Air Starters

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

On Outback Truckers, I learned they use Air Starters, rather than Battery Powered Electric Starters.  Has anyone ever used one on a bus and if so, how well do they work?

[muldoonman]

Years ago working out in the Oilfields of West Texas seen and heard a lot of them on the Massive Cat and Waukesha (V 12) Engines used to power the Drilling Rigs.  They did the Job and well. Would have to have a Motor driven Air Compressor to power them. The Rigs had massive Screw Compressors as they took a lot of Air.

[rancher]

Back when I was a kid in the 60's my folks had a small truck stop filling station on a major highway and lots of CF, PIE, Trans Con, Road Way, Yellow freight haulers ran that highway in the old cabovers pulling doubles. All of them had air starters. They only had a small car battery for running the 12volt system for lights and such. When they would freeze up in the winter we would have to use our tire service truck to charge the air system to crank the engine. Lots of 8V-71's and 903 Cummins back then.

[Bill Gerrie]

When I worked for the transit system we had a lot of air starters. What a noise they made. So many problems they eventually went back to electric starters.

[chessie4905]

Several years ago, I purchased a Roadway Road Boss tractor for the 6V92T or TA., for a repower for my ACF Brill. It had an air starter. You hit the button, and zip! (think of an air wrench sound, only louder) Instant engine start.
Great for not need batteries for cranking. The tractor had one group 27 battery for other electrical needs. The air tank for starter exclusive was about 30 to 40 gallon capacity. Same diameter as fuel tank, only much shorter.
Downsides I can see of the system are, space for that air reservoir. Potential leakdown, changing fuel filters and several cranking cycles deplete all the air, extra weight of system, still need batteries for electrical needs on a coach, availability of parts in event of breakdown on road, and an auxillary air compressor needed to replenish air if tank low on air, as engine not running.

[luvrbus]

The air starters will start a cold diesel engine,BNSF still uses air starters to start the 5000 hp EMD and Cat engines ,those  reserve air tanks are huge ,the shop foreman told me the I/R air starter for the engines cost around $5000.00 ea and most have 2 I/R air starters

[chessie4905]

Makes sense since electricity generated for propulsion and air generated for train braking control are main parts of any locomotive. Huge air reservoirs for more than one use.

[luvrbus]

All engines over 40L need a alternative for starting, I have seen the 64 volt 12hp starters on the Cat engines in the 40L range over that they where air starters

[Iceni John]

Do they still motor the main generators to start engines now?   Is it because locos now usually have alternators instead  -  can you motor an alternator?   Just wondering.

John