[Vwdiesel] Ford diesel hard starting

[Kevin Jack]

For two stroke engines after the off-season...just remove the spark plug or
plugs and pour a small amount of gas into each cylinder......that is, if the
cylinders are vertical harder when the plugs are on the side...:)

> >From my perspective, the greatest risk with ether is that it will
detonate
> on the compression stroke, and with a high enough charge could cause
> component structural damage.  If you will, the rapid burn risk.

This is what I first suspected too....I suppose there may be many things
that can go wrong with ether depending on the config of the engine...

Later
Kevin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Val Christian" <val at swamps.roc.ny.us>
To: <LBaird119 at aol.com>
Cc: <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Ford diesel hard starting


> I've used ether in times of desperation.  It will get an engine going
> without glow plugs at 20F.  Impossible otherwise.  No experience with
> propane, except using it to heat the head and the oil pan.
> Another useful cold weather extreme starting technique.
>
> >From my perspective, the greatest risk with ether is that it will
detonate
> on the compression stroke, and with a high enough charge could cause
> component structural damage.  If you will, the rapid burn risk.
>
> Another risk is that of combustion byproducts, or rather non-combusted
> by products, getting introduced into the crankcase.  One anecdotal
> account had the valve cover popped, and the oilpan deformed, so that
> it leaked oil at the oilpan gasket.
>
> The accounts of precombustion chamber damage, glow plug damage are
> conceptually possible.
>
> I would certainly avoid ether in a TD, since the intake path is so
> long.
>
> About the only thing I consider using ether on these days is small
> two-stroke gasoline engines, when trying to get them online after
> seasonal downtime.  And that's to the tune of a can of ether in
> a decade or so.  It leaks out of the can faster than I can use it.
>
> Having said all of that, it seems that a soft grommet allowing the
> introduction of a torch tip, from an oxy-acetylene set would be a
> helpful cold weather mod.  Just turn on the O2 and the C2H2 for 10
> seconds prior to start.  Turn off after engine is running...
>
> Val
>
>
> ps: I can envision a new TV show.  Extreme car starting techniques.
>
>
>
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > Ether should be the last resort, and can shorten engine life
significantly=
> > .
> > >=20
> >
> > I know that's the standard answer but I'm curious as to actually why.=A0
I'v=
> > e=20
> > read that "in the early days" it was straight ether and tended to wash
the=20
> > cylinders and valve stems dry UNLESS it had top cylinder lubricant in
it,=20
> > which all or nearly all starting fluid does anymore.=A0 I just don't see
how=
> > =20
> > it's=20
> > more damaging than say propane would be.=A0 If you have a CLUE of
what=20
> > you're doing, you're only introducing a vapor and not flushing it
with=20
> > liquid.=A0=20
> > The damage I can see is two things.=A0 Don't use it with hot glow
plugs=20
> > going and don't wash the cylinders down with liquid.=A0 Beyond that
it=20
> > seems a light burst to start it just isn't going to do any
significant=20
> > damage.=A0=20
> > Can anybody cite information that I'm thinking the wrong direction
here?=A0=20=
> > :)
> > =A0=A0=A0=A0 Loren
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> >
>
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