MTFCA Forum

The Ford T manual says to have the spark lever fully retarded when using the electric starter. Most if not all T owners also fully retard the spark lever when starting the car with the ignition set to battery. The manual also says to have the spark lever advanced 3 or 4 notches when starting on the magneto. That varies with each car depending on how well the timing is set and slop in the timer rod/arm.

Both our 11 and 15 T's start well on the magneto, and certainly start easier with the timer advanced some as the manual says. If the car is being started with the ignition set to the magneto, is it still possible to get a kickback? The manual says it can, but I was wondering if anyone has ever experienced that. You need to get the engine spinning a bit more in the correct direction to get the magneto to generate enough voltage, compared to being set on battery where it can free start if things are in the right spot. I would think with more momentum going in the correct direction, then the less likely that a kickback would occur.

Two things would have to happen: the spark lever would have to be massively over advanced to the next node, and the person cranking would have to be near super-human to have the engine spinning fast enough INTO COMPRESSION for it to happen...perhaps if the person was very strong and they were windmilling the thing.

Folks don't often appreciate (or likely think about) the acceleration increase (in cranking speed) that the engine itself provides you when reaching ATDC and the compressed air is free to aid your effort.

It is a rare enough occurrence that I have never heard of it happening in the real world.

I cautiously advance the timing about 1/4 + way down when hand-cranking on magneto. No problems so far.

When I start the K on mag, I have to advance the spark a little more. I can feel it resist a bit while pulling into compression, and I suspect the spark is weak enough it takes a bit more advance to “push” the motor to start. I’ve noticed the same thing with T’s, although the kickback isn’t as ferocious (but still can break bones, as we’ve all heard about).