push starting (or bump starting)??

[Eug]

hi all,

after not having driven for over a week, i found my battery dead. i think the electronic rust protection may have drained it. i had enough for radio and other accessories and just enough to get her to turn over a few times but not fire.

rather than bringing the other car around to jump start (too lazy). without thinking i attempted to push start it down the driveway. i found it extremely difficult and couldn't get her to go. then i realised that diesel might be different with the glow plug and all.

being my first diesel engine i had a look around on the web and some people say you can with the older cars and some say you can't with the newer ones. i had enough battery power to get the glow plug light on the dash to go out. it certainly felt like i could, but may have needed more speed to get the higher compression needed to turn her over.

in the end i brought the other car around to jump start without dramas.

my question is can i push start in future? is it safe to do so with a diesel?

cheers
eug

 

[tweak'e]

to be honest i havn't done it with a new engine.
one catch is most ecu's have a minimum battery voltage before they will allow ignition. so push starting may not get the voltage up enough even tho everything else works.

 

[larrymdr]

Try it in 3rd or 4th , first. The kid up the road was clutching his in second and would just compression lock up. After a few goes one of the spotties dropped out.

 

[scottybobcat]

Tow or push in 3rd or 4th

 

[Eug]

ok thanks... i used to do it with my petrol car in 2nd.

 

[morticus]

Yeah ive done mine in 2nd and also reverse...

 

[Passage GT]

pushed started my brother's old sd33t patrol, he was using second and we couldn't get it pushing it, ended up hooking up a strap and pulling with my car and we got it then
i've always used second but never really considered the extra compression of a diesel (haven't owned one yet) so will use 3rd in the future