Ether start in the FMTV

[porkysplace]

That depends on the heater and what range snap switch it has specced. Some are for warmup and some are for maintenance. The gensets I maintain have a switch that keeps them cycling occasionally and the engine around 70-80 degrees.



As for use:
How long you run it depends on the temp and how big(in watts) the heater is. Personally I prefer the external tank type heaters as due to available space limitations inside an engine block you can be limited in how large an element you can get.

The tank type heaters can have larger elements(1000+ watts) which means shorter warmup times. A 15A residential circuit should support up to 1800 watts, neyond that you may need a special circuit and dedicated plugin but 2-3KW are not unheard of. I personally think they are a little easier to install. Because they thermosiphon/circulate the coolant, they deliver the heat directly to the head via a heater supply port and draw water from a block drain or waterpump return port so have a little faster warmup IMO.

Some just plugin when needed. That is what I do on my tractor, I have a 1KW tank type and I go plug it in 15-20 minutes before I try and start the tractor, nice and warm and delivers good clean startups. Some run them on timers to preheat before normal use times, like 1/2 hour befor you normally leave for work. I do this with a space heater in the winter on my gas powered truck, havnt scraped a window in years...

If you have a smaller element, you may need to leave it plugged in to try and keep it at a reasonable temp as it might take hours to take the edge off...

Since this thread is about the ether start system , it could be Coffey1 was referring to the ether start system spraying ether if it is above 50 degrees.
From the Quick start link doghead posted
[Temperature range of ether use: -50°F to 50°F]
http://quickstart-ether.com/

 

[Coffey1]

Correct the ether is not supposed to fire if someone tries to and it's I believe above 50.

 

[319cssb]

Correct the ether is not supposed to fire if someone tries to and it's I believe above 50.

I think I will get myself a block heater.
With it I won't need the ether, right?

 

[aleigh]

I think I will get myself a block heater.
With it I won't need the ether, right?

Assuming you always park someplace with power and that power never goes out, sure.

 

[porkysplace]

I think I will get myself a block heater.
With it I won't need the ether, right?

As long as you got somewhere to plug it in your good with just a block heater. I prefer both but I'm in Michigan . Block heater get the oil flowing quicker.

 

[Coffey1]

Here in South Carolina it really doesn't stay freezing cold like up north I don't really use either or block heater and don't have any problems and on two batteries.

 

[Tow4]

Just hold a rag with gas on it up to the intake. Once the engine starts remove the rag.

If you have to start it a lot in cold temperatures get a block heater.

 

[doghead]

What do you do with a wet gas soaked rag after it starts?

 

[319cssb]

Here in South Carolina it really doesn't stay freezing cold like up north I don't really use either or block heater and don't have any problems and on two batteries.

I'm in south carolina, too. And it took a bunch of cranking for it to tug tug tug to a start. it may not be cold here a lot, but when things get nasty I want to be able to count on my truck.
You're an hour south and east of me, So here in the mountains things might get a little more chill than where you live.

Just hold a rag with gas on it up to the intake. Once the engine starts remove the rag.

I am not sure what good a gas soaked rag will do to a diesel engine.
Apart from that I much rather use a propane torch and heat the air that goes in the intake.

 

[Ronmar]

Or just start a fire under it That has the added advantage of warming the oil...

Compression ignition engines will easilly ignite gasoline vapors, the problem is it is unpredictable. Compression ignition is very efficient though as it ignites the fuel charge all over at once as opposed to a spark plug. Just read today that apparently Mazda has figured out a way to make it work though. Their newest Viactive-X engine will use a hybrid compression ignition with gasoline and a 16:1 compression to bump efficiency significantly. Should be available next year...

The gas-n-rag trick is supposed to work like ether, but with the same hazards of sprayed ether in the intake. Fuel-air explosives are among the most powerfull on earth. A little balked start or a leaky intake valve and you can have one all the way back thru the intake plumbing...

 

[Ronmar]

Correct the ether is not supposed to fire if someone tries to and it's I believe above 50.

Wow I did not read that that way the two posts before yours were talking about heater use and I thought...

From the 20-1 service manual:
”Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with an ether quick start system designed for starting the engine when ambient temperatures are below 32°F(0°C). The ether quick start system is composed of an ether cylinder (6), ether valve (7), two ether nozzles ( 8 ), and an ether sensor switch (9). The ether sensor switch detects the temperature of the engine coolant and disables the ether valve above 32°F(0°C). The ether valve delivers a controlled charge of ether to the ether nozzles.”

 

[Third From Texas]

Being in S. Texas I haven't given the ether system much thought.

But it dawned on me, I've never seen the bottle location (assuming there isn't one currently mounted). I looked at the Operator Manual image but I'll have to pop the cab up to figure out where it is supposed to be.

