavy high ankle boots he was wearing it could have been a serious foot injury.