Can you move a car with the starter?

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I must have heard this story at least 30 years ago if not much longer, that a guy driving a stick runs out of gas less than a block away from a gas station. Then with the transmission in gear, bumps the starter to move the car long enough to make it to the gas station. Car would have to be old enough not to have a clutch start switch, but is this plausible? Is the starter strong enough to move a car? Does a battery have enough power to do it for 100, 500, 1000 feet?
 
A light car with a gear reduction starter could do it-but modern cars have the clutch safety switch to stop the starter if the clutch pedal isn't stepped on. It's possible, but would be really hard on a starter (& done in first or reverse on a manual).
 
This is a little different, but back in the day my 71 Toyota Celica manual transmission hydraulic clutch actuator went out 30 miles from home. I knew I could match revs to shift but the stoplights were gonna be a problem. So I would put it in neutral and coast to a stop and kill the engine. Then put it in first and start the engine when the light turned green and away I would go. But yeah, no clutch switch back then but that would be easy to override mechanically or with the wiring.
 
My first car was an old 73' VW Bug with a 4 speed. I could move the car with the starter. I moved it a few feet once or twice, by accident. It wasn't something I did for fun or experimentation.
 
WORTHLESS FANTASY OPPORTUNITY LOST:

When the first team assaults Skyfall, a premier James Bond movie, our hero blasts some bad guys with the Aston Martin's parking lights.

Those guns were fender mounted so I was hoping 007 would have to have twitched the starter with the trans in gear to spread the welcome.

Simple to do cinematographically and it would've been cool.

REAL LIFE:

I saw a mechanic "starter-jerk" a customer's car across a local shop's lot and the prop came out tore him a new one right in front of me. I was 8 years old.

This is why I'm an axe murderer today.
 
Jeeps with manual transmissions, except for the new JL, can move the Jeep with the starter in first gear in low range 4 wheel drive. This is for stopping on steep hills where it would be difficult to slip the clutch. So, if your engine wouldn't start, yes, the vehicle would move with the starter. The new JL Wrangler doesn't do this because it has hill hold where the brakes apply, keeping you from rolling back.
 
I recently sold my 22 year old 4Runner. I started it all the time in 1st gear low-range while off-road. Probably thousands of such starts over the years. I sold it with the original starter still working perfectly.
 
Been there done that and got the tee shirt with my old MGB.
Was a total of maybe a hundred feet, but I made it to the gas pump, filled the tank and was then on my way.
With a robust starter, a decent battery and a light car, no problem.
 
in modern cars you have to disengage the clutch to start it, meaning that the starter will not turn if the car is in gear & the clutch pedal is not pushed /
so no, if you didn't re-program your car (possible with gm cars) you can't move it with the starter /
 
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You can definitely move an old Golf I and II some distance with the starter motor. Enough to get it out of the middle of the road and onto the shoulder.
 
My 81 and 87 Toyota 4x4 trucks had a clutch start cancel switch that allowed you to actuate the starter with the clutch out. I only ever used it to start in neutral without getting inside, but the owner's manual talked about using it as a way to ease the truck forward at slow speed.
 
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