Is it OK to use starter fluid on a diesel truck engine?

Those type statements are blanket statements to cover everyone including the one that stands there and sprays a half a can in the engine until it races wildly. A person that knows what they are doing can regulate how much they spray into the intake with micro shots where the engine barely runs and doesn't race. That's when the damage happens when the engine races. A diesel engine wasn't designed to spin 3000 rpms. Yet with a couple mini shots one can regulate and keep the rpms down to about 1000 rpms which doesn't hurt a thing. Just like an injector regulates. The trick to using starting fluid is to barely keep the engine running. A couple micro shots it will run less than 5 seconds. Then you give it another micro shot to keep it barely running a few seconds more. Usually by the 3rd shot the engine is going.

Starting fluid is a last resort and in emergencies. One should bleed their fuel filters and use jumper cables first.

One example I used starter fluid... I get off an off ramp. A truck is blocking the ramp and the road as he run out of fuel. They got 10 gallons of fuel already but are clueless to bleeding the system. They also ran their batteries down. The quick fix I get my jumper cables out, I take off his breather and give him 2 shots of ether. It starts, barely runs I giver her another shot. Fuel picks up and problem solved. Everyone moves on. A lot of angry truckers relieved. Situations like that starting fluid is handy.

If you are in the middle of no where with a cold truck and your batteries are on their last leg you'll kiss that can of starting fluid you find under your bunk. Just don't get your lips stuck to it!

 

Yep. There was a time, or two, where we would keep the engine running by using "micro-shots", as you say. We did that on the early-model S60 Detroits that, if you weren't quick enough with a pre-lubed fuel filter, you'd get a little air in the system and couldn't start the thing to save your life.

 

Exactly I was being sarcastic....My grandfather had me out in the farm at an early age helping with maintenance on the equipment and doing very labor intensive work. Starter fluid and WD-40 was always nearby

 

i don't think ether revs the engine up as much as it used to.

it was bad back in the day. and also knocked like crazy.

i use it on my 74 ford. it only gets used once or twice a year. so i use constant shots of ether till gas starts pumping through the carb. usually takes about 30 seconds.

as for glow plugs. don't know about semis. but thery were defenitely a used item on cars and pickups back in teh 80's. when people were buying deisel automobiles. which wasn't many. seems like it was discontinued in the 90's. or wasn't very popular.

today, pickups are around, but i don't think you can buy a diesel car anymore. gas conversions seem to be thing now.

 

Canned ether is excellent source of extry power. When pulling a hill and the truck starts to slow just reach out the window and squirt some ether in that breather. Then show that Swift truck your taillights, yeh buddy!

 

I have used starter fluid for many years on different trucks and never have had a problem using it. There are times when the engine needs a little boost to get going. When temperature is low, it is usually best to just leave the truck idling rather than taking a chance on your truck not starting.

 

that's all good when your living in the truck. but not feasible at home. where my parking spot is a 1 mile walk. and nothing around to plug in to.

 

This is the correct answer.

I can't believe so many of you are afraid of it. For that matter, I cannot imagine for the life of me why every driver out there wouldn't keep a can in the truck. A can of ether is just as much a necessity as duct tape, bungees, a hammer and some tools.

 

A can of starting fluid can also be used to clean electrical connections and other oily parts.