I think I remember hearing at one time that the old VW’s could have a drive tire jacked up & turn the tire by hand to start the same as a rope starter don’t know if memory is right. As far as the mower I have used my truck to jump a few time’s with no problem.
It should work fine. It’s 12v to 12v.
You don’t need to start the car.
To be safe (i.e.: to protect the car’s electronics), as someone suggested, you can disconnect the negative post from the car’s battery.
I’ve done this on multiple occasions without a problem.
In a pinch, I have push-started my 750cc motorcycles when they wouldn’t start. It seems like it would be easier to do that on an old VW than jack up the drive tires and spin them.
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A 750 would be a lot of motorcycle to deal with. First the energy to push it up to a fast walking speed and then quickly jumping on, shifting to 3d or 4th gear and releasing the clutch before it slowed to a halt leaves a lot of room for some terrible problems. I’ve pushed off some 90-250cc bikes but larger ones were only rolled off going down long steep hills. But then all those years ago when I was riding bikes there was no such thing as an electric starter on even the largest Harleys.
And about that mower, I have removed the top cover from various B&S engines and filed a notch in the cup on top of the flywheel and used a short piece of rope to start them the old fashioned way.
I had 79 cj5, 3 speed manual, 304 V8 years ago. I bump started it for about a month when the alternator was bad. I generally tried to park on a hill, though!
Good times lol
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It wasn’t nearly as bad as you imagine. I was able to get the motorcycle moving while I was on the bike, so I didn’t have to run along side of it and jump on, and I did it in first gear while squeezing the clutch lever, so I didn’t have to shift into gear while on the move. As soon as I heard the engine catch I’d either squeeze the clutch or just ride on.
The biggest thing I did not like about living in Fla was the lack of hill’s if there was no one around to help push you was up yhe creek.
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@Renegade. Starting the VW by jacking up a drive wheel and spinning it was not much different than starting the old two cylinder John Deere tractors by spinning the PTO pulley.
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Is that the “poppin John” you’re referring to? At least I believe that’s what they call those motors in this neck of the woods.
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I remember the old poppin poppin john’s.
Yep poppin john’s AKA hit & miss.
I saw one of those motors repurposed to run an ice cream mixer once somewhere. Kind of a neat idea. Probably overkill, but the motor sounded cool and the ice cream was good.
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Yep an ice cream mixer made better ice cream than stote bought.
thanks for the discussion
I ended up getting a free recharge at a local automotive chain store. It took about 1hours.
The suggestion I could mess up the car’s electronics was scary.
Good choice , many people will jump from their cars but why take a chance that you are the one who will damage something expensive even if you do it the right way.
Well, since we are telling rope start stories. Had a 115 HP Evinrude, first outing in the spring, did not charge the battery, barely turn the engine over. Evinrude had a rope stored under the cowl for emergencies. Tried it, no way on that motor.
Yeah, I tried that on my 135 HP Black Max once. It’s a joke. Hercules couldn’t spin that motor fast enough to start with a rope- let alone straddling the stern hunched over it on the back of a bass boat…
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It can be done, but I had to stand on the transom, kick off with all I had, and got the old evinrude started, on the third try!
Yesterday my neighbors riding mower would not start . Low battery . He borrowed my charger and did his trimming and edging cooled off with a cold drink . Then the mower started , almost too simple and no chance of electrical damage .
I could not start our 90 HP Mercury with a rope in my 50s. I was a pretty strong teenager, but don’t think I could have turned it over with a rope even then. I, too, thought the rope under the cowl was pretty funny.
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