Starter Motor Problem In Automobiles

@ishan-nohePN • Oct 22, 2024

Oct 22, 2024

998

Here is a situation for mechanical engineers to solve. Rack your brains to showcase your engineering talent!

You are traveling with your girlfriend (Boyfriend if you are female) to some lonely countryside. You both are hungry and stop at some hotel. After your lunch, you as a driver try to start the vehicle but you are unable to do so. The problem is that, the starter motor of you car has failed. You have no help, and your girlfriend/ boy friend reminds you that you are a mechanical engineer.

Can you start your car and impress your partner?

P.S: Assume that you have all the tools and tool-kit with you.

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zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 18, 2012

do i have to start the car using the starter motor only.

If no, then i will start the car by shifting it in first gear, and disengaging the clutch, and pushing the car from the back, and once the car has moved to a considerable distance, i will ask my girl to let go off the clutch.
zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 18, 2012

But if the starter motor has to be used to start the car, and considering that the solenoid alone has failed. then all you got to do is bring the pinion gear of the motor manually in mesh with the flywheel gear, and then supply the power to the terminals of the motor, and once the engine roars into action, cut off the power supply and retrace the pinion gear manually.

Is this right #-Link-Snipped-#
zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 18, 2012

#-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-#

What are your takes ?
Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Aug 18, 2012

How about this? I used to start the petrol engine of the irrigation pump at my grandfather's farm like this:
#-Link-Snipped-#
zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 19, 2012

bioramani
How about this? I used to start the petrol engine of the irrigation pump at my grandfather's farm like this:
#-Link-Snipped-#

I don't think the engines of today's cars are designed to accomodate hand crank levers. are they ?
white_hat

@white-hat-RTFca6 • Aug 21, 2012

#-Link-Snipped-# ,Hand cranking is not an option without a decompression lever.(If you can hand crank a 3 or 4 cylinder car without decompression lever then it is the best way to impress your partner, because its next to impossible.)
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#-Link-Snipped-# ,Starter motor is situated under the engine, to get there you will have to jack-up front wheels.I don't think it can be manually engaged because pinion gear is secured inside the yoke.It is really time consuming work and your partner wont be impressed, waiting.
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I think the best option is to switch on the ignition, put the car into 2nd gear and push it from behind.After attaining a certain speed let your partner engage the clutch, while you keep on pushing.You will be out of there in no time.

P.S:Its highly unlikely to find a hotel in a lonely country side, isn't it #-Link-Snipped-#?!
Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Aug 21, 2012

P.S:Its highly unlikely to find a hotel in a lonely country side, isn't it @#-Link-Snipped-#?!
Permanent resting places will be available though.
zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 22, 2012

white_hat
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#-Link-Snipped-# ,Starter motor is situated under the engine, to get there you will have to jack-up front wheels.I don't think it can be manually engaged because pinion gear is secured inside the yoke.It is really time consuming work and your partner wont be impressed, waiting.
.
.
I think the best option is to switch on the ignition, put the car into 2nd gear and push it from behind.After attaining a certain speed let your partner engage the clutch, while you keep on pushing.You will be out of there in no time.

P.S:Its highly unlikely to find a hotel in a lonely country side, isn't it #-Link-Snipped-#?!
I thought so. the starter motor can be accessed only from below the car (i have noticed this in ford ikon). but #-Link-Snipped-# said that since you have the tools, you can still bring the pinion gear of the yoke using the screw driver as the lever. but that wouldn't help, because there wouldn't be much illumination below the car and you wouldn't know what you are doing.

So thus the best method is to push the car.
ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Aug 22, 2012

#-Link-Snipped-#, it is rude to ask a girl a girl for help. So your answer in post #2 is wrong. Your answer in post # 3 may be considered. Simply what you need to do is, to use a jack so that your vehicle rests on 3 wheels and the fourth (one of the wheel to which the differential is connected, is in the air). Now start your engine in first gear. As the engine starts, make it in neutral. Now get down and remove the jack and enjoy the ride.

bioramani
How about this? I used to start the petrol engine of the irrigation pump at my grandfather's farm like this:
#-Link-Snipped-#
Interesting to see such type of generator. I have seen a similar mechanism, with the help of a string, you start the motor.
zaveri

@zaveri-5TD6Sk • Aug 22, 2012

Issue
#-Link-Snipped-#, it is rude to ask a girl a girl for help. So your answer in post #2 is wrong. Your answer in post # 3 may be considered. Simply what you need to do is, to use a jack so that your vehicle rests on 3 wheels and the fourth (one of the wheel to which the differential is connected, is in the air). Now start your engine in first gear. As the engine starts, make it in neutral. Now get down and remove the jack and enjoy the ride.

Interesting to see such type of generator. I have seen a similar mechanism, with the help of a string, you start the motor.
Rude to ask a girl for help ? hahaha .what if in the case the mechanical engineer is a girl ? (as you mentioned in your very first post)
ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Aug 22, 2012

zaveri
Rude to ask a girl for help ? hahaha .what if in the case the mechanical engineer is a girl ? (as you mentioned in your very first post)
My answer was only implied for your reply boy!😏
white_hat

@white-hat-RTFca6 • Aug 22, 2012

Issue
#-Link-Snipped-#, it is rude to ask a girl a girl for help. So your answer in post #2 is wrong. Your answer in post # 3 may be considered. Simply what you need to do is, to use a jack so that your vehicle rests on 3 wheels and the fourth (one of the wheel to which the differential is connected, is in the air). Now start your engine in first gear. As the engine starts, make it in neutral. Now get down and remove the jack and enjoy the ride.
Oh you are right, I din't think about this!
But on a second thought , what if its got automatic transmission , with a fluid coupling.In that case none of the above solution will work.How do you start such a car?
ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Aug 22, 2012

white_hat
Oh you are right, I din't think about this!
But on a second thought , what if its got automatic transmission , with a fluid coupling.In that case none of the above solution will work.How do you start such a car?
Sorry but I haven't thought about such a mechanism. Will need to look into it.
NAVATHE SACHIN

@navathe-8fNDWG • Nov 16, 2012

you are telling that start the engine in first gear.first of all how the engine is started?