A Ford pickup pull-starts a 1953 RAF generator engine for Mr Hewes
The short of the 102.4 litre Mirrlees Blackstone JS8 coming to life has passed seven and a half million views, with the full revival video past a million behind it.
Mr Hewes
Story of Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.
Starting a 102.4 litre engine #fyp #reels #shorts 
Among the aviation and machine channels around Mr Hewes in size, nobody gained more views over the week, and it was not especially close. Alan Trucker had a strong week of his own. Most of the others, from letsdig18 to Francis Bourgeois, ran a little below their usual pace.
The reason is one very large engine. Two uploads went up, both about the same 1953 Mirrlees Blackstone JS8, a 102.4 litre diesel that, according to its documented history, was first supplied to the RAF as part of a generator set. The full video lays out what the crew found when they opened it: stuck valves, seized injectors, water where it should not be and an engine that barely wanted to turn. Then comes what the description calls a slightly questionable starting method.
The short shows that method, and it is the week's runaway. The engine gets pull-started by a Ford pickup, and that detail is what the comments keep returning to, along with the man in the shot ending up covered in oil. Former locomotive machinists and diesel techs turn up to say they are impressed, and one viewer remembers a father who brought engines like this home to rebuild.
The channel's daily views are running at more than double their usual level, and around 20,000 new subscribers arrived over the week. Further down the list, the Foden recovery truck that Joe and Jack pulled out of a Welsh field with their friend Dave Crouch is still finding viewers, eleven days on.
Published on Trari
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What viewers say
Using a Ford Raptor to pull start your giant diesel engine is a complete level of badassery all by itself
@cadlejustinSee it on YouTubeCoolest thing I've seen in a week
@RezaDeniSaputra-y3pSee it on YouTubeAs a former diesel locomotive machinist I'm impressed
@BulldozerGrosseSee it on YouTube
7 more comments
"Rev it right up" mans just covered in oil 😂😂😂
@DavesInHisGarageSee it on YouTubeIt’s seems to be leaking a bit of oil.
@harleynarwhalSee it on YouTubeNow that is the ultimate pull start.
@djdale.5806See it on YouTubeNow that is a conversation piece!
@xbpbat21xSee it on YouTubeSounds like my neighbor firing his 7.3 up for work at 4 o'clock every morning. 😂
@KaptainMorgan420See it on YouTubeThat's one way of keeping the crankcase pressure low.😂
@kinasc1575See it on YouTubeBest engine video of the year.
@CLawton-ow8jiSee it on YouTube
Public comments from the video's page on YouTube
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The videos drawing views on Mr Hewes right now
- Channel
- Mr Hewes
- Subscribers
- 541,000 ▲ 20,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 10,391,937
- Videos published this week
- 2
- Video published
- October 4, 2026
- Video views so far
- 7,616,719
- Views on its first day
- 2,042,052
The numbers
Here is how the week looks for Mr Hewes in figures.
💡 Test your knowledge
The JS8 short gets its start from a pickup. Which carmaker builds the F-150?
The F-150 is part of Ford's F-Series of pickups, which the video's tags name as the truck used for the start.
