Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

[Cricket Too]

I have a '98 30hp Evinrude. It's an electric start but I've wondered if it will start using the rope wrapped around the flywheel if the battery died. Obviously you still need the ignition switch turned on, but if the battery was dead would it still start? I kind of always figured the rope start was in case the starter crapped out, but recently it occurred to me....what would I do if my battery died out there.....and I mean died, not weak but like fully dead won't even engage the starter dead.

Thanks.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

It will start without the battery. If it doesn't have rope start, then bring an emergency rope with you with a knot in it to wrap around the flywheel. If the engine is warm and in good tune it should start easily with a couple of rotations of the flywheel. The ignition gets voltage from the windings under the flywheel. Electric start engines have an extra charging coil under the flywheel to charge the battery.
JBJ

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

Thanks jb, I made up a rope pull myself a while back, never had to use it but I've tested it out. Engine will start cold in 1/2 a pull. I figured that as long as the ignition was ON that pulling the rope would generate enough voltage for the ignition.

Thanks for confirming, I appreciate it.

 

[eavega]

Re: Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

My old 50 HP Evindrude used to actually have an "emergency start rope" that went in a little pocket inside the engine cowling. It was nothing more than a rope with a loop at one end and a dowel at the other. The flywheel had three or four notches along the outside that were there so you could hook the rope to it with the loop, then wrap and pull. I tried once just to be sure it would work. You have to give it a gigantic pull, but it did catch and start!

Rgds
Eric

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

while we're on the topic:

I've heard that newer motors don't have the notches for back-up rope pulling any more. Probably another "safety" over-reaction.

The dangerous part of rope-pulling is whipping the eyes out of the passengers who are (typically) watching. I send my passengers forward and make them duck their heads overboard.

For big motors: tie the handle to the middle of an oar, stand it straight up in front of the motor, wrap the line around the flywheel (the place you tie the handle to should be level with the flywheel), put your foot against the bottom of the oar and pull the top--the lever action gives you better pull, plus less whipping action.

 

[Fed]

Re: Will this engine rope start with a dead battery?

When I was buying some other stuff I chucked a genuine omc rope in just for fun, about $5 from memory.
Gave it a whirl on my 90HP & found I can start it with one hand.

On the first try I used two hands & wound myself up tight as a spring, pulled an angry face and nearly threw myself into the cabin when it fired on the 1st compression stroke.

Best investment ever.