How does pushing a car start it

Hehe, I'll spot ya on that one, MtDew. I left my lights on for the first time ever at school in my 3. I had left my jumper cables in my 3.

Take car out of gear, push it out Then I open the door, get a running start, sove the car, jump in, turn the key, pop the lutch etc I start pushing it back up again Meanwhile some guy walks by says "you need cables eh? Finally got it started. Otherwise I probably would have kept trying to push it myself, knowing me I drove an 85 turbo Omni GLH that I could push start just by opening the drivers door and sticking my foot out to get it going.

Don't understand it. The charger must've sucked too, it refused to charge until I removed the cables. It usually works when it has some juice left. I think it's time for a new battery too as it doesn't seem to have much left anymore. And the charger says it's full.

Contact me personally. I remember the magazine articles on those bad boys. How does a car start by pushing it? Ars Praefectus et Subscriptor.

Ars Scholae Palatinae et Subscriptor. Man with no head. Improve this question. Cal Gibson Cal Gibson 1 1 gold badge 3 3 silver badges 15 15 bronze badges. The starter just turns the car's crank shaft. Putting the car in gear down hill also turns the crankshaft. You're using gravity to do the same job as the starter.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. For older designs without electronic ignition and controllers, no battery is required at all. Improve this answer. Alfred Centauri Alfred Centauri Make sure you put your thumb over the handle and not around it. Then when I inserted the key a dim lights appeared on the dashboard but they faded away very soon - so I knew that the battery was completely empty.

Anyway we tried to push start it several times on the street but it did not started. I suppose there were not any electricity for the car computer or spark plug to ignite any cylinder. We wasted our time. Time4Tea Time4Tea 3, 1 1 gold badge 16 16 silver badges 41 41 bronze badges. You could likely completely remove the battery and the car would still run if started this way. Popping the clutch only works if there is enough power for the spark plugs and engine computer.

If the battery is completely drained this will not work, because the alternator will not supply any power during this process. With the clutch pedal pressed in, the crankshaft will not move. Once you engage the clutch, the alternator will be spinning very slowly, probably not enough to produce measurable power. I actually tried this once with a battery with dead cells. Popping the clutch wouldn't work. Monty Wild Monty Wild 2 2 silver badges 4 4 bronze badges.

Step 1: Ensure that your vehicle is on a flat surface. Confirm that your vehicle is parked on a flat surface with several hundred yards of free space in front of it. Step 2: Turn your on the ignition. Put your transmission gear shift in the neutral position and disengage your parking brake. Your vehicle will now able to roll freely.

Familiarize yourself with the exact location of the clutch pedal, the brake pedal, and the parking brake. Confirm that you have access to the steering wheel to quickly correct the direction in which your car is moving, if needed. Step 4: Push your car.

Begin pushing your car from the windshield pillar. Step 5: Get into the car. Step 6: Apply second gear. In a smooth motion, press the clutch pedal in, engage the gear shift into second gear, then release the clutch pedal. Press the clutch pedal in immediately to keep it running or press the accelerator to start driving forward if you are in a safe location.

When you push your car to get some momentum and engage the transmission, the engine will start spinning. If your car has a manual transmission and the battery is dead, you can use any of these methods to get it to start.

Our certified mobile mechanics perform over services, including diagnostics, brakes, oil changes, scheduled mileage maintenances, and will come to you with all necessary parts and tools. Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2, U. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair. Warning : Do not attempt to push start a vehicle alone in any situation. An attempt to do so is not only dangerous for your vehicle, but also the likelihood of injury is high, and there is potential that it could be fatal.

As long as you have a few friends or family members to help, follow the instructions below to learn how to push start a vehicle. Tip : Push starting a car in second gear allows you to start it smoothly and without a big jolt. This in turn reduces the wear on the clutch and transmission. Note : Your primary concern is to maintain safe control of your vehicle, so pay attention for traffic and pedestrians. Warning : Push-starting a car by human power is dangerous as your helpers may need to walk or run behind your car in the midst of traffic.

Always wait for a safe situation to begin the push start process. If you take them by surprise, they may fall down or injure their wrists while pushing your car. Method 3 of 3: Push start your car by yourself Warning : Though this method can be used to push start your car, it should only be used as a last resort. You run the risk of losing control of your vehicle while hurting yourself in the process.

Warning : If your vehicle is not on a level surface, do not attempt this method at all. If there are vehicles parked nearby or if your car stopped in a tight space, do not try to push start the car by yourself. If your vehicle begins to roll, continue to push until you reach a slow jog.

Alternately, try to sit down quickly and then swing your feet into the car.