restoring a 1998 model craftsman pushmower, have a couple questions

[logert gogert]

Alright, so i have recently found a older craftsman push mower, 5.5hp HONDA motor.
I found it on the side of the street. It looks like it was one of the really high dollar one back in its day. It has the RPM throttle handle, so you can set the fixed RPM you want to mow at. Has a squeeze style lever to adjust the speed how fast to the self propelled rear wheels, and has another lever on the left side of the operator that you push forward and it locks itself into place, engaging the blades.
It had no recoil start assembly on it, just the bare flywheel. It also had frayed cables, and oh lord, the BLACKEST oil, and DIRTIEST air filter I've EVER seen.....
I checked for spark, it had spark. But i don't have a compression checker so i couldn't check my compression.

Sooooooo.... being said that it has no recoil assembly, that means i can't start it......buuuuuuuuut......
I DO have a drill
I removed the spark plug wire and go the right size socket for the drill, put it on the flywheel nut and i spun the engine in the right direction to see if it would even spin it fast enough to turn over, and of course it did.
but OBVIOUSLY it wouldn't start because i removed the spark plug wire, which i did on purpose because i didn't want it to start because i didn't know if it would be safe.

so....that being said, if i were to put the spark plug wire back on, set the throttle position to idle speed ( or as low as i can get it ), could i safely start it with a power drill?

 

[logert gogert]

so i noticed this thread wasn't on the front page anymore, so I'm adding this comment so it stays on the front page

 

[logert gogert]

hello? guys......?

 

[tom3]

Started many a lawnmower with a good drill. Might need a low speed selector on the drill. And be sure to have the operator handle in the run position, otherwise there would be a flywheel brake on. And when it starts pull the drill off quickly while the drill is still running.

 

[logert gogert]

Started many a lawnmower with a good drill. Might need a low speed selector on the drill. And be sure to have the operator handle in the run position, otherwise there would be a flywheel brake on. And when it starts pull the drill off quickly while the drill is still running.

yea, i was practicing that while the plug wire was disconnected, i was trying to see how fast i could take it off, so my wrist wouldn't catch and break my wrist, but I'm still scared it will catch and i won't be able to take the drill off....