I really need help with a weird no start

[KansasIDI]

Will it start with ether? You might be against that stuff but people blow up engines, ether doesn’t. If you disagree, tell me why old tractors and construction equipment have ether injection installed from the factory? I have sprayed ether into engines for a very long time, never gave me trouble. A diesel will ether lock before it blows up. If you put can after can of starting fluid in a diesel, and have somebody try to crank that ether locked son of a ***** while you stick a flamethrower down the intake, then maybe you’d blow it up. Or if you tried to use it as nitrous. Except on 2-stroke Detroits, you can use ether as nitrous on those, no ill affects in that case lol. Anyone who has blown up a diesel with ether firsthand, or seen it done in person, without the engine having had oiling issues or any other problems that would fail an engine by itself eventually. You tell me if ether and ether alone has actually blown up a diesel trying to start it.

 

[KansasIDI]

Sorry about the rant. But the truth…

 

[Nero]

So the thing with ether and diesel, there's two big points.
Working on semis all day, I've seen the auto ether injectors you're referring to, thing is those are computer controlled so only a little is injected. Some engines are built to take on a little.
Then there's the human error of using ether. I've seen people waste half a can trying to get a diesel started. Know what that does? Overheats the precups, breaks piston rings, and cauliflowers out the glow plugs.

Ether is fine. In moderation.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Just me throwing my thoughts out here. If you have smoke then you are likely very close to getting it to start.
A small Huff of ether could help. Make sure the glow plugs are disabled first though.

James

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Will it start with ether? You might be against that stuff but people blow up engines, ether doesn’t. If you disagree, tell me why old tractors and construction equipment have ether injection installed from the factory? I have sprayed ether into engines for a very long time, never gave me trouble. A diesel will ether lock before it blows up. If you put can after can of starting fluid in a diesel, and have somebody try to crank that ether locked son of a ***** while you stick a flamethrower down the intake, then maybe you’d blow it up. Or if you tried to use it as nitrous. Except on 2-stroke Detroits, you can use ether as nitrous on those, no ill affects in that case lol. Anyone who has blown up a diesel with ether firsthand, or seen it done in person, without the engine having had oiling issues or any other problems that would fail an engine by itself eventually. You tell me if ether and ether alone has actually blown up a diesel trying to start it.

I'm nor 100% sure on this, but I'll bet that those have lower compression ratios than our IDIs do. Since our engines have such a high compression ratio, we can only run a small amount of boost compared to others with lower ones, like the Cummins, Powerstrokes, Duramaxs, and, probably, the larger ones like found in tractors and construction equipment. That's why a little bit of ether goes a long way with our engines.

thing is those are computer controlled so only a little is injected.

Not on older, non-computer controlled models like he was talking about.

 

[KansasIDI]

Yes, only a little ether is needed

 

[KansasIDI]

And ether and glow plugs don’t mix, Rdnck84_03 is correct. It will swell them, like Nero said.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

It will swell them

Not just that but ether ignites as soon it hits the hot glow plug usually long before the intake valve closes so it doesn't do anything but make a fireball out the intake.

James

 

[Black dawg]

Sorry about the rant. But the truth…

I agree that ether used correctly is pretty much safe, BUT there is a difference in how it acts DI vs IDI, can get away with stupid amounts in a DI engine without much drama or noises.....not so in an IDI (even with plugs disabled) takes very little to make a bunch of bad noises.

 

[Nero]

Maybe on smaller DI engines, but I can say from experience that 15 liters knock like an absolute madman if you get a little in the cylinder. I use QD contact cleaner to clean injector bores whenever replacing them, and I try to let it flash off before installing it. Not doing so it smokes light gray and knocks for about 5-10 seconds. Sounds horrible. Otherwise I agree with ya.

 

[Black dawg]

No experience with big diesels here.....mostly light/med truck type stuff. I assumed that bigger stuff would be even more tolerant...

 

[Black dawg]

I cant remember if this truck is manual or auto? If manual, drag it around, it will run.

I have seen several of these, and gm idi motors, that wouldnt quite go, but when dragged would start immediately. after that start normally, like they were flooded......

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Honestly I just try not to use it at all, but it can be helpful when used correctly.

Now that being said, I have seen very few people who actually understand used correctly. Most people seem to think that if a 1/4 second shot works then a half a can must work better.

I worked at an oil drilling company back around '03 that had several old Mack saltwater trucks. The shop foreman sent one of the new guys out to bring one of them up to be serviced. He hands the kid a can of ether and tells him it will take a little to get it started. Few minutes later we hear an explosion. Run outside the hood is all bent up, air filter housing looked like a popped biscuit can.
Foreman asked him *** happened, kid replied "idk it just exploded almost as soon as I hit the starter" kid put almost the entire can in the filter before he tried to start it. That was the last time I saw him.

Now I usually just step back and wait for things to get stupid.

James

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I have seen several of these, and gm idi motors, that wouldnt quite go, but when dragged would start immediately. after that start normally, like they were flooded......

I've seen that one time. After that, the truck would start up great, hot or cold.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I cant remember if this truck is manual or auto? If manual, drag it around, it will run.

I have seen several of these, and gm idi motors, that wouldnt quite go, but when dragged would start immediately. after that start normally, like they were flooded......

In my opinion, these engines start better this way. I've said it before, but if I had a really good hill that I could park my truck on when I got home at the end of the day, I'd just let it roll and pop the clutch to crank it up in the morning.