Hi all, I tried searching but wasn't able to find anything. Does anyone have experience bump-starting a V8 manual transmission car? I am getting one very soon and I want to know if I can bump start it. Any tips or advice is appreciated. The vehicle has a 5.7l engine and 6spd stick. Thanks!
Hi Nifsu: Incredible unicorn for sure. As long as the clutch is good, bump starting it should be very similar to anything else. You may need a bit more momentum given the displacement of course but once she has spun up to 100+ RPMs, the ignition fire sequence will take over if the key is in the std. run mode. Do not just drop the clutch from disengaged to fully engaged. Ease it out until it grabs, let out a bit more as it starts to spin up and reengage the clutch when the ICE roars to life so it does not take off on you. Practice on an empty roadway or parking lot until you have the ICE-Off to On via bump start down cold before jumping onto an open public road. Wayne
Wayne knows best. Occasionally I bump start our low-power 4cylinder Hyundais, using 2nd to 5th gears, depending on the speed. My wife, who is a careful, but not efficient driver, had hard stop & go traffic for 75,000 miles with the 5spd. Accent. With me driving thereafter, the Accent got a wonderful new clutch at 140,000 miles & presently has 170,000 miles. The 6spd. manual Elantra gets bump-started occasionally & nothing has ever gone wrong with it, at 85,000 miles. The clutch continues as if new.
The number of cylinders should make no difference. The vintage might. For smoothest start, chose a "gear" corresponding approximately to normal engine idle speed at the forward speed you're moving when you engage the clutch.
I bump-started my 550 lb Motorcycle at ( slow ) running speed , when I was younger , of course. It wasn't very difficult with a warm engine. ( no kick starter on a 1979 Suzuki GS1000 )
