Gas pedal starter- what is this sorcery?

"JCAlan" (jcalan) 08/08/2018 at 16:42 • Filed to: None

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Went to pull this car (55 Buick Century) in the showroom, and I sat in it for a solid 10 minutes and couldn’t figure out how to start it. Then someone showed me, just press the gas pedal and it fires right up. WTH? How does this work? I’ve never heard of this. It’s not a simple switch, because once the car is running you can floor the gas again and the starter doesn’t try to engage. A simple google search didn’t give me a dumbed-down enough answer. Something about a ball bearing sliding around in the linkage and making contact? I say it’s magic , man!

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 16:49

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Definitely magic. It also seems super dangerous but, that was the 50s.

Longtime Lurker > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 16:54

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Neat! Like a gas powered golf cart.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 16:58

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If I were to design such a setup it’d be a switch that is activated as soon as the throttle leaves its stop. That switch activates and completes a circuit with the starter solenoid BUT only if there is no current from the alternator (thus the engine is stopped) . That would be accomplished with a relay that is opened by the presence of current (I used one like this for a fan controller in my Jaguar).

JCAlan > Longtime Lurker 08/08/2018 at 16:59

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Ya kinda, except it doesn’t shut off when you come to a stop.

lone_liberal > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/08/2018 at 17:01

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From what I get from this, I think you and the Buick engineers agree:

https://www.hometownbuick.com/1955-buick-cranking-system-starter/

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > lone_liberal 08/08/2018 at 17:04

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yup! Looks about right.

LOREM IPSUM > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 17:18

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Retrofitted to a modern car it would make for a great antitheft system, especially when combined with a manual.

kanadanmajava1 > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 17:37

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My ‘48 Packard has also similar starting mechanism. It remained quite popular feature in those days. I think the point is to get the accelerator pedal pushed to desired position while starting. With normal key start the driver can operate the pedal as he wishes.

The magic why the starter doesn’t engage while driving is hidden inside the Carter ca rburetor. Maybe Buick used similar system. The throttle shaft pushes a ball against a plunger that operates a switch. When the engine is running the vacuum keeps the ball above the plunger so that it cannot operate the switch anymore.

jimz > kanadanmajava1 08/08/2018 at 17:40

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Plus you prime the system at the same time.

NKato > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/08/2018 at 19:06

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 This is accomplished with a simple relay switch. 

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > JCAlan 08/08/2018 at 21:10

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I feel like we kind of have a modern version of this in automatic start-stop systems.

gawdzillla > LOREM IPSUM 08/09/2018 at 10:32

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combine this with the rx-8 you’d need a new motor every week / month LOL