YSB8 hand starting

[Spyro]

I have posted this question on Yanmarhelp.com but no success yet
I have a YSB8 that has caused me no poroblems however yesterday I decided to try hand starting it for the first time just to be sure I could do it in an emergency, I followed the instructions in the manual " out of gear full throttle decrompression lever open" ignition was on. I turned the handle 6 or 7 times as fast as I could, engine turned quite easily then I released the decrompession lever and tried to continue turning the handle but as soon as it reached the compression stroke I couldn't turn any more, What am I doing wrong? the engine starts very easily when using the electric start, Thanks

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[SteveGorst]

Sounds like you are doing it right to me, maybe try to get someone else to flick the lever so that you can concentrate on keeping the flywheel spinning. It is important to keep it spinning as fast as possible as it is the momentum of the wheel that forces the cycle through the higher compression.

We tried this exercise on our 10hp Volvo and could not start it from cold either, but as long as the engine had been running and was slightly warm we could start it ok.

We figured that if you couldn't start it first thing in the morning when you are on the mooring then you wouldn't leave the mooring till the problem was fixed. If it failed through the day then it should be warm enough to start. Luckily we havent had to put our theory to the test yet...

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[jleaworthy]

Your problem is that the engine is not seriously designed for hand starting. Its flywheel is far too light for a single cylinder engine to get over compression unless you weigh at least 18 stone and have a very powerful arm. Compare with a Saab where the flywheel is about half of the weight of the engine. Someone else operating the decompressor lever is your best hope or someone holding a blow torch on your air intake, but don't do yourself harm trying.



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[richardandtracy]

I admit I've not hand started a diesel, but when the battery died on my 2CV I found I never had any success starting by trying to spin the engine fast - I could never get it up to the 1000 rpm necessary for it to be self sustaining by hand.
The only way I ever got it to go was to find compression, take a deep breath, and try to flick the engine through compression just as fast as I could using my whole body to add power to the flick. It usually started 2nd try with this procedure. After a week of this treatment my starting handle took on a decided bend though, and my elbow felt as if a gorilla had been swinging from it.

As an aside, a quick flick is how diesel model aircraft engines are started.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Richard.


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[Gunfleet]

Unless your YSE8 is in a harbour launch or a Japanese fishing boat I expect it is in a sailing boat. In this case I think you should be kind to your back, knuckles and temper - the best emergency engine is the sails! If you have a dinghy you can launch it and row the vesselthe last bit into port or otherwise just sail as far as you can until some kind soul gives you a tow. Even the most dedicated old gaffer types round here will accept a tow for the last couple of hundred yards. Auxiliary engine means just that.

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[richardandtracy]

Sails?!?

What a novel idea.

Patent it.

Regards

Richard.


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[Gunfleet]

Re: Sails?!?

It was heartfelt. I have owned a YSE8!

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[paulrossall]

I did hand start my Yanmar 2GM20 when the engine was warm. I also managed to start it when it was out of the water early one spring when it was cold and the battery would not turn the engine on its own. I had a mate hold the starter button down whilst I turned the engine over and then closed one of the decompression levers, and then the other when the engine fired. The battery just gave me that extre bit of speed turning the engine and actually made the job fairly easy.
Did this three times during the course of that day just for practice. I did disconnect the water pump, otherwise the impellor would have been damaged, and I only ran the engine for a couple of minutes so it did not get too hot.

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[Spyro]

It has just occured to me why don't they make the starting handles with a longer radius thus giving more leverage mine only has a turning radius of about 5 inches could this be the problem, could this handle be the wrong one for this engine??
just some thoughts.....

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[toad]

Make sure you hit compresion with the starting handle at 8oclock then you can use your whole body weight to go through compresion.

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[uforea]

Hi Ian, I had a YSB8 and often had to hand start it. When you are drifting onto a buoy or a ship is bearing down on you the rush of adrenalin will be enough to get the thing running. On the berth is another matter however and needs a bit of planning. the biggest problem I had with mine was the fact that the starting handle and engine turned anticlockwise which seemed unnatural to me and I always thought that someone who was natually lefth handed would find the whole proccess easier. The techinque is to listen for the squeak the injector makes and try to release the decom. lever as you are at the 5 or 4 position with the starting handle. Remember you are turning it anticlockwise and the last injector squeak should have been in the 12 oclock position. If you cannot hear the injector then the throttle needs to be reset. I now have a boat with a YSB12 and I use this method to start it when I have to.

Ted.

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[rob]

dont hav a yanmar, but had a petter mini 6. Couldn't start it at all by hand not cold but did once when very warm.

Engine had a rebore and new piston, started second time all the time by hand after.

Dont know if this is any help, but it was due to poor compression why it wouldn't start before the rebuild

rob

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