Bring the flywheel over to back center so that piston will compress the charge. With the flywheel in the hand, bring the piston back sharply two or three times, compressing the charge. This repeated compression causes a little heat to be liberated, which warms up the cylinder inside. If the cylinder is very cold this compression may be repeated until the cylinder is sufficiently warm to ignite. When performing this preparatory compression the piston may be brought nearly up to the dead center but not quite. At last bring it over the dead center, and just as it passes over, snap the electric ignition bar. If an explosion follows the engine will be started.
If the hot tube is used, the flywheel may be brought around sharply each time so that the piston will pass the dead center, as an explosion will follow complete compression. If the explosion does not follow, the flywheel may be turned back again and brought up sharply past the dead center. Each successive compression will warm up the cylinder a little till at last an explosion will take place and the engine will be started.
More gasoline will be needed to start in cold weather than in warm, and the starting supply should be regulated accordingly. Moreover, when the engine gets to going, the cylinder will warm up, more of the gasoline will vaporize, and a smaller supply will be needed. Then the throttle can be turned so as to reduce the supply.
After the engine is started, the water jacket should be set in operation, and you should see that the cylinder lubrication is taking place as it ought.
As the above method of starting the engine will not always work well, especially in cold weather, what are called “self-starters” are used. They are variously arranged on different engines, but are constructed on the same general principle. This is, first, to pump air and gasoline into the cylinder instead of drawing it in by suction. Sometimes the gasoline is forced in by an air compression tank. The engine is turned just past the back center, care having been taken to make sure that the stroke is the regular explosion stroke. This may be told by looking at the valve cam or shaft. If an electric igniter is used, it is set ready to snap by hand. If the tube igniter is used, a detonator is arranged in the cylinder, to be charged by the head of a snapping parlor match which can be exploded by hand. Holding the flywheel with one hand with piston just past back center, fill the compressed end of the cylinder by working the pump or turning on the air in compression tank till you feel a strong pressure on the piston through the flywheel. Then snap igniter or detonator and the engine is off. If throttle valve has not been opened, it may now be immediately opened.
The skill comes in managing the flywheel with one hand, or one hand and a foot, and the igniter, etc., with the other hand. Care must be exercised not to get caught when the flywheel starts off. The foot must never be put through the arm of the wheel, the wheel merely being held when necessary by the ball of the big toe, so that if the flywheel should start suddenly it would merely slip off the toe without carrying the foot around or unbalancing the engineer. Until one gets used to it, it is better to have some one else manage the flywheel, while you look after the gasoline supply, igniter, etc. When used to it, one man can easily start any gasoline engine up to 15 horsepower.
WHAT TO DO WITH A GASOLINE ENGINE WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK.
Questions and Answers.
Q. If the engine suddenly stops, what would you do?
A. First, see that the gasoline feed is all right, plenty of gasoline in the tank, feed pipe filled, gasoline pump working, and then if valves are all in working order. Perhaps there may be dirt in the feed reservoir, or the pipe leading from it may be stopped up. If everything is right so far, examine the valves to see that they work freely and do not get stuck from lack of good oil, or from use of poor oil. Raise them a few times to see if they work freely. Carefully observe if the air valve is not tight in sleeve of gas valve.