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Re: Re: Is starting fluid addictive for tractors?
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Posted by John de Marrais on February 10, 1999 at 05:41:23:
In Reply to: Re: Is starting fluid posted by Jeff K on May 18, 1998 at 17:47:13:
: : : : My B-275's diesel engine is cold-hearted and does not start easily unless it is plugged in for an hour or two (even in summer), : : or gets a little shot of ether. Some folks(well, my brother in law, actually!!) think it's not a good idea to use ether, even : : suggesting it is "addictive" (for tractors, silly) , as if once you start using it, your engine gets harder and harder to start without : : it...? Does ether have any cumulative negative effects on a diesel engine? : : Sorry if this is a newbie question . : : Thanks a bunch. : : Lylo : No, starting fluid is not "addictive". The hard start problem is potentially a symptom of compression starting to drop off. Makes the diesel fuel charge harder to get burning when : it is not being compressed as much. A shot of either is really volatile stuff, and actually causes an explosion in the cylinder when you try to compress it. Problem is just that, : it is an explosion, and it may be going on before the piston reaches TDC. This condition is know and predetonation and can melt or blow the top right out of a piston. Second problem : is that it is a really "dry" explosion. Diesel fuel in itself has quite a bit of lubricating properties. Either does not, and accellerates wear to the rings. So, once you make a : habit of using it, repeated use actually accelerates the wear and diminishing compression. Once and a while a shot in cold weather may be necessary, but once it needs to become common : you need to decide to keep it up and "addict" the engine or just do the rebuild. I honestly think a spray bottle of gasoline and a shot of that down the intake tube might do the trick : and not cause nearly as much wear. : Best luck : JPK I disagree with some of the information you've been given. Ether, can be in fact, "addictive." I've worked heavy equipment for 30 years and have witnessed, on many occaisions, diesel engines that became progressively more difficult to start after using ether. Generally speaking, direct injection diesels without glowplugs or precombustion chambers are made to be used with ether. In fact, many have electrically operated automatic ether injection for cold weather starting. Engines, e.g., the IH B275 diesel can not handle the use of ether. Using it, either immediately or eventually will crack the precombustion chamber cups and top piston rings. After this happens, they will seem to run alright once hot but will be virtually impossible to start cold without ether or a block heater. I own a couple of B275s; one with the old in-line injection pump with pneumatic governor, and the other with the later distributor injection pump. Both, at one time or another became hard starting. Making sure the glow-plugs worked and turning up the fuel delivery was all that was needed. Either one will start at zero without a block heater.
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