When your hand starting a 4-stroke engine do you turn the prop CW or CCW?

Hi!
CCW!

I'm with jaka.I find starting anything bigger than my 62 in the direction it normally runs damages the trailing edge of my props on kickback.Flipping it backwards is way easier.

I don't agree with the advice already posted.
On both a 4 and 2 stroke I flick the spinner backwards against compression which is CWclockwise when looking at the front of the engine where you would be to start it.
I also use a chicken stick on the prop to flick them backwardsCW against compression .
Sometimes I also use the chicken stick to flip the prop thru compression CCW-counter clockwise only on a 2 stroke.
Clear as mud but you should get the picture.
Fred

I prime my Saito 82 CCW and then turn it over
manualy CW ( with out glow plug voltage).
Then I turn it CW till up against the Compression
stroke . Then I use my Chicken Stick ( I play Guitar)
and start it. BTW, I'm right handed.

Bob

I am partial to electric starters

Thanks for all the information. I will give it a try.

I second this big time, I was hand starting at firstl. But once I wanted to keep a engine running that I was having trouble with and I tried to get to the needle valve quick and cut the ends of two of my finger. It was not a real bad cut, but I went in and bought a elect. starter the next day and have not looked back. Now if I have a problem engine or just a hard to start one, its not a problem.

But to answer the question, I find it depends on the engine. Some start better on the back flip and some start better fliping through CCW just the way they run and this may be the reason for different answers to your question. But you do need to prim it first with the glow off the engine.

Warning- Warning - Warning sticking fingers or any part of your body WITH IN THE SWING OF THE PROP, may cause injury!!!!!!!!! I just had to add that , with all the silly warning we are seeing on everything nowadays!!!!

I, too, am partial to electric starters. Especially on the first start of the day when engines can be particularly balky.
However, there are times when getting to a starter is inconvenient, such as when setting the idle adjustment. All the starting and stopping, kneeling down, etc, can be a PITA.

If you have to start by hand, try this:

Place your thumb on the tip of the spinner, and 2 fingers on the prop where it meets the spinner. In a twisting motion, flip it Clockwise (like spinning a top). I think grasping the spinner is safer than flipping outboard on the prop, plus you can spin it faster.

Of course, retract your hand so it doesn't get tangled in the prop. You'll need to position your prop against compression at approx. the 1:35 position.

If you're a lefty, I wouldn't recommend it, tho'.

This is a very old thread but I thought I would mention I was looking for this info on backflipping the four strokes. I broke two props starting my OS FS 120 with a stout wooden chicken stick as the engine kicked back CW. The thin trailing edge of the prop was crushed on one 16x6 Zinger prop and then a 18.8 broke at the shaft. I need to see if I can do this back flip start next time I get the engine set up on my test stand, before getting it back into the Sig 1/4 Scale Cub it came from. In the meantime I picked up a torqmaster 180 starter and I will go with adding a spinner to use the starter. I prefer to hand flip, though - less encumbrance of big 12v battery and big ol' starter. Travel light.

This demonstrates reverse bump starts in this case my 1.8 Moki two stroke. As some of the fellows above back in 2008 stated reverse bump starts two stroke or four stroke requires that the engine be in the perfect state of prime and not all engines like the technique I use electric start for many of my engines but a few that respond well to reverse bumping I do use it.

Remember when using an electric starter and this is especially important with for strokes is that you completely back up the prop manually aginst compression before applying the starter in the normal direction.

John



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyvLW5q6BaM

Thank you - the tip about perfect prime is very helpful - I will give it a try as soon as I can try. The video was really good - thanks for that too, gives me an idea about what it looks like.

Some thing that has not been said explicitly is the value in turning the engine over by hand twice before trying to start it.

I use a leather welding glove but can still feel the state of the engine as I turn it over holding the prop. I then turn it over a third time with the plug energised, if I feel it ' bump ' then I know it is ready to start.

I have always preferred to hand start my engines, going CCW except with the reed valve Cox 049s which would persist in running backwards when I flicked them in the right direction.

I don't understand why you would want to start a four-stroke backwards in the first place. Am I missing something here? I have a O.S. FS 120 on a Escapade 60. I never start it backwards (CW) always CCW, and it starts every time. I use an electric starter.

With an electric starter, the point is moot. You start it CCW, or in the direction it will run. But this thread was about hand starting, in which case flipping it backwards works on some engines. Some not so much. You need to know your particular engine.

Oh I see.... Thanks for clarifying