Free arcade game from AirStartersDirect.com, your Ingersoll Rand air starter distributor
Crank It! Air Starter Rescue
Crank It! Air Starter Rescue is a free one-tap retro arcade game starring Ingersoll Rand air starters. Colorful tugboats, hot rods, locomotives, generators, bulldozers, big rigs and haul trucks roll in with dead engines. If the starter matches the engine, tap when the needle is in the green to fire it up. If it does not, skip it. Nine chapters, from a tug dead in the water to the Fleet Day finale.
One tap does it all: CRANK IT! when the needle is in the green, SKIP when the starter does not match the engine. On a phone, tap the yellow FULL SCREEN button for the biggest view in landscape.
Need a real air starter? Find the right one for your engine or request a quote.
How to play: tap START. When the Ingersoll Rand starter matches the engine plate on the vehicle, tap when the needle is in the green to start the engine. When it does not, tap SKIP. The first three engines are practice: you cannot lose a life, and if you wait the game shows you the move. Chain good taps for a combo, reach FEVER at 5 for double points, and see how far up the ranks you can climb.
One Tap, One Choice
| You see | You do | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| The starter tag matches the engine plate (same color, same arrow, CW or CCW) | Tap when the yellow needle is in the green. The white centre is PERFECT. The engine roars and the vehicle drives off. | Tapping outside the zone, or waiting until the timer bar runs out, costs a life. |
| The starter tag is different, or the starter is electric (dark green with a cable) | Tap SKIP. The next starter rolls in for the same vehicle. | Cranking with a wrong starter costs a life. Skipping one that fits costs 50 points. |
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Touch | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crank it | Space, Enter or Up arrow | Tap the screen or the big CRANK IT! button | Fires the air starter at the needle position. In the green, the engine starts |
| Skip | Down arrow, S or X | SKIP button | Sends a wrong starter back down the line |
| Pause | P or Esc | Pause button | Freezes the game |
| Sound | M | Sound button | Turns the 8-bit sound effects and the chiptune music on or off (off by default) |
| Daily run | D (on the title or game-over screen) | Daily run button | Starts the run of the day: the same vehicles, engines and starters for everyone |
| Assist mode | E (on the title or game-over screen) | Assist button | Wider green zones, a slower needle and more time. Points are halved |
| CRT look | C | CRT button | Adds a retro scanline filter (off by default, saved on your device) |
| Full screen (landscape) | F (Esc to leave) | Big yellow FULL SCREEN: LANDSCAPE button | Fills the screen and, on Android, turns it sideways. The game sits on the left and big CRANK IT! and SKIP buttons on the right. Works on every phone and desktop browser |
Scoring
| Result | Points | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| PERFECT: needle in the white centre | +100 x combo (up to x8) | Combo goes up |
| GOOD: needle in the green | +50 x combo | Combo goes up |
| OK: needle in the yellow | +20 | Combo resets |
| Skip a wrong starter | +75 x combo | Combo goes up |
| Let a wrong starter go by (timer runs out) | +40 x combo | Combo goes up |
| Skip a starter that fits | -50 | Combo resets |
| FEVER: combo of 5 or more | All points x2 | Lasts until the combo breaks |
| Golden Ingersoll Rand starter (from chapter 2) | Points x3 | A PERFECT on gold gives an extra life |
| Stubborn engine (from chapter 3) | Points for every tap | It coughs: tap in the green again, in a new spot. The last engine of the finale takes three |
| Chapter cleared | +200 x chapter | A life every third chapter, up to five |
| Finale cleared | +5000 | A bonus life when you enter the finale. Then the encore tour starts |
Nine Rounds Across Six Industries
Every chapter opens with its own signature machine and adds one twist. The starters in the game carry the names of real Ingersoll Rand air starter series from our catalog (vane and turbine models), so you can click through to the real ones. The engines listed are makers we have engine model pages for.
| Chapter | The twist | Ingersoll Rand starter in the game | Engines we cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tug dead in the water | Learn the one move: tap in the green, skip the wrong starters. The first three engines are practice. | Ingersoll Rand ST600 turbine air starter | Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel, Cummins |
| 2. Cold pit haul truck | Cold oil: the green zone is smaller. Golden starters start to appear. | Ingersoll Rand ST1000 turbine air starter | Caterpillar, Komatsu, Cummins |
| 3. Rail yard locomotive | The train is due: less time per engine. Stubborn engines cough and need a second tap. | Ingersoll Rand ST2000 turbine air starter | EMD, ALCO |
| 4. Gas compressor station | Gas area. Electric starters are not allowed, so skip them. Air starters only. | Ingersoll Rand SS800 vane air starter | Waukesha, Ingersoll-Rand gas engines |
| 5. Offshore supply boat | Rough seas make the needle surge and slow. | Ingersoll Rand ST700 turbine air starter | MAN B&W, Wartsila, MTU |
| 6. Blackout standby generator | The battery backup is dying, so the needle moves faster. | Ingersoll Rand 150BM vane air starter | Cummins, Detroit Diesel, MTU |
| 7. Desert oil field | A sandstorm hides the engine plate part of the time, so remember the rotation. | Ingersoll Rand 150T turbine air starter | Caterpillar, Cummins, Waukesha |
| 8. Hurricane haul | Gusts kick the needle. GUST! flashes just before each one. | Ingersoll Rand SS350 vane air starter | Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar |
| 9. Finale: Fleet Day | Ten engines, every twist at once, a bonus life, and a last engine that takes three taps. Clear it for fireworks, then play the encore tour, harder. | Ingersoll Rand ST2000 turbine air starter | MAN B&W, Wartsila, MTU, EMD |
Daily Run, Assist Mode and Badges
- Daily run: a new run every day with the same vehicles, engines and starters for every player. Your daily best is saved separately, and the share button names the day, so you can compare scores with friends.
