I dont see a problem with it. Its solenoid actuated, so, if an electromagnet can pull the cable to engage it,no reason why you cant. Its only engaged for a very short time,

According to the test procedure in the Clymer manual, it isn't quite that simple. When the starter button is pressed, the decompression solenoid is activated and the engine is decompressed. After 0.2 seconds, the starter is engaged and the engine begins to turn. After 0.7 seconds the decompression solenoid is released. So the engine turns for 0.5 seconds "decompressed." What this does is make sure the starter doesn't have to try to turn the engine on the compression stroke as it begins the start. After the delay the engine will have gotten up to cranking speed and the starter, with the aid of the flywheel, will be able to turn the engine through compression. If you do it manually, you would operate your manual decompression control, operate the starter, then release the decompressor while continuing to operate the starter until the engine fires.

By the way, the engine will not run with the decompressor engaged. Thus, the manual decompressor can operate as an engine shut off. There are a heck of a lot of mopeds that use a decompressor instead of an ignition switch. Maybe Toyota should adopt that idea to prevent unintended runaway.

charon is correct.

I'm assuming since you have a S40, that it's a '95 or later model.

basically, the method will be to push the lever, engage the starter then release the lever almost immediately.  Depending on where your motor stops when you shut off will dictate if you need to push the lever.

In the '95 or later models, the starter has a torque limiter to prevent kickback damage on shutoff.  So with this feature, there's less of a chance to damage your engine by not pressing the lever at all on start up.

So the method will be just push the start button.  If it stalls or activates the torque limiter, push the lever then the start button release the lever.

Yonuh Adisi FSO wrote on 03/04/10 at 10:17:53:


It wasn't meant that all '95 and later are called S40's
Only that since he didn't specify a year that S40's included a feature found on all '95's or latter.

my bad ssm states:
"the de-comp solenoid turns OFF 0.5 second after the starter motor starts to run and the de-comp lever returns to the normal position."

[/quote]
Like many on here, SSM is written by dyslectics. [/quote]

I knew a dyslectic, agnostic insomniac.
He lay awake at night wondering if there really was a doG.