"Ether", use and abuse. *Flame suit on* - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MBNRA · #76 01-25-2009, 11:23 PM

I don't like using ether period. Especially since you can start a diesel just as well with WD-40. WD-40 fog ignites easily so be careful!

babymog · #77 01-26-2009, 01:00 PM

Agreed. WD-40 is IMO useless as a lubricant, but well known among big diesel folk as starting fluid. Even works with Wankel (aka: rotary) engines where regular starting fluid will destroy them.

Using starting fluid of any kind in a glow-plug or heated intake engine is risky without disabling the glow-plugs and overdoses can cause bigger problems, even in big diesels it can cause stretched head bolts etc.

texasnative46 · #78 01-26-2009, 06:11 PM

whunter;all,

it's been said for eons in the US Army that: "NOTHING can be made idiot-PROOF because idiots are so ingenious."

over the years, i've found that to be TRUE! = promiscious use of ether in engines of all kinds is one of those.

yours, tn46

Kurt Smith · #79 01-26-2009, 06:24 PM

My '77 U1000 Mog has the ether injection option. No glow plugs in the OM352.963 engine. Of course the little cartridge cans to put in it are probably impossible to find now.

babymog · #80 01-26-2009, 06:29 PM

I had a CAT with ether injection also, called a "cold start aid". The trick is that the ether only goes in in a controlled shot, not as long as you want to hold the button etc., and was disabled if the engine was on. That of course was a non glow-plug direct-injection 10.4L engine, big difference w/o glow-plugs.

Oh, and I agree on "idiot-proof". In my too many years of Engineering, I preferred the term "idiot resistant".

MBNRA · #81 01-26-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt Smith

My '77 U1000 Mog has the ether injection option. No glow plugs in the OM352.963 engine. Of course the little cartridge cans to put in it are probably impossible to find now.

Go to your local Penske truck service center. The original cans may be hard to find, but heavy trucks use this system and an upgrade is surely available!

strelnik · #82 01-26-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes Bender

Another consideration in whunter's method is that the one-second worth of ether will be fairly well diluted by the time it reaches the glow plugs. .....

Cheers,
Wes

I watched whunter use ether and he uses it exactly as described.
He didn't mention that he also does not run the glow plugs when he starts them this way. GPs and ether dso not mix.

funola · #83 02-04-2009, 11:54 AM

Would it be safer to wait another minute for the glow plugs to cool off (from red hot) after you hear the glow plug relay click off before cranking the engine?

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

.....snip.....
I have used ether on my 300SD twice, following is the description.
Note: My air intake system is OEM.
#1. Open the hood.
#2. Look at the front of the radiator.
#3. Locate the air intake pick-up tube.
#4. Give the air intake pick-up tube a one second shot of ether.
#5. Walk around, get in and start the engine.

You will pleas note that this way; it is almost impossible to feed excess ether to the engine, the excess will run back out, the weak ether vapor will last only a couple of revolutions.
....snip....

milner351 · #84 02-04-2009, 12:47 PM

I have been told by several folks that the chemical make up of WD40 has changed and it is no longer flamable and will not help a diesel start.

My powerstroke truck sat for over a week in sub zero weather a month or so ago.

I plugged in the block heater a while and tried to start it - nothing. After replacing the fuel filter (I suspected it was frozen) pouring fresh diesel into the filter housing with the new filter - charging the batteries, etc.... it would crank and smoke, but not start.

wd40 had no effect...

In desperation, I sprayed about a 1 second burst of ether into the air filter housing AFTER waiting for the glow plug relay to shut off (and a minute or so after that) and the engine started - it did rev up over 2500 rpm even with that little amount of ether.

So - certainly it is a last resort and must be used with care.

larry perkins · #85 02-04-2009, 01:32 PM

room, my neighbors 1985 300d didnt get the heat from the block heater because of a broken ac cord,near zero degrees,i took 2 five gallon buckets and filled with hot water from the house water heater,poured slowly over the valve cover,kept the water comming for 4 total buckets,cranked the engine and got a start.
larry perkins lou ky

t walgamuth · #86 02-04-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milner351

I have been told by several folks that the chemical make up of WD40 has changed and it is no longer flamable and will not help a diesel start.

My powerstroke truck sat for over a week in sub zero weather a month or so ago.

I plugged in the block heater a while and tried to start it - nothing. After replacing the fuel filter (I suspected it was frozen) pouring fresh diesel into the filter housing with the new filter - charging the batteries, etc.... it would crank and smoke, but not start.

wd40 had no effect...

In desperation, I sprayed about a 1 second burst of ether into the air filter housing AFTER waiting for the glow plug relay to shut off (and a minute or so after that) and the engine started - it did rev up over 2500 rpm even with that little amount of ether.

So - certainly it is a last resort and must be used with care.

wd40 is not a cold start aid. It is a way to start the car if you have a need to bleed and for some reason your prime pump does not work correctly. You have to spray it directly into the intake and keep spraying it. if the engine is sound it will run on the wd 40 until the fuel lines bleed themselves and take over as long as you keep spraying.

milner351 · #87 02-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

wd40 is not a cold start aid. It is a way to start the car if you have a need to bleed and for some reason your prime pump does not work correctly. You have to spray it directly into the intake and keep spraying it. if the engine is sound it will run on the wd 40 until the fuel lines bleed themselves and take over as long as you keep spraying.

Thanks for clearing that up for me - and for making the point about priming - as I'll be needing to do just that once I finally put my 606 back together again after replacing all the fuel lines, rebuilding the fuel pump, and replacing the delivery valve seals, and having the injectors rebuilt....
You probably just saved my new starter a lot of un necessary cranking!
Thanks a million!

t walgamuth · #88 02-04-2009, 10:24 PM

My pleasure.

gsxr · #89 02-05-2009, 11:52 AM

Using even a 1-second shot of ether into a high-compression, indirect-injection diesel engine with precombustion chambers and glow plugs is pure idiocy. Most cans of ether explicitly warn against using it in that type of engine. Cracked rings, bent rods, all sorts of fun things can happen. The ether simply ignites too early in the compression stroke.

Most engines can bs started normally (without ether, or WD-40, or gasoline, or anything else) if the glow plugs, battery, and starter are all in good condition. If they are not, fix them. Or you could be the proud new owner of a 1000-lb doorstop / shop ornament.

It's a shame the first post on this thread can't be deleted.

neumann · #90 03-24-2009, 10:40 PM

So if you are planning to use ether (starting fluid) and want to be safe...disconnect the glow plug relay. No chance of igniting the gp's and a quick 1 second burst into the air intake and you'll be good to go.

I have not had any luck using wd-40 as a starting aid. I have also never tried the gas on a rag trick. I'll keep it in mind if all other measures are out of the picture.