Using ether to start engines

[D._Frederick]

On the Case IH 685 tractor that I bought used, the ether  starting system never did  work right. I took a look and found that the pipe that goes to the intake manifold was broke off in the fitting.  It was easy to fix,  but the results where not good when I tried it.

I hit the starter and got the engine spinning and then tried the ether, being at freezing temp, the engine did not catch. I stopped cranking to let the starter cool, when I tried starting again, it about blew the intake manifold apart. It sounded about like a odd six rifle, it burned the air cleaner elements. It is not a very friendly system to use.

Have any of you guys blowed up your engine using ether?

[Jason_WI]

Sounds like you held the button too long. It will sound like a bag of hammers in the crank case but only for a few revolutions. I personally don't use the automatic ether injection systems as there have been cases of the solnoids sticking and engines blowing up!

Use ether sparingly and spray it in the intake inlet instead. Better yet is to plug it in if you have a block heater.

Jason

[Percy]

I used to use ether on my log trucks when it was very cold. The stuff can ruin an engine in short order if the ether is  abused. I found what worked best if you had enuff cranking power was to spray it into the air breather. By the time it got to the combustion chamber, it was diluted enuff that it didnt rattle too much. Needed lots of battery for that to work. The direct injection systems were nasty, but more effective if your motor held together.  On one particularily cold morning, the Cummins motor(N14) in my log truck bent several push tubes(push rods) from the ether when starting.  I guess the combustion chamber pressures get so high that the valves dont wanna open.

[redpowerd]

i have the same tractor, just a bit older, actually two. it has a d-239. the either injection goes right into the intake. when you say the engine didnt catch, did it just stop rotating? sounds like you havent got the battery, need lotsa battery to start with either. if you can avoid overcranking the starter, them motors will start with a battery alone. it helps to have a water heater installed. if you need either after givin her several miniutes of cranking(25-30 seconds is all these starters can take) just unscrew the fitting in the intake and give it just a little 'snort'. usually the engine is warm enough and she'll bang right to life. also the stop cable serves as a sort of choke if you pull it halfway. look at the where the cable attaches to the IP, youll see a little button  there that turns the pump off, if you can pull the cable to where it just touches the button, thats full choke. all i usually need to do is give her full choke and half throttle and a bit of cranking and its up and running.

is that thing four wheel assist? bucket? hows the hydro pump?

[Larry]

I saw a JD few years ago with a head off from little to much ether.

Like Jason said block heater is the best way if ya have the time.  My old JD 4020 and 4030 would both take 8 hours or so before they were warm enough to start.  My little Ford takes a maximum of an hour till its warm enough.

[johnjbc]

If your engine uses a heated inlet screen instead of glow plugs you can cause an explosion by using ether. The hot screen lights it off. Sometime the ether starting system puts it in past the screen. In that case continue cranking after you turn the ether off so it doesn't go back up to the screen and light

[D._Frederick]

Redpower,


My 685 is a 2 wheel drive tractor, I have a Westendrough (sp) loader that was on it when I got it with 2400 hrs on the meter. Have had no problem with any pumps. Have replace the tie rods and some bushing in the steering system. This tractor has the swept back front axle that really is not that good for a loader. It had some cracks in the axle that needed repair. I have a !00 inch REARS flail mower that I run with it.

[Dana]

If I don't have time to plug in our tractors, I try to have a helper spray the either as I am cranking the engine. This also keeps you from spraying too much in and letting it accumulate.

[etat]

D._Frederick, I figure you posted this just in time to maybe save me some future headaches. The tractor I'm rebuilding also has the tubing broke that carries either from the dash to the intake manifold.  Any time I've ever used either before I would spray it straight in the intake pipe before it goes through the air filter and it would crank right up. I'm hoping not to have any cranking or charging problems when I get through but just in case, I'm pretty sure I'm NOT going to fix that broke pipe. 

[J_T]

Ck good as you got that tractor looking I'd fix that hose get me a new either can empyy it and install it just for looks 8) 8) Not for use most it cost 1.98 ??? ???

[UNCLEBUCK]

I have had the ether kits on a few tractors but I always seem to resort to spraying by hand into the air intake but on cold days like 20 below I keep the ether can in the house so its warm and shoots a nice spray instead of a more liquid stream . Too much ether can bust rings if it gets overloaded . On the battery cranking power I have increased starting power by putting new ends on the battery cables or even replacing old battery cables as it made a huge differance . I had installed 2 new batteries on my 806 farmall and still slow cranking power so new starter and still slow cold cranking power so I traced it down to the battery cables that connect battery to battery , they looked fine to me but they had the removable strap that holds the cable end tight , the kind you see at a cheap auto parts store so I went to the I.H. dealer and bought a new cable with the crimped on ends and now it spins so fast that I can spray just a quick mist of ether out towards the air intake and bang its running . I guess there is alot of cranking power lost in the cheap removable style connectors . Same problem on my old versatile and crane motors . Without the cranking speed the ether application was like cross my fingers and pray that it would start . I had the detroit 371 runaway from all the ether I flooded in the intake , just layed there like a bomb until it started and I couldnt get near the decompression lever to shut it off so I jumped down and ran back and about 20 seconds later it finally cleared and come back to a idle and ran fine but it sure cleared out the snarly gargles  :D

