Honda Car Forum

"Sam Nickaby" <SamN@has.none> wrote in message
news:dCiIf.29977$F_3.607@newssvr29.news.prodigy.ne t...
>I have been thinking of a good way to prevent stranding
> myself from a dead battery. It happened twice. Once at a
> beach from leaving my lights on. The other was at a college
> campus which the stereo and the dome light ran down the
> battery. Unlike the beach, the college campus have lots of
> helpful students with beat up cars that have jumper cables.
> Now, I have a new idea. Once my battery runs dry, I
> remove my alternator belt and wrap a rope around the
> alternator pulley. I then pull the rope so it'll turn 10
> revolutions per pull. I keep doing this for about 20 times.
>
> What is the possibility that this will supply enough charge
> to start the car. If not, can somebody think of a clever idea
> to start an automatic?

Get a battery booster and keep it in your boot.

Or do what the rest of the world does and get a manual and park it on a
hill!

Mark Hewitt wrote:

> get a manual and park it on a hill!

That works ! ;-)

Graham

Pooh Bear wrote:
>
> Mark Hewitt wrote:
>
> > get a manual and park it on a hill!
>
> That works ! ;-)
>
> Graham

Not any more it doesn't!!!

That 'used' to work before computers and electric fuel pumps, but I
found out the hard way that push starting a modern vehicle with a dead
battery is only good for exercise.

The fuel pump and computer need power or the engine won't start. The
gent would be just as well off 'pull starting' on the alternator
pulley...

The booster packs you carry in the trunk appear to work well. Several
Jeepers I know bring them on bush camping trips so they can run an
electric cooler without worrying about starting later.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Sam Nickaby wrote:
> I have been thinking of a good way to prevent stranding
> myself from a dead battery. It happened twice. Once at a
> beach from leaving my lights on. The other was at a college
> campus which the stereo and the dome light ran down the
> battery. Unlike the beach, the college campus have lots of
> helpful students with beat up cars that have jumper cables.
> Now, I have a new idea. Once my battery runs dry, I
> remove my alternator belt and wrap a rope around the
> alternator pulley. I then pull the rope so it'll turn 10
> revolutions per pull. I keep doing this for about 20 times.
>
> What is the possibility that this will supply enough charge
> to start the car. If not, can somebody think of a clever idea
> to start an automatic?
>
> Thanks

Follow the advice given in this thread -- it is very sound.

You should also know that every time you allow a battery to run down to
the point where it does not start the car, you lose battery capacity.
In other words, the battery will 'hold' a charge to a lesser degree,
and this capacity degreases with every dead start. Eventually your
battery will get to the point where it can't even light a dome light.

You may actually need a new battery at this point. If your battery has
an issue, eventually your alternator will give out (yes, it does
damage). Get it checked and replace it if it isn't any good.

Remco

On 2/14/06 10:12 AM, in article 43F20164.8F3CEE6E@sympatico.ca, "Mike
Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> Pooh Bear wrote:
>>
>> Mark Hewitt wrote:
>>
>>> get a manual and park it on a hill!
>>
>> That works ! ;-)
>>
>> Graham
>
> Not any more it doesn't!!!
>
> That 'used' to work before computers and electric fuel pumps, but I
> found out the hard way that push starting a modern vehicle with a dead
> battery is only good for exercise.
>

It still works (I know from personal experience), but there is a catch. You
have to push it with a car at speeds high enough to get the alternator
turning fast enough to get the fuel pump and computer to power up. Then it
will start. The last time I tried it, it took about 1/4 mile pushing at
about 15 MPH with the clutch engaged in 2nd gear before the warning lights
came on and it would start by popping the clutch (obviously it has to be in
gear and spinning to build up the charge - to make it start, put the clutch
back in and let it out again while still being pushed. I don't think you
could do it by hand anymore. A long enough down hill run would probably
still work.

> The fuel pump and computer need power or the engine won't start. The
> gent would be just as well off 'pull starting' on the alternator
> pulley...
>
> The booster packs you carry in the trunk appear to work well. Several
> Jeepers I know bring them on bush camping trips so they can run an
> electric cooler without worrying about starting later.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

"Sam Nickaby" <SamN@has.none> wrote in message
news:dCiIf.29977$F_3.607@newssvr29.news.prodigy.ne t...
> I have been thinking of a good way to prevent stranding
> myself from a dead battery. It happened twice. Once at a
> beach from leaving my lights on. The other was at a college
> campus which the stereo and the dome light ran down the
> battery. Unlike the beach, the college campus have lots of
> helpful students with beat up cars that have jumper cables.
> Now, I have a new idea. Once my battery runs dry, I
> remove my alternator belt and wrap a rope around the
> alternator pulley. I then pull the rope so it'll turn 10
> revolutions per pull. I keep doing this for about 20 times.
>
> What is the possibility that this will supply enough charge
> to start the car. If not, can somebody think of a clever idea
> to start an automatic?
>
> Thanks
>

Stop being an idiot and using power from the battery when the engine
isn't running.