- Assist mode: a gentler game for newcomers. The green zones are wider, the needle is slower and you get more time. Points are halved so the ranks stay earned.
- Stubborn engines: from chapter 3 some engines cough on the first start. Tap in the green again, in a new spot. The last engine of the finale takes three taps.
- Golden starter (bonus): from chapter 2 a pale gold starter sometimes rolls in. It always fits, it pays triple points, you get extra time, and a PERFECT on one gives back a life.
- Sandstorm and gusts: in the desert the engine plate keeps fading out, so remember the rotation. In the hurricane, gusts kick the needle, with a flashing GUST! just before each one.
- The finale: after eight chapters comes Fleet Day: ten engines, every twist, a bonus life, a big score bonus and fireworks. Then the encore tour begins with everything combined and faster.
- Badges: twelve badges are saved on your device: First Start, Combo x10, Golden Starter, Stubborn Beaten, Triple Crank, Offshore Bound, Sandstorm Survivor, Storm Chaser, Finale Cleared, Encore Tour, Daily Done and Chief Engineer.
- Music and sound: a chiptune loop with bass, melody and drums in a different key and tempo for each chapter, switched on with the Sound button. There is also an optional CRT scanline look.
Tips From the Shop Floor
- Compare the sign above the starter with the plate on the vehicle. Same color and same arrow means it fits.
- Watch the needle for one full sweep before you tap. It moves at a steady speed, so you can time it.
- The white centre of the green zone is small but pays double once your combo builds.
- The ENGINE START panel on the left says NOW! while the needle is in the green.
- The timer bar under the gauge turns red when the starter is about to time out.
- Golden starters pay triple, and a PERFECT on one gives back a life.
- On a stubborn engine the green zone jumps to a new spot after each cough, so watch where it lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Crank It! free to play?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up and nothing to install. Your high score is saved only on your own device.
How do I play?
One tap. A vehicle rolls in with a dead engine and an Ingersoll Rand air starter rolls up to it. If the sign above the starter matches the plate on the vehicle (same color, same arrow, CW or CCW), tap when the yellow needle is in the green. If it is different, tap SKIP. The first three engines are practice, and if you wait too long the game shows you the move.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Tap anywhere on the game or the big CRANK IT! button, and use SKIP for a wrong starter. Tap the yellow FULL SCREEN button for the biggest view: on Android it turns the screen sideways for you, and the buttons move to the right of the game.
Which vehicles are in the game?
Tugboats, hot rods, locomotives, generators, bulldozers, big rigs and mining haul trucks, each in a random bright paint job. Every chapter opens with its own signature machine, then mixes the rest.
Which Ingersoll Rand air starters are in the game?
The starters carry the names of Ingersoll Rand series from our catalog: ST600, ST1000, ST2000, ST700 and 150T turbine starters, and SS800, SS350 and 150BM vane starters. The game is for fun and does not say which starter fits which engine. Use the Air Starter Model Finder for the real answer, and the Ingersoll Rand manuals library for installation and maintenance details.
What is an air starter?
An air starter spins an engine to starting speed using compressed air instead of an electric motor and battery. It is used on large diesel and gas engines in marine, mining, rail, oil and gas, and standby power work. Ingersoll Rand makes vane (SS series) and turbine (ST series) air starters, and the engine pages in our catalog show which one is recommended for each engine.
Why does the starter rotation matter?
An engine turns one way, and the starter has to drive it that way, so air starters are built in clockwise and counter-clockwise versions. In the game you match the arrow on the starter to the engine plate. In real life, check the rotation, pinion and flange on the engine and starter before ordering.
Is the game realistic?
No. It is a simplified timing challenge for fun, and the vehicles, stubborn engines and hazards are game inventions. For real work, follow the Ingersoll Rand installation and maintenance manual for your starter, the engine maker instructions, and your own lock-out and safety procedures. Our manuals library has the documents.
How do I pick the right air starter for my engine?
Use the Air Starter Model Finder to search by engine make and model, or the sizing guide to match a starter to engine displacement and air supply. If you are not sure, send us the engine model and we will confirm the fit.
What happens in the finale?
After chapter 8 comes Fleet Day: ten engines in a row with every twist switched on, a bonus life when you enter, and a last engine that needs three taps. Clear it for a big bonus, fireworks and the Finale Cleared badge, then continue into the encore tour, where everything comes back faster.
What is the daily run?
The daily run is a new game every day with the same vehicles, engines and starters for every player, so scores can be compared fairly. Your daily best is saved on your device and resets each day.
What does assist mode do?
Assist mode makes the game easier for newcomers: wider green zones, a slower needle and more time. Points are halved, so ranks and scores stay meaningful.
What are the badges and where are they saved?
There are twelve badges for feats such as a ten combo, beating a stubborn engine or finishing a daily run. They are saved only in your own browser, so clearing site data resets them.
What are the ranks?
Your final score earns a rank: Deckhand, Oiler (3,000), Motorman (10,000), Engineer (25,000), Chief Engineer (60,000), Captain's Hero (120,000) and Fleet Admiral (250,000). The game-over screen shows how far you are from the next one.
Need an air starter for a real engine? Send us the engine make and model or the starter model number from the plate and we will confirm the right Ingersoll Rand starter or part.
Crank It! is a game by AirStartersDirect.com, operated by Zampini Industrial Group, for fun. It is not a training or specification tool. Follow the Ingersoll Rand manual and your safety procedures for real installations. AirStartersDirect.com is an authorized Ingersoll Rand air starter distributor.
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