[UNCLEBUCK]

One last thing is my old versatile had a v-8 cummins and no turbo and it was a bear to start ,trying to time out the cranking with the pulling of the ether kit lever and after I put new battery cable crimped ends on it would start at 10 below without ether just from the fast cranking power .I had to borrow the big cable crimper from a shop in town but I guess that was the hardest part finding someone who would borrow me that crimping to .It had about 3 foot handles on it and really did the job. Maybe your troubles will end up being a easy fix I hope .

[Ironwood]

Hi there, Reid Crosby here, I haven't figured out the new system yet. As to starting with ether the fella's saying to use it sparingly thru the air cleaner seem to be following all the expert diesel mechanics I've spoken to. The head gaskets and internals need to be spared the trama so just a touch at the air intake outside the aircleaner housing seems to work for my block heated Perkins forklift. just enough to get one combustion cycle to occur seems to create enough heat  that if it doen't fire on that attempt the next doesn't need any ether. One of the expert mech's said that the ether tends to scour all the beneficial soot and oil build up on the cylinder walls, which seems to make sense to me,,,,,that ether is pretty powerful stuff.           

                         Reid

[slowzuki]

We use an international 584 and 585 tractor, neither have ether and we live in Canada.  -30 needs an hour plugged in, freezing mark needs 20 min.  You can turn the tractor off for about an hour at -30 before it gets too cold.

[UNCLEBUCK]

I once was trying to start a diesel tractor on a cold fall day and I was standing on the ground and spraying ether into the intake of a tractor and a big mean old bronze barnyard tom turkey started beating the crap out of me in the barnyard and I turned around and sprayed him directly in the face with the whole big can of ether until it was empty and it didnt faze him . Sometimes I catch a good load of ether if the wind is right and I often wonder what are the effects from it when a person gets a face full when he doesnt expect it .

[redpowerd]

our mechanic tried to knock out one of my dogs with a can of that stuff when i wasnt looking. the dog had a face full of quills and wouldnt sit still. i called the vet and got some knockout needles for five bucks.

ether will try and ignite before TDC.

[UNCLEBUCK]

I ran over a full can of ether with my riding lawnmower this summer and it sounded like a stick of dynamite going off and a sledge hammer hit the bottom of my boots . crazy stuff !

[etat]

I've 'occasionally' used ether  to seat a stubborn tire on a rim so it will take air by removing the valve stem, giving it just a little shot, rolling the tire, and pitching a match or a burning piece of paper to it.  Thinking this probably wouldn't be OSHA approved, and don't use too much or it'll catch on fire instead of exploding the tire on the rim.

[Furby]

I remember seeing a show about an expedition crossing the Artic, or someplace like that with wheeled trucks. They kept having the tires come off the rims.
A little ether and BOOM, back in business!  ;D

[Quartlow]

Either in tires is bad news, it actually over stresses the tire and could lead to a premature failure. We made a tool for
inflating them out of an old air tank from a truck, has a 2 inch pipe sticking out of it a ballcock valve then another piece of pipe flattened out some on the end with a small piece of 1/2 inch bar stock welded along the flattened out edge. air it up rest the bar stock against the rim and flip the valve open, air rushes in fast enough to pop the tire out against the bead with out the explosive power of either.

As for either in engines, we never use it here. Tractors that we use all the time are plugged in 24/7. The only piece of equipment the ever gets eithered is the old dozer and its so wore out it won't hardley start on a warm day :D :D :D kinda like me

[J_T]

Ck leave the valve core in it will stay up I always made me a streamer fuze on the ground from it  :D :D When I had my tire shop I use to clear out the loafers when they saw me with a can of either it looked like a covey of quales ;D ;D It may stress the tire but after messing with it a while better it than me :

[D._Frederick]

Has anybody tried ether to blast gophers in there runways?

[etat]

 

It may stress the tire but after messing with it a while better it than me 

Thinking the exact same thing.  Specially on some a them REAL stubborn ones. ;D :D :D :D :D

[Tom]

I've been around fellows that set tire beads with ether, gasoline, butane, propane, etc.   ........I rund for the hills when Isee them bring the can oout.   You have to run a Lo-o-o-o-ong way to find a hill here in Florida. :D