Cordless drill to start 15hp outboard

[cagey]

Because of my arthritic shoulder I’m finding it next to impossible to pull start most of my outboards, I’ve seen some vids on utube showing cordless drills with extension bar and socket cranking via flywheel nut, and starting outboards of fairly gutsy size , also lawn mowers etc. My line of work means I have large choice of drills.
my worry would be socket and nut not disengaging before my wrist is mashed, any ideas for a coupling that would let go before it becomes dangerous.
Any other ideas please, to tackle this problem. Limited means says no to new starter motor outboard.
K

 

[rogerthebodger]

I did that exact think with my 15 hp mariner.

I modified a socket extension to drive through a one way clutch. I found the my 18V battery royboi was not man enough but a mains powered drill was.

I also found that the one way clutch bearing I used also was not man enough so I need to get a bigger one an turn up the parts I need.

one way clutch bearing - Google Search

This attachment may work

Drillpro Electric Engine Start Drill Bit Power Drill Engine Start Adapter Engine Starter for Garden Lawn Mower String Trimmer Tool Accessories from Tools on banggood.com

 

[cagey]

I did that exact think with my 15 hp mariner.

I modified a socket extension to drive through a one way clutch. I found the my 18V battery royboi was not man enough but a mains powered drill was.

I also found that the one way clutch bearing I used also was not man enough so I need to get a bigger one an turn up the parts I need.

one way clutch bearing - Google Search

This attachment may work

Drillpro Electric Engine Start Drill Bit Power Drill Engine Start Adapter Engine Starter for Garden Lawn Mower String Trimmer Tool Accessories from Tools on banggood.com

Thankyou I had no idea something like a one way bearing existed, and cheap as well, thanks for the reply but bigger thankyou for info.
Encouraging that someone else went down the same route, I thought I was going to get usual derision but instead learnt big time thank you

 

[coopec]

Why not use something like a Ford Model T 1920 crank handle? Once the engine kicks over it automatically kicks the handle back slightly so that it is longer in contact with the motor? Maybe like a modified socket as Roger suggests.

 

[pcatterall]

Interesting! so an 18v drill should start my seagull ! ? Once going for the season it usually starts 2nd pull but every one has to lie down to avoid having their eyes being ripped out by the knotted cord!
What else could it be used for ( anchor chain when not loaded)
I'm getting old so an excuse to invest in a good battery drill will be great.
PS I don't fancy a mains drill in my Avon!

 

[rogerthebodger]

Why not use something like a Ford Model T 1920 crank handle? Once the engine kicks over it automatically kicks the handle back slightly so that it is longer in contact with the motor? Maybe like a modified socket as Roger suggests.

View attachment 94876

My very first car was an Austin A35 van which had a starting handle that I would have to use some times when the battry went flat due to being parked on the road overnight with the parking lights on as was required by law.

Batteries were not as good as they are today especially in the cold/icy winters in the UK when you had to scrape the ice of the windows before you could drive to work.

 

[Kelpie]

I have a whacker plate with a Honda 4T engine, the recoil start disintegrated and ever since I've been starting it using a drill. Very easy, usually the socket comes straight off the flywheel nut but every so often the socket stays and it is the extension bar that comes off. That leads to a few anxious seconds watching the socket, which then flies off and travels about six inches.
The Honda is a big lazy low revving thing with a horizontal crank, though. I expect a 15hp ob will be a bit different, but the priciple should be similar enough.

 

[Iliade]

My very first car was an Austin A35 van which had a starting handle that I would have to use some times when the battry went flat due to being parked on the road overnight with the parking lights on as was required by law.

Batteries were not as good as they are today especially in the cold/icy winters in the UK when you had to scrape the ice of the windows before you could drive to work.

You were lucky! My hand-start Land Rover didn't have a heater either. I have distinct memories of nearly freezing to death on a drive to Cambs in the snow while wearing a blanket over my legs. It was easier to hand start than any boat engine I have experienced though, diesel or petrol.

 

[Refueler]

Why not use something like a Ford Model T 1920 crank handle? Once the engine kicks over it automatically kicks the handle back slightly so that it is longer in contact with the motor? Maybe like a modified socket as Roger suggests.

