Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Whats wrong with starting fluid?

[ASTAR]

I know we aren't supposed to use starting fluid in our trucks but why? I heard something about the intake grid heaters? Is that the only problem?

 

[Smills]

Any diesel with glow plugs or grid heaters you do not want to use starting fluid because basically you have a giant hair dryer that's red hot in your intake manifold and when the fluid hits that it goes boom! It won't be pretty never done it myself but I know how flammable starting fluid is so I'm not going to try.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Any diesel with glow plugs or grid heaters you do not want to use starting fluid because basically you have a giant hair dryer that's red hot in your intake manifold and when the fluid hits that it goes boom! It won't be pretty never done it myself but I know how flammable starting fluid is so I'm not going to try.

I have seen the burns from a guy here in town who tried it. He assumed the grid heater was not working and sprayed it into the air box tube.

The other thing you have to be careful about when using ether is to make sure you spray it only when the engine is cranking over and continue to crank it over until it is burned up. If the ether remains in the cylinders and you begin to crank it over again, it can damage the engine. This is why most every diesel you see of modern times has an ether start harness that proportions the ether as little as possible on its own with a fixed mounted ether can.

Use ether at your own risk when it is coming out of a can in your hand. Either equip the truck with an actual ether injection system, or just plug in the block heater and let the grid's cycle. Strong batteries are your next best step after this.

 

[Augie]

I have used it. There will will always be some degree of risk in using this but if you must; leave your key in the "on" position a few minutes to let the grid cool down before spraying it. It is best to have someone to assist you, tell them not to switch off the key because it will cause the grid to heat again. Open the airbox, have them cranking first and spray in to the intake tube. Again, there is always a risk using ether but you can try to minimize that risk if you have to use it. If you have protection for face and arms use them.

 

[llook]

Starting fluid glazes the cylinder bore where the rings travel. Over time you loose compression in the cylinder

 

[DMoon]

It just plain ain't a good idea with diesels. Hot grids or glow plugs, combustible aerosol like ether and a little O2 which is abundantly available in the air we breath and ... ... ..... BOOM!!!!

 

[ASTAR]

Well, I used some yesterday and it worked out ok. I have my grid heaters unhooked (the harness is out of the truck) so I figured it would be ok. Not something I'll make a habit out of but once in a great while (once a year maybe) wouldn't hurt would it? I had the ignition off, sprayed a 2 second burst into the intake, hit the key and VROOM! Right up!

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

ATTA Boy! I was just going to say TAKE THE GRID HEATERS OFF LINE!!!!!!!!!!!! I Have heard horror stories from my ol man up in vt with a guy who did that and when the intake popped he now has 15 stitches in his face. Now there are starting fluids that have an upper cylinder lube within it to prevent glazing. The old stuff Plain Ether was harsh indeed!

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Starting fluid glazes the cylinder bore where the rings travel. Over time you loose compression in the cylinder

If you buy the walmart's best starting fluid, yes it will possibly glaze the walls, but it takes alot to do this over a long time.

Ether systems that are installed on trucks with diesels use a diesel starting ether can, you can also get the same content cans with an aerosol sprayer from most diesel truck shops. It is what I buy for all my engines, even my lawn mower, Ether is only dangerous when your IQ level is lower than the ounces in the can you are holding. Common sense and knowledge of the dangers are your best tools.

Given the choice, I would rather plug my truck in for an hour or two and then cycle the grid heaters a few times to get it to turn over, if your harness is damaged, you can always use a motorcycle battery charger to put current to the grid heater lugs on the manifolds, just don't leave them going, the elements can burn out doing this.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ASTAR I don't know why you'd have to use ether to start your truck, heaters or not, especially if you're at home and your signature is correct. Unless you've got a tired engine it should start without grids down to about 20F and maybe even colder. Yeah it'll smoke alot but it can't be as bad as ether starts. I tried starting my 360k mile 12v at 25F without the heaters after sitting unplugged overnight and it lit right off. Just smoked quite a bit.



Another bad thing with ether I'm told is the harsh pressure spike will tweak ring lands and allow the rings to twist under normal operation and reduce cylinder seal, causing more blowby and more dependence on ether for starting.



