So here it goes.

I was cruising in a XFG on AS5, and on top of the big hill, I nearly got hit, forgot to hit the clutch and stalled out. Since I was going downhill and I recently learned how to jump start a manual car, I decide to test it out in LFS. I rolled up to 10 MPH, let go of the clutch and sure enough, it started up. I felt that this was pretty cool, so I went and tested it out on all the other road cars. At the same point on the hill, I rolled every car up to 10 MPH and let go of the clutch. The problem seems that not all the road cars jump start. The cars that I couldn't jump start at 10 MPH, I tried again at 20 MPH, but got the same result.

Cars that can be jump started at 10 MPH (16 KM/H)
- UF1
- XFG
- RB4
- FXO

Cars that cannot be jump started at 10 MPH (16 KM/H) or 20 MPH (32 KM/H)
- XRG
- LX4
- LX6
- XRT
- RAC
- FZ5

There seems to be a pattern that only the FF/AWD cars can be jump started. I know for a fact though that FR/MR cars can be jump started as well. I don't know whether this was done on purpose or it's an effect of the type of drivetrain, but I think this should be fixed.

I didn't bother with the race cars because they're race cars

Try using 2nd gear.

well in the past messing around i have done it with all the other cars menioned there that you say wouldnt, i cant say why it didnt for you

Quote from Nick. :

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Different cars have different engines and gearboxes. Some can bump from as little as 5mph, some need a good 20mph or even more.

You probbably apply too much braking force to the wheels, which causes them to lock, so try a higher gear. You can bumpstart RWD cars in LFS, but they're not as easy

I bumpstarted the LX4 in 6th at ~10mph yesterday

Put it in the 6th, full throttle, dump the clutch. Then slowly pull in the clutch, keeping the throttle down. Works for me in almost every car

They should all go at 20mph, if you use 5th/6th...

I jump started the LX4 the other day, I was lapping and some guy hit me in an F1, I spun out and it stalled because my foot slipped. (socks arn't great on pedals) So I just put the clutch in, let it roll and popped it. It started right up.

You can pop the clutch in any car in LFS and start the engine, except the cars that don't have starters. For some reason they rev up when you let the clutch out, but no matter how many times you hit the ignition button, it seems to never come back on.

Never realise you could do this

Quote from Nick. :

Cars that can be jump started at 10 MPH (16 KM/H)
- UF1
- XFG
- RB4
- FXO

Cars that cannot be jump started at 10 MPH (16 KM/H) or 20 MPH (32 KM/H)
- XRG
- LX4
- LX6
- XRT
- RAC
- FZ5

This all depends on what gear ratio your first gear is set to. Most of the setups people use in lfs have unrealisticly tall first gear ratios (90km/h in first gear anyone?)

Try playing around with the gear ratios and you should be able to jump start all the cars.

It's probably because the wheels just lock as you let go of the clutch in the RWD cars as all the weight comes off them. The opposite happens in the F/4WD cars so they bump properly.

i managed to get all those cars to start at around 15-20kmh.

Try:
1st, 2nd AND 3rd (depending on what car it is)
Throttle to the floor
Quick release of clutch and re depressing (bump start motor, but don't leave drivetrain engaged)

Quote from word. :

This all depends on what gear ratio your first gear is set to. Most of the setups people use in lfs have unrealisticly tall first gear ratios (90km/h in first gear anyone?)

Try playing around with the gear ratios and you should be able to jump start all the cars.

Tbh, dont they teach people to bump start a car in 2nd? i mean, i would never try to do it in first.. thats just sick..

Actually, what you want is a tall gear ratio to give the engine as little "leverage" as possible (otherwise the engine will lock the wheels). Usually this is done by using a higher gear, but also a very tall first gear will make bump starting possible/easier.

Yesterday I jumpstarted the XRG on [hard track] and AS1 just fine, 1st needs a slightly higher speed (~20 km/h), 2nd gets away with less.

The only problem is that for some reason the key only stays in position II when you stall the engine (red light on). If you turn it off yourself, it's like turning the key back to I or 0.

IMO since we are pressing a button to start the engine (equivalent to key position III in most road cars), it should always stay in II

Thanks so much guys. I did move into higher gears and I was able to get the other cars jump started. I guess FF and AWD cars are easier to jumpstart than MR and FR.

I was taught to clutch-dump start everything but bikes in 1st or if you happent to stall going backwards, you can do it in reverse.

In real life, at low speeds, you can restart any car in 1st, and because all my gear ratios in my cars in LFS are taken from real cars, I can do it with any car in LFS.


The only reason you have to bumpstart a bike in a higher gear is because the bike is much lighter.

i have a question, when you bumpstart do you have to let the clutch come up fast or slow? and do you need to give some gas too? i am just wondering how you would do it in real life

In real life you shouldent need to give it any gas.

Just pop the clutch fast, you need to pull the clutch all the way out and then put it all the way back in as fast as possible.

When I do it, my foot actualy comes off the pedal for a split second.

Quote from DragonCommando :

In real life you shouldent need to give it any gas.

Just pop the clutch fast, you need to pull the clutch all the way out and then put it all the way back in as fast as possible.

When I do it, my foot actualy comes off the pedal for a split second.

ok thanks

Quote from DragonCommando :

I jump started the LX4 the other day, I was lapping and some guy hit me in an F1, I spun out and it stalled because my foot slipped. (socks arn't great on pedals) So I just put the clutch in, let it roll and popped it. It started right up.

You can pop the clutch in any car in LFS and start the engine, except the cars that don't have starters. For some reason they rev up when you let the clutch out, but no matter how many times you hit the ignition button, it seems to never come back on.

The BF1 doesn't have a starter and yet you say you got it running again by popping the clutch Or were you referring to another car than the BF1 with "an F1"? Because there's only one F1 car in LFS

can also bump in reverse ive noticed in the past lol

as others have said 1st gear isnt the best choice.

one of my old cars had a dodgy starter motor , i could push it a foot or 2 towards the incline of my drive(backwards) and within 6foot bump it in reverse

lol ive bumpstated a mini(irl) in reverse cos my sister didnt know how(lol and wouldnt listen to me)

it's harder to jumpstart a car which has lots of torque or a nice powerful engine, as it's hard to tick the engine over.

Quote from obsolum :

The BF1 doesn't have a starter and yet you say you got it running again by popping the clutch Or were you referring to another car than the BF1 with "an F1"? Because there's only one F1 car in LFS

I said I started the LX4 after geting hit by someone in a BF1

Quote from DragonCommando :

I said I started the LX4 after geting hit by someone in a BF1

Ah my bad, I misread your post

It is also worth noting that most manufacturers explicitly forbid pushstarting cars with catalytic converters. That's supposedly because if unburnt gas reaches the cat, the surface may be poisoned.