View attachment 94876

The one way chuck as a starting handle was my first thought as well ....

 

[Refueler]

You were lucky! My hand-start Land Rover didn't have a heater either. I have distinct memories of nearly freezing to death on a drive to Cambs in the snow while wearing a blanket over my legs. It was easier to hand start than any boat engine I have experienced though, diesel or petrol.

I wish boat engines like my Perkins had starting handle ..... why they ever stopped fitting them ??

 

[Rappey]

I would have thought the kick back from a powerful cordless cranking an engine especially when pulling the trigger would be far more forcefull than pulling the starter cord as your holding a short lever.
If I was to use a cordless as a primary starter I would want a guaranteed method of release when the engine fires up ?

 

[Refueler]

I did see a video a long while back where a guy used a small garden engine starter ....

I think I would be inclined to try and modify to electric start ....

 

[steve66]

Yes it will but it does break the gears in the drill when the engine fires

 

[John the kiwi]

I did some research on this. A lot of outboards had an electric start option as new and can be retrofitted. Check out your ebay for 2nd hand starters.
In the end i bought a new 10 HP honda with electric start as an auxilliary for my 26 ft trailer yacht. Brilliant! Havent used the pull start yet. The other big advantage for me is that the electric start models have a proper charging circuit. in my case 12 amp instead of 6 amp for pull start models.

 

[MarkCX]

My inboard can be started with a leather belt wrapped around the flywheel.

 

[DownWest]

I wish boat engines like my Perkins had starting handle ..... why they ever stopped fitting them ??

Have you ever tried hand starting a four pot diesel with no decompressor? Two of us on the handle with a Lister genset, not a hope and that was with plenty of room, not under the companion way in a small boat.
I like Roger's gadget, might get one for the Allen Scythe.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

9

My very first car was an Austin A35 van which had a starting handle that I would have to use some times when the battry went flat due to being parked on the road overnight with the parking lights on as was required by law.

Batteries were not as good as they are today especially in the cold/icy winters in the UK when you had to scrape the ice of the windows before you could drive to work.

Memories............
MY brother had one and he used to wind it up before engaging the starter. He was a
lot older than me and l did not understand some of the words he used

 

[Refueler]

Have you ever tried hand starting a four pot diesel with no decompressor? Two of us on the handle with a Lister genset, not a hope and that was with plenty of room, not under the companion way in a small boat.
I like Roger's gadget, might get one for the Allen Scythe.

Believe it or not - I can actually turn my Perkins 4-107 over by use of grips on the flywheel .... I do this every spring after winter before giving it the starter.

I'm lucky that my crankshaft end is clear of the cabin sole and I could swing a handle there. I know that there used to be a conversion flywheel for the Perkins 4 series to allow a handle. But cannot find any now.

 

[Rappey]

I've handstarted many sized outboards. A very old Johnson 25 with built in recoil was quite hard to pull . The dogs engaged very close to the centre of the flywheel so lack of leverage advantage.
Electric start has the cord round the outside of the flywheel giving more of a leverage advantage.
A 2 stroke 90 wasn't too bad. Did a 200 2t a few times. Was very scary but also not that difficult. The cords don't last long as the flywheel notch tends to cut through them

 

[rogerthebodger]

9

Memories............
MY brother had one and he used to wind it up before engaging the starter. He was a
lot older than me and l did not understand some of the words he used

Especially when it kicks back.

One think to remember about hand starting an engine as said you need a one way connection but you also need a hole in a support to locate the handle shaft to resist the sideways force on the handle.

Also starting a diesel needs enough speed to cause the air in the cylinder to heat up enough so the injected fuel will ignite. You don't need that for a petrol engine to start as the fuel is ignited by the spark plug.

With small diesel engines you decompress the cylinder then spin the heavy flywheel to get up enough speed so the energy will compress the air in the cylinder once you drop the decompression lever

I once stripped a Perkins 4/107 from a road sweeper that had all hydraulic drive. The starter was a hydraulic motor driven off a hydraulic accumulator.

I still have the motor and the pumps somewhere in my garage. Another project on the list when and if I get round to it.