Vaughn

 

[ASTAR]

ASTAR I don't know why you'd have to use ether to start your truck,

Vaughn

Well, thanks to my sweet fuel gauge, I ran outta fuel (barely) with a 1/4 tank! I was at a gas station, the idle dropped, went back up, I pulled to the pump, shut it down. Filled the tank and it wouldn't start. Shot of juice and no problem. That's why I said it would not be a common occurance.

 

[JCulp]

One thing you have to watch when doing this is eavin though you wait till the grid cools . once the engine starts the ecm. will tell the grid to re heat untill the intake air reaches a certin temp . so if you still have some eather in the inter cooler you might have some fun watching that unfold

 

[LarryM]

Hey Guys, There's some really good advice here on this thread. Besides the dangers of explosion from the ether igniting, and the health dangers from inhalation, is the real danger from the engine running away. Engines equipped with ether starting aids inject a measured amount right at the cylinder air inlet or very close to it. On our trucks, most folks will spray the ether into the air inlet at the filter housing which will fill the entire intake system, filter housing, plumbing, intercooler and intake manifold. Now, the engine has no throttle control and can/will overspeed, and there's nothing you can do about it. This will happen very quickly, in a New York micro-second your engine will grenade itself. I have seen this happen with propulsion engines on our old submarines and other diesels where Sailors got carried away with the ether. There was a Dodge CTD yard truck in a shipyard that did exactly that and lunched the engine. The worst one was a hydraulic crane that had a Detroit 6V-53 in it and the Sailor used a whole can of ether in the filter intake and tried to start it. I was on the other pier about 500 feet away from the crane. The engine sounded like it hit 10 grand before it came apart. The heads were dislodged from the block, and the blower rotors were found in the parking lot 300 feet away. The Sailor was killed!! Ether is very dangerous, but has it's place in the grand scheme of things when used accordingly. Good advice here, be careful out there... .

Larry

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Man Larry that would've been something to see



I have a cruddy '82 Blazer that I used starting fluid on until I fixed the glow plugs. It didn't rev up that much even with a pretty healthy squirt. Another thing I used was WD-40 and also engine degreaser to help it start, but when that lit off it was very violent



One easy solution on using starting fluid on a Cummins. . . simply disconnect one of the small wires on each of the two grid heater relays, that'll keep them from coming on.



Vaughn

 

[DHayden]

I came very close to grenading mine in my ignorance, the grid heaters werent on as the truck engine was warm but I ran out of gas at the pump like you did. Sprayed some ether in there and BOY HOWDY that sucker took off like no tomarrow! I dont know what the rpm got to but I was waiting for it to grenade. I count my blessings and if I ever need to do something like that again I would use something like WD-40 instead of ether, its heavier and not nearly as volitile as ether.

 

[DKarvwnaris]

Man Larry that would've been something to see



I have a cruddy '82 Blazer that I used starting fluid on until I fixed the glow plugs. It didn't rev up that much even with a pretty healthy squirt. Another thing I used was WD-40 and also engine degreaser to help it start, but when that lit off it was very violent



One easy solution on using starting fluid on a Cummins. . . simply disconnect one of the small wires on each of the two grid heater relays, that'll keep them from coming on.



Vaughn

If you are not disconnecting the inlet to the intake at the innercooler boot, you are still asking for trouble. I have always pulled the innercooler boot off at the manifold before trying to do this in addition to disconnecting the grid heaters. If you want to see an uncontrollable runaway engine, feel free to spray it right into the air filter box so it can accumulate in the innercooler and expand before finally making it into the intake. When it finally lights, you'll be lucky if it doesn't blow the intake manifold up off its mounts as well as the innercoolers fins apart.

Save this idea for a "highly skilled" AAA tow truck driver who is sent out to start your truck for you. After they stitch his head back together (or pick up the pieces), be sure to ask for his liability insurance. This would possibly be a good option for all of you 53 block fans.

 

[jwilliams3]

Ether is quite safe on these trucks if you know what you are doing and do not overspray.

Another thing as previously mentioned is to not spray the ether before the grids have cycled.