A friend of mine went to go get his deuce and a half out of storage today and it didn't want to start. He wants to know if there is a diesel equivilent to starting fluid.

TIA

Duke

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If the engine doesn't have glow plugs, you can use a small amount of ether. I've heard that WD-40 also works, but I've never tested this myself.

We use ether all the time on starting up the old 1710 cubic inch Cummins V-12 diesels in the boat that I work on Haven't had a problem yet, although there are no cold-start aids and we only do this whent he engines are bone-cold (i.e. not started in a month or more)...

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The "starting fluid" aka "ether" aka "The Ether Bunny" aka "Compression in a Can" will work just great on the old girl.

Gilly

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Gilly, will that "compression in a can" start a worn engine in the cold? My daughter's 1984 190D wouldn't start last winter, due to low compression(250psi). It would sometimes start when plugged in on a 45-50 degree day. Just wondering?

Thanks

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Dave

1982 300D
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If I remember right WD-40 is mostly karosene which is close enough to diesel that it "should" work ok.

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The Duke
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95 Honda RS 125 (Sold)
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83 300SD (Gone)
92 Nissan Crapfinder (For Sale)
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The "old" WD-40 had propane as a propellant, thus was useful for starting engines. I sometimes had to use it on lawn mower engines for the first start after winter storage. The "new" WD-40 uses some inert propellant, so it is no longer of much value for starting engines. It changed about 4 or 5 years ago.

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What's a 'deuce and a half?' MB 250?

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

The key word here is "small"!

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DON'T use ether or any other "liquid starting medium" in diesels. Gas engines, fine.

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Aaron

How about taking a blow tourch and letting the flame go down the intake manifold? An old diesel mechanic told me about this, has anyone else tried it?

Actually, that's exactly what I've heard. Big Cummins, ect handle it. But I've heard from more than one reputable source not to use ether on auto diesels. I've been told if you HAVE to, use gasoline in a squirt can. FWIW.

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

Duece and a half is a 1976 AM General M35A2 6X6 ex-Army truck!

http://www.xsrpms.com:8888/~racerx/deuce.html

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The Duke
President
Raoul Duke Media LLC
95 Honda RS 125 (Sold)
87 Yamaha TZR 250
83 300SD (Gone)
92 Nissan Crapfinder (For Sale)
USGPRU #66
COMPoST #130

Gotcha.

32 Ford with a sidecar didn't make sense

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Here's and old trick: Soak a rag with gas, then unfold it over the air intake, hold on tight and try to start it with help from a friend. Remember to hold on tight. Don't soak paper towels because they will break apart and possibly enter the intake. I've done it with the big diesels, and it worked. Good luck and post results.

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That is a little later model than what we had when I was in the Army, but I assume it is basically the same. The multifuels that we had just started up in Winter weather, no problem. I don't know if they had glow plugs or what, but I was in the German Black Forest and started them on many a cold morning.

The multi fuel deuce and a half is a GREAT vehicle. If I had any use for one, I would find one to buy.

In contrast the gas engine versions were junk IMHO.

In Germany in the late sixties, early seventies, the trucks they had were extremely underpowered due to fuel cost. We could pass them in our multi fuels, loaded or unloaded like they were standing still. I don't know how many I passed while climbing a hill while they were shaking their fist at us.

Good luck,