how to start car without starter motor

If your car’s starter motor dies, getting the engine running might feel impossible—but there are a few old-school tricks to try, kind of like jump-starting a bike by pushing it instead of using the pedals. These methods work best for manual transmission cars (stick shifts) because automatic ones are trickier, but let’s break them down simply: ### 1. Push-Starting (The Most Common Trick)   This is like giving your car a “running start” to get the engine going. Here’s how it works:   - First, make sure the car is in **neutral** and the parking brake is off. Have a friend (or two) help push—you’ll need some speed!   - Turn the key to the “on” position (so the fuel pump and ignition work, but don’t crank the starter, since it’s broken).   - Let your friends push the car until it’s rolling pretty fast—maybe 10-15 mph, like a slow jog.   - Step on the clutch, shift into **second gear**, then quickly release the clutch. The rolling wheels will spin the engine through the gears, just like the starter motor usually does.   - Once the engine sputters to life, step on the clutch again, keep it running, and shift back to neutral. Then you can drive to get the starter fixed!   ### 2. Using a Tow (Similar to Push-Starting)   If you don’t have people to push, you can use another car to tow yours.   - Attach a tow rope between the two cars. The other car will pull yours up to speed (same 10-15 mph).   - When you’re rolling, do the same as push-starting: turn the key on, shift into second gear, release the clutch, and the engine should start.   - Just be careful—make sure the tow rope is strong, and the driver of the other car goes slow and steady.   ### 3. For Older Cars: The “Bump Start” (Rare, But Cool)   Some super old manual cars with big engines can be started by “bumping” them downhill. Find a gentle slope, let the car roll down in neutral, then shift into gear and release the clutch—same idea as push-starting, but gravity does the pushing.   **Why does this work?** Engines need two things to start: fuel and a spin (to mix that fuel with air and ignite it). Normally, the starter motor provides the spin. But if the car is rolling fast enough, the wheels spin the engine through the gears—so the engine gets its spin from the motion of the car itself.   But remember: these tricks only work for manual cars. Automatic transmissions have extra parts that stop the wheels from spinning the engine, so you can’t push-start them. And if your car’s battery is dead too, even these methods might fail—you’ll need a jump first to power the ignition.   In the end, these are just temporary fixes. Once you get the engine running, head to a mechanic to fix the starter motor—you don’t want to rely on pushing your car every time!