Best solution is to get a battery saver unit and install it. It will
shut down the power when it senses a current draw.
As for removing the belt and spinning the alternator. It will NEVER
work. The alternator requires voltage to it before it will generate any
power. Spinning it won't make any difference.



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Mike Romain wrote:

> Pooh Bear wrote:
> >
> > Mark Hewitt wrote:
> >
> > > get a manual and park it on a hill!
> >
> > That works ! ;-)
> >
> > Graham
>
> Not any more it doesn't!!!
>
> That 'used' to work before computers and electric fuel pumps, but I
> found out the hard way that push starting a modern vehicle with a dead
> battery is only good for exercise.
>
> The fuel pump and computer need power or the engine won't start. The
> gent would be just as well off 'pull starting' on the alternator
> pulley...

I've never known a battery go *that* flat ! ( without obvious abuse )

If it does - probably it was seriously short of charge before the event or
the battery was simply on its last legs.

Graham

Pooh Bear wrote:
>
> Mike Romain wrote:
>
> > Pooh Bear wrote:
> > >
> > > Mark Hewitt wrote:
> > >
> > > > get a manual and park it on a hill!
> > >
> > > That works ! ;-)
> > >
> > > Graham
> >
> > Not any more it doesn't!!!
> >
> > That 'used' to work before computers and electric fuel pumps, but I
> > found out the hard way that push starting a modern vehicle with a dead
> > battery is only good for exercise.
> >
> > The fuel pump and computer need power or the engine won't start. The
> > gent would be just as well off 'pull starting' on the alternator
> > pulley...
>
> I've never known a battery go *that* flat ! ( without obvious abuse )
>
> If it does - probably it was seriously short of charge before the event or
> the battery was simply on its last legs.
>
> Graham

The 'obvious abuse' is what the OP stated, leaving the lights and/or
stereo on.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

E Meyer wrote:
>
> On 2/14/06 10:12 AM, in article 43F20164.8F3CEE6E@sympatico.ca, "Mike
> Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > Pooh Bear wrote:
> >>
> >> Mark Hewitt wrote:
> >>
> >>> get a manual and park it on a hill!
> >>
> >> That works ! ;-)
> >>
> >> Graham
> >
> > Not any more it doesn't!!!
> >
> > That 'used' to work before computers and electric fuel pumps, but I
> > found out the hard way that push starting a modern vehicle with a dead
> > battery is only good for exercise.
> >
>
> It still works (I know from personal experience), but there is a catch. You
> have to push it with a car at speeds high enough to get the alternator
> turning fast enough to get the fuel pump and computer to power up. Then it
> will start. The last time I tried it, it took about 1/4 mile pushing at
> about 15 MPH with the clutch engaged in 2nd gear before the warning lights
> came on and it would start by popping the clutch (obviously it has to be in
> gear and spinning to build up the charge - to make it start, put the clutch
> back in and let it out again while still being pushed. I don't think you
> could do it by hand anymore. A long enough down hill run would probably
> still work.

One other 'catch'. The (most that I know of) alternators won't fire up
and start charging without excite power or field power.

Mike

>
> > The fuel pump and computer need power or the engine won't start. The
> > gent would be just as well off 'pull starting' on the alternator
> > pulley...
> >
> > The booster packs you carry in the trunk appear to work well. Several
> > Jeepers I know bring them on bush camping trips so they can run an
> > electric cooler without worrying about starting later.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> > Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> > (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 06:22:53 -0500, Nate Nagel <njnagel@flycast.net> wrote:


>Sam Nickaby wrote:
>> I have been thinking of a good way to prevent stranding
>> myself from a dead battery. It happened twice. Once at a
>> beach from leaving my lights on. The other was at a college
>> campus which the stereo and the dome light ran down the
>> battery. Unlike the beach, the college campus have lots of
>> helpful students with beat up cars that have jumper cables.
>> Now, I have a new idea. Once my battery runs dry, I
>> remove my alternator belt and wrap a rope around the
>> alternator pulley. I then pull the rope so it'll turn 10
>> revolutions per pull. I keep doing this for about 20 times.
>>
>> What is the possibility that this will supply enough charge
>> to start the car. If not, can somebody think of a clever idea
>> to start an automatic?
>>
>> Thanks

>I don't think that a) you will spin the engine fast enough to start it
>or b) that if the battery is dead you will be able to generate enough
>juice while doing as you suggest to power up the engine electronics,
>fuel pump, etc. You *certainly* won't with the alternator belt removed.

>If this is of real concern to you, I would get one of those "booster
>packs" and keep it in the trunk; alternately, get one of those gizmos
>that straps to the battery that will cut the power to the vehicle when
>the battery is significantly (but not fully) discharged - the idea is
>that there should be enough juice left for one good crank after you
>reset the thing.

Better yet, how about if you quit running the battery down? I had a period
of time where I'd frequently let my lights run down the battery when it
rained. I'd have the headlights on in the rain and then forget to turn the
lights off. My solution then was to put a relay in series with the headlight
switch that switched them off with the ignition.