[Vwdiesel] Ford diesel hard starting

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

> Ether should be the last resort, and can shorten engine life significantly.
> 

I know that's the standard answer but I'm curious as to actually why.  I've 
read that "in the early days" it was straight ether and tended to wash the 
cylinders and valve stems dry UNLESS it had top cylinder lubricant in it, 
which all or nearly all starting fluid does anymore.  I just don't see how 
it's 
more damaging than say propane would be.  If you have a CLUE of what 
you're doing, you're only introducing a vapor and not flushing it with 
liquid.  
The damage I can see is two things.  Don't use it with hot glow plugs 
going and don't wash the cylinders down with liquid.  Beyond that it 
seems a light burst to start it just isn't going to do any significant 
damage.  
Can anybody cite information that I'm thinking the wrong direction here?  :)
     Loren