Ether use

[thomasinnv]

I think a little fear is a good thing.  I have seen a piston blown through the bottom of an engine while being fed ether.

[Barn Owl]

I have seen tractors driven across a field on ether because of clogged filters. Ether is a tool to be used correctly. To be 100% absolutely safe, never use it. For me, I choose to use ether wisely, and I do use it and have lots of experience with it, it's not that hard to do.

[thomasinnv]

that's why we're busnuts... "do it your way"

[luvrbus]

You are preaching to the choir BarnOwl the Eagle had the starting aid cup for years on the 6v92 and 71 series the book on a 92 series says use a starting aid shows the cup but if the guys are uncomfortable using it so be it,Derrick I think you have one on your MCI also


good luck

[trucktramp]

I have the little cup on the 8v71 in my MC5.  It is handy since it is a short distance to the cylinders. 
FWIW, I have used ether to reprime motors that have been run dry or lost prime.  It was common with those Racor fuel filters that you fill the clear cup on the top.  Every time I serviced the filter it would lose prime.  A little spray of ether to keep it running until it picked up the fuel again and off I would go.  It never gave me a minute of trouble.

[thomasinnv]

Yes Clifford mine does have the cup.  And just to clarify, I wouldn't be so hesitant to use the metered system as designed by DD.  I would however be less eager to just point and shoot.

[TedsBUSted]

Although the Barn Owl tractor must have been getting some fuel.

They'll quit running on ether alone as soon as the combustion chamber's fuel and oil residue is used up.

[Barn Owl]

Derrik, It really is very difficult to screw things up. I wouldn't do it if I thought it might cost me repair money, or even worse, time. I have little ones in collage and braces I am paying for. The only thing I know is off limits to ether is anything with glow plugs.

[artvonne]

  Case skid loaders all used to come with a place for a can of Ether and a button to use it. I said something at a Case dealer about it, and they said they stopped using and selling it. They said its hard on rings was the main thing, but that it also damaged a lot of engines and Case stopped using it. Or at least that one dealer did.

 There is no denying that it works. And there is no denying it has done everything from minor damage to outright blown up engines when used aggressively. Yes, a small amount while its cranking will probably get it running without outright blowing it up. But there are many mechanics who swear it eventually makes the engine lose compression and then it gets to where thats the ONLY way youll get it start, even when its warm.

 One thing is absolutely sure. Not using ether wont ever hurt your engine. Some ether wont hurt it much. A lot of ether and you better hoof it far away, and quick, before your buddy cranks it.

[Barn Owl]

It wasn't my tractor, it was my uncles. We were in the middle of a hay field and his tractor got the the dreaded diesel fuel bug that clogs filters so it wasn't 100% starved. Enough not to run though. When replacing filters on my tractor the only way to prime it is with ether. I don't understand why, but you can bleed gallons of fuel (maintenance manual method) and it won't fire a lick, ether it, and the job is done. I found out from the dealer that is the only method they can get it to prime also.

[Barn Owl]

But there are many mechanics who swear it eventually makes the engine lose compression and then it gets to where thats the ONLY way youll get it start, even when its warm.

I will respectfully disagree with those mechanics. It is always way to easy to blame ether, when there was a problem to make the person start using it to begin with. I am a mechanic for UPS (Not a fleet mechanic though) and I work with mechanics that have years upon years of experience with diesels. The statement that using ether will make ones engine dependent on it is not true. It has reached the status of urban legend. If ether was so terrible there would be blown motors all over the place and ether cans under every seat. Everyone seems to have known of someone who blew up something with it, but to me the facts and lack of physical evidence don't bear those statements to be true. Maybe everyone I associate with including myself has been lucky beyond belief.

[thomasinnv]

sorry folks, didn't mean to start the "ether wars"

[boxcarOkie]

Difference here is starting fluid or ether you need to shop to find starting fluids with 50% ether contents used in the proper way starting fluid will not hurt you engine now 100% ether will bring it to it's knees I have saw the oil pans blown off Cat engines with 100% ether


good luck

My uncle made a really nice living working at a Cat dealer in Okie City.  He told me that every spring, they spent the majority of their days rebuilding road graders for the State of Oklahoma.  He said they had to replace all the rings in them, because they used too much either in them starting up in the wintertime to do the roads.

For what it is worth .....

BCO

[Barn Owl]

I grew up on a farm and also one of my earlier jobs was with an excavating company. When you are in the middle of nowhere, it's cold, your batteries are week and you need to get at it, out comes the ether. Only a fool that doesn't care, and doesn't own the machine will over ether it and at the same time use a hammer to activate the start switch. Too many on this board instill an unnecessary fear of ether, it's uncalled for. The more you use the machine the more you learn how much ether is required to start it. Again the process is to start with a little and work your way up until you learn how much it takes and you learn the requirements of the machine. Water is necessary for life, but you can drink to much of it and kill yourself. Too much oil in your crankcase is a bad thing because the crank will whip it up into a foamy mess...... and I could go on with example after example. When ether is used properly it will not hurt you engine!!!

[Fred Mc]

I used to use ether all the time when it got cold. But then I heard about using the starter for 15-20 seconds, then wait for a minute or so and off it goes. So I don't use ether now  because its unecessary.   But if needed I will use it-thats why there is an ether inlet on my DD.
Yesterday I started the bus at 29 deg. using the new(to me) method.