If you're desperate in cold weather and need to get started, pull the top off the air cleaner and shoot a hair dryer directly down into the intake after glowing a few times. Alternatively, you might try a propane torch to do the same thing but there's usually a lot of oil hanging around the intake and also a lot of plastic so I'd be cautious about an open flame. You could also take a couple of cookie sheets, cover them with hot charcoal bricquets and slide them under the engine and let sit for a half hour or so.
Also be sure to add Powerservice if there's any doubt about the viscosity of your fuel. I started my 85TD at 30 below zero once but it wouldn't stay running because the fuel gelled.

If you're life depends upon it and you absolutely must use ether or die in the wilderness, pull the strip fuse on the glow plugs or unplug the glowplugs from the harness and start it with the ether alone and no glow plugs.

Alternatively, if you know you're going to be outside the range of electricity and need a way to warm up the engine, there are propane fired camping showers available on the market with small battery power circulating pumps. Plumb some fittings into the heater lines and hook the 'shower' up to your engine and run it for a half hour or so to heat up your coolant.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13