Alternative to ether for starting a dry multifuel engine.

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

I've read from a few people that using ether (starting fluid) to get a multifuel started is a bad idea due to the high compression of this particular engine.

I made this discovery when I was recovering my 72 KJ M35A2 and ran out of fuel due to a less-than-truthful fuel gauge. (I know, never trust a deuce fuel gauge, I get it now) Luckily for me, she sputtered and quit on the side of the highway right above a truck stop I didn't think I needed when I passed the off ramp. After climbing down off the highway, getting my 2-gallon fuel can filled with good ol diesel#2 and ripping my jeans stepping back over the barbed wire fence, and climbing back up to my truck to pour in the fuel, I realized that not hot wiring the lift pump was about to come back to bite me on the driver's-seat interface. I cranked her over till the battery was about to give up and in desperation checked the tool box to see if the previous owner might have left a can of either, All I could find was a can of silicone-based spray lubricant I had brought just in case because I knew the truck sat for a really long time. (ended up needing it to free up a sticky accelerator pedal). I knew this spray lube was flamable as I used some to clear the back patio area of a crowd of flies. (quick flame turns a "fly" into a "crawl" and just step on em). In my desperation, I pulled the mushroom off the air inlet and sprayed about a 4 to 5 second shot into the filter housing, stuck the mushroom back on, ran around to the driver's door, reached up, hit the switch and the starter button and she lit off instantly and stayed running.
Gentlemen, I submit to y'all that if you got a multifuel motor that gets a little stubborn to start, leave the either for the Cats and Cummins and grab a $2.50 can of Silicone Spray Lube. It's not nearly as volitile as either and therefore safer for a multifuel engine.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Many deuces have either injection for starting installed on them.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

I recall reading about that too. Is that setup governed to keep you from shooting too much either and damaging the engine?
opcorn:

 

[woodcutter]

I have used on the coldest of days WD-40...works great!

 

[dgardner]

I recall reading about that too. Is that setup governed to keep you from shooting too much either and damaging the engine?
opcorn:

Yes. It produces a measured shot of ether. Something like 3cc, I think.

 

[patracy]

When I bought my wrecker that had been sitting for years (10+) I did the following

Turn the electrics on, crack open the primary fuel filter until fuel came out.
Moved to the secondaries, did the same thing.
Cracked all the injector lines.
Cranked engine and noted fuel coming out at the injectors.
Tightened the lines back down, sprayed about 1 second of starting fluid in the breather.
Hit the magic button and that's all it took.

Starting fluid isn't "bad". It's just a lot of "advice" people give. Sure you could damage an engine with it if you dumped a large amount in. But short sprays can be just enough to give a resting diesel a wake up. Just don't go crazy with it.

 

[nmwildman013]

I used to work for a national fleet truck rental outfit and we used WD-40 all the time, always worked on trucks that had been sitting and the thought was that it provided a cylinder lubricant and flammible gas combination. NEVER hurt an engine using WD. That said my deuce has an ether start setup on it however I have never used it. We even started a deuce on propane once that was being stubborn. Just gave it a little sniff while cranking and she kicked off. This engine is much more forgiving being a multifuel. Anything introduced externally should be used with extreme caution and moderation of course.

 

[Csm Davis]

Best thing I like is gas on a rag and leave the mushroom on just wrap it lightly around and start it up it doesn't ever make a diesel hard to turn over or rattle like ether Wd-40 used to work well but they changed propellants to something not as flammable.