Starting handle

[Colin Wilks]

Having got the nose cone off for other reasons I'm having a look at getting the starting handle to sit at 9.00 o'clock rather than dangling at 6.00 as it does at present. Surprisingly, the rebates for the peg are not destroyed completely, but the peg is 90° out. Solution is to grind a new flat for the starting handle cotter, but I think there should be something else in there to prevent the ingress of crud, which will make its way into the sump via the timing gear casing. I am loathe to put a felt pad between the spring and the nose cone as I can see it working it's way into the timing gear area. I am planning to get a suitable washer and put this up against the nose cone as a seat for the pad, but am starting to think I'm overcomplicating things.

What do others do to sort this?

[Derek Sheldon]

The starting handle is held in place by the notches at the engine end

[Colin Wilks]

I should clarify my question. How do you stop water and crud getting down the nose cone and into the engine?

My drawing shows my proposed addition of a washer and a felt pad, all that's on the car at present is the starting handle shaft and the spring.

[Rick F]

From the Austin Service Journal .....

   

[Colin Wilks]

Thanks for that Rick. 

On my 65 the front of the nose cone is just a hole, no thread, no nut, no nothing.  The spring is tensioned directly against the starting handle. Also the cut out in the shaft is in line with the pins, so the handle is parked at 6.00 o'clock or 12.00 o'clock.

[Austin in the Shed]

Thanks for that Rick. 

On my 65 the front of the nose cone is just a hole, no thread, no nut, no nothing.  The spring is tensioned directly against the starting handle. Also the cut out in the shaft is in line with the pins, so the handle is parked at 6.00 o'clock or 12.00 o'clock.

I think the service journal is misleading.The diagrams show a c1929-31 nosecone which had a 7/8" shaft and short starting handle.Post 1931 they are all as you describe Colin,an 11/16" starting handle shaft and longer staring handle shaft which acts as a bush? in the alum housing.
All the '29 type housings I've seen have a 1/4" location pin in a 1/4" slot at 3 'oclock (Looking from the inside).The later one has a pin through the end with a claw type crank front bolt into the crank.
I don't think any of the later staring handle housings have any provision to keep the muck out,If fact more likely to drain into the sump via the internal drain hole.

[steve davidson]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the post, this is exactly the same issue that I'm dealing with but for two different reasons. This first one is that I've got a long steep driveway and when I reverse up I get a lug of oil coming out through the crank handle, I need a solution to keep engine oil in (and thus my wife off my back). The second issue is that I'm planning a drive in to some very remote and dusty areas of Australia so I need a solution to keep very fine dust entering the sump via the crank handle. I was looking for a lip seal that I could use matched with a speedi sleeve on the handle. If I get a good result I'll let you know.

[Tony Press]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the post, this is exactly the same issue that I'm dealing with but for two different reasons.  This first one is that I've got a long steep driveway and when I reverse up I get a lug of oil coming out through the crank handle, I need a solution to keep engine oil in (and thus my wife off my back).  The second issue is that I'm planning a drive in to some very remote and dusty areas of Australia so I need a solution to keep very fine dust entering the sump via the crank handle.  I was looking for a lip seal that I could use matched with a speedi sleeve on the handle.  If I get a good result I'll let you know.

The later Sport's nose shown in Goodwin's Pitman is obviously different to the earlier nosepiece above, having to resist oil pressure -


  Sports Engine Nose.jpg (Size: 93.41 KB / Downloads: 344)

[Bob Culver]

My car lived outside for decades and cloth was kept wrapped around the entry.
The later plain nosespieces are a misson to bush. Often the radiator has cut inconveniently into the metal.
Possibly the earllier with brass nut can be turned out for a thin O ring.

[Dave Mann]

I didn't like the gap between the starting handle shaft and the housing allowing all the road dirt and water thrown up by the preceding car to go into our RN engine. I turned the starting handle to 7/8" and bored the housing out and bushed it back to 7/8" , securing the bush with Loctite bearing fit. Do not go less than 7/8" or you can't get the spring in. In hindsight maybe I should have made provision for an O ring seal.