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

It's the only way I've ever done it. I dont mind it on truck tires, but tractor or loader tires make me a bit nervous. I had one bounce a few feet of the ground once then take off in a random direction when it hit the ground. That could of hurt if it came my way. Especially now, i don't move quite as quick as i did 25 years ago. Or heal back up as fast.

 

me too.....lol every time i tell myself i really need to buy a cheetah i see 300 bucks and i go grab that $2 can of starting fluid. in all reality i really should buy one though.

i do have a ball valve with a 1/2 inch coupler on it on my service truck i actually put it together for blowing out lawn sprinklers but found it works for setting tire beads as long as the tire was not sitting on the bottom of a stack for too long.

 

I’ve never tried it off the vehicle.....hmm

 

I've never tried it on the vehicle. Lol
Sounds like a good idea though!

 

If you seat the bead on the vehicle and have to chase the tire after you might have used too much ether lol

 

I had a small genset that I did some electrical work on 2 weeks ago (our last -30 cold snap). