KR> why not a starter/generator

[peter]

I had a starter/generator on my old MBZ diesel. Volvo diesels also used them. 
It works, and almost any generator will work as a starter.( Voltage controls 
for generators need a cutout relay to prevent them from "motoring".) You need 
to pull the flywheel to change the belt on a lyc. The belt takes a beating when 
it is taking starting torque. I would pull the prop through a few times, and 
park it off the compression stroke. The 1/4 arc with low resistance will allow 
the starter to spin up. Peter