I have been told that old bushed engines should not be started with electric starters.  Supposed to be hard on the bearing.  Is this true, or a myth, or does it apply to only certain engines?  The older engines are probably the ones that could benefit most from the use of a starter, but I hate to destroy anything.  Thanks.

I have been told that old bushed engines should not be started with electric starters.  Supposed to be hard on the bearing.  Is this true, or a myth, or does it apply to only certain engines?  The older engines are probably the ones that could benefit most from the use of a starter, but I hate to destroy anything.  Thanks.

Hi Russell

Many engines have been destroyed by using an electric starter, What happens is you force the crank pin and rod up against the backplate of the motor and it can  tear loose small pieces of metal, This debris can,and normally does run through the engine and destroy it very rapidly

Randy

Starters and old engines? I just wouldn't.

I have a very old Merco 29 (no idea what colour the head was anymore) that I acquired secondhand some years ago. In a previous life it's owner had ground the front of the crankcase down quite a bit by using an electric starter.
I've no idea why as I get first flick starts with it almost every time, and when it's not first flick, I forgot to fuel it if it takes more than 10.

All my older engines are much much easier to start by hand than any of my new engines.

I don't think the bearing would suffer since the force you put on the crankshaft is mainly tangential (in the direction of rotation) and straight back.

Most modern engines have a steel washer which prevent the aluminum prop washer from grinding against the front nose of the aluminum crankcase. It also can prevent the crankpin from touching the backplate like others have been warning about in this thread. So if you can verify that you have the steel washer and that the crankpin isn't scraping the backplate, an electric starter probably won't hurt too much. An unbalanced prop is much worse (IMHO) on the plain bearing than an electric starter would be.

Hello all,
Speaking of electric starters, one of the facts that wear out old and new engines is not to prime them properly before starting The starting procedure should be the same as hand starting, with the previous prime - feels wet- glow connected- check the kick of the prop- and ONLY then start. Lots of people who use electric starters pass them, and let the motor to run without fuel=oil for several seconds, shorting its life.
Probably most of us know them (hand starting engines is part of stunt), but in any case, here is.
Regards.