WHunter, That was the most recent post from JimSmith on that...

Here is the first one....
"Leathermang, and Smoke 'n Poke,

Ether and other similar agents can be used safely, as noted to help start a Diesel. Even an MB Diesel like the 240D. The benefit from such starting agents lies in the fact that they typically have a lower temperature threshold for ignition. They typically, as a vapor, do not have the energy density of Diesel fuel, or even gasoline as liquids per unit weight or unit volume though, and therefore by themselves, unless really over dosed, don't pose a great threat.

The real risk comes if the injected fuel is injected into a cylinder full of gas at a temperature that causes it to ignite all at once instead of in a controlled pattern based on the design of the injector nozzle, the timing, and the combustion chamber. This risk rises if there is a bunch of wetted area inside the cylinder that has Diesel fuel clinging to it from previous unsuccessful attempts to start the engine.

The procedure that one is looking for is to have the starting agent ignite before the piston reaches top dead center, and before the injector squirts the intended dose of fuel into the cylinder. As the piston continues compressing the burning starting agent and normal air charge, the temperature is further increased and ignition of Diesel fuel is assured. While I cannot imagine exactly what you would do to over dose the starting cycle so much that the engine would self destruct, if it can be done, I am sure some one has done it, no matter how hard it might be. I would expect the engine to try to run backwards and stop before it would ruin itself in the normal direction of rotation, but I suppose that also depends on what the agent is and how it is misapplied.

Leathermang, I hope I did not wait so long to chime in here that the discussion is already over. Good luck, Jim"
JimSmith

Thank you leathermang
I deleted the other post.
This is some great reading material.

What bothers me isn't the fact of knowing how to do it or not but that I've "fixed" many of these problems before and they just keep coming back. Just like the heat has worked flawless for over a month until now it just quits again, the injectors which have leaked after changing the bypass hoses already....

Thanks for posting that Greg, now the only thing I wonder is that if you use ether in a motor with glow plugs and obviously use the glowplugs first, then if it doesn't start how long would a person have to wait for it to be safe to cycle on the GPs again? If the motor was ran through two complete cycles would the danger of any ether left in the system be gone?

__________________
Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

There is nothing wrong with disconnecting the electricity to the glowplugs if anyone has any concerns in that direction....
My stance on this has always been that the amount of energy in the evaporated fumes of the starting fluid put into the end of the air intake, and taken in by the turning over of the motor is just not enough to cause any harm in these overly constructed engines...... in comparison with the amount of energy produced by the very powerful diesel fuel....and the tiny area exposed to direct ' explosion' down between the piston and the bore wall just does not have a chance of harming the rings or the lands holding them...
The point is to get the diesel which will be being injected hot enough to do its job.. whether that happens from heat from the fumes igniting or helping this piston in question to move fast enough to cause the next piston in the firing order to move fast enough to cause compression ignition does not matter.... but I think , explosion, detonation, or not , that the total power in any of the combustion areas is not enough with this ' explosive' but relatively weak substance ( compared to the diesel fuel btu's ) to do any harm.
If someone uses a different method for introducing the evaporated starter fliud ( like squirting directly into the port ) then these assumptions may not apply ....

Anyone try brake cleaner spray as a starting fluid?

__________________
85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 167,870 July 2025
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

why not just use starting fluid?

__________________
have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Maybe they have brake cleaner and not starting fluid

__________________
1981 300SD 512k OM603

Boosstnbenz you said the engine was turning over slowly....

He was using 15w-50 synthetic.

That's the same weight oil I run in the summer time.

You use 15w40 in a place that regularly gets below freezing???? You want 5w40 synthetic diesel-rated oil. Shell Rotella T 5w40 and Mobil 1 turbo diesel 5w40 both work very very well in cold. I started mine in -10 F weather with this oil and it fired right up, first try.

At 0F, that 15w40 has the consistency of molasses, and is causing significant engine wear.

__________________
'98 E300 turbodiesel

Because you will kill yourself? The explosion caused by starting fluid + diesel glow plugs is not a pretty sight...

Starting fluid is for gasoline cars ONLY.

__________________
'98 E300 turbodiesel

Use WD-40 instead of starting fluid.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D

Hey guys I'm getting ready for an oil change and I want to put 5w40 engine oil into my car, but it's all synthetic.

I'm afraid since my car is in excess of 330,000 miles that putting in synthetic not be beneficial to the engine.

What do you guys think? I would love to make the switch, but I'm off in Ithaca and I don't want to be stranded up here at the worst possible moment.

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

I made the switch at the 250,000 mile mark. Using Rotella Synthetic until I can afford the Mobile One.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

99 W210 E300 Turbo Diesel, chipped, DPF/Converter Delete. Still needs EGR Delete, 232K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Gone and still missed...1982 w123 300D, 1991 w124 300D