So is it on the inner frame rail, aft, passenger-side (A0)?

LOL

 

[Tow4]

Or just start a fire under it That has the added advantage of warming the oil...

Compression ignition engines will easilly ignite gasoline vapors, the problem is it is unpredictable. Compression ignition is very efficient though as it ignites the fuel charge all over at once as opposed to a spark plug. Just read today that apparently Mazda has figured out a way to make it work though. Their newest Viactive-X engine will use a hybrid compression ignition with gasoline and a 16:1 compression to bump efficiency significantly. Should be available next year...

The gas-n-rag trick is supposed to work like ether, but with the same hazards of sprayed ether in the intake. Fuel-air explosives are among the most powerfull on earth. A little balked start or a leaky intake valve and you can have one all the way back thru the intake plumbing...

Gas is not as explosive as either. A buddy who starts his tractors this way in the winter told me about it. He said the engine didn't make as much noise starting with gas as it did with either.

Having done it, I can say it works just as he described. I started my M915 at 25 degrees while I was in N.C. earlier this year. It starts very easy and when the engine has spun up enough to release the starter button, I toot the horn and soldier B removes the rag from the intake opening. It is a nice smooth increase in RPM and the engine RPM is controllable with the accelerator.

The only down side I see is depending on the vehicle, it may take an assistant.

 

[Ronmar]

Being in S. Texas I haven't given the ether system much thought.

But it dawned on me, I've never seen the bottle location (assuming there isn't one currently mounted). I looked at the Operator Manual image but I'll have to pop the cab up to figure out where it is supposed to be.

So is it on the inner frame rail, aft, passenger-side (A0)?

LOL

No, it is right behind the cab latch. Get up in the bed, go to the front and look down just inboard of the air operated hydraulic pump. If the can is there, you should see the bottom of the can peeking up at you. Or if you lower the spare tire you should be able to see it from the passenger side. It is about eye level when standing on the ground...

 

[Ronmar]

Gas is not as explosive as either. A buddy who starts his tractors this way in the winter told me about it. He said the engine didn't make as much noise starting with gas as it did with either.

Having done it, I can say it works just as he described. I started my M915 at 25 degrees while I was in N.C. earlier this year. It starts very easy and when the engine has spun up enough to release the starter button, I toot the horn and soldier B removes the rag from the intake opening. It is a nice smooth increase in RPM and the engine RPM is controllable with the accelerator.

The only down side I see is depending on the vehicle, it may take an assistant.

Ever see a carburetted engine with the plug wires hooked up incorrectly or with the timing or valves set incorrectly(sparks a cylinder with an intake valve open) backfire thru the carb on its first startup? The entire manifold is full of an air/fuel mixture and the bang and fireball can be quite impressive. Now imagine that chaining all the way back thru the intercooler, turbo and that really large air cleaner housing...

Youtube is a great resource for these type things Neat old truck... https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...B6006EF1B2AC56C6C239B6006EF1B2AC&&FORM=VRDGAR

I am sure it helps cold startup, and it is probably not as likley to occur on a diesel, but you are filling the plumbing with an air/fuel mixture... I am thinking if it goes wrong it could do so in a spectacular fashion.

Oh, you can tie a string to the rag and pull it out from the drivers seat so soldier B is not at risk...
As always my .02...

 

[snowtrac nome]

The problem with the gas rag or a shot from a spray can is your fuel mixture must be drawn through the air filter. plumbing to the turbo, than the after cooler plumbing than to the intake. it takes a long time to get their, and lots of cranking the injection system fills the intake only and the engine will light off with a touch of the button. When you fill the induction system with lots of explosive fuel you chance an over speed on start up and internal engine damage. I have seen more than one 855 cummins seize on start up from too much either in the induction system and also bent connecting rods in 2 cycle detroits.

 

[Pointman0853]

A short 2 second blast of starting fluid in the air filter, and mine starts right up -7 deg in Wyoming is the coldest it has seen. I still plan to get my injection working as this is what it came with..

Pointman

 

[319cssb]

Hooah, i have all intentions of getting the system to work properly as well.

 

[Milspec2]

The FMTVs have a zero start ether system built into them with the temp sensor already built in. I found that my system had sat so long it was rusted in place and I couldn't remove the old bottle. I bought a new zero start system from O'Reillys, had to adapt the new mounting plate and installed the new bottle, helped a lot, but the temp has to be below 32 F to activate.

 

[Awesomeness]

Try reading this, http://quickstart-ether.com/

The FMTVs have a zero start ether system built into them

Looking at the two, it sure looks like the FMTV has a QuickStart system, not a ZeroStart brand system. (It's also possible it's neither.)