Everybody seems to have a different name for it. "Bump starting" seems to be the most common; other people call it kick starting, compression starting, clutch starting, etc.
It sounds like you're just putting it in gear, letting the clutch all the way up, and waiting. That's not the best way to do it.
Here's the procedure to use:
1. Choose a gear higher than you could use to cruise at your current speed. For example, if you're going 20mph and could hold your speed steady in 4th gear, choose 5th.
2. Let the clutch partly up, and don't hold it there. Stomp it back down as soon as you get it up to the friction zone.
- The point here isn't to dump the clutch and let the road keep spinning the engine 1000RPM until the engine makes power; you only want to kick the engine over enough for a couple revolutions. The engine will catch and fire itself up if you do it right.
- For it to work as described, you have to have a modern engine with computer-controlled fuel injection and ignition, and a properly functioning pressurized fuel system.
- The only time I let the clutch stay up for a second or longer is if I accidentally chose a too high gear -- for example, if I'm going 15mph and used 5th gear. Then I want it bring it all the way up for almost a second and stomp it back down, I want it to turn over a few revolutions.
3. Wait until the engine gets up to idle or higher, then choose a gear and engage normally.
Don't forget, it may be illegal to coast with your engine off in your state. If so, you should not do it. There's no way that I know of that they can ever detect it, nor would they ever be looking for it, but if you should have an accident and they suspect that your engine was off you'll probably get whacked with fault no matter whose fault it really is, just because you were doing something weird and illegal.
soda_pop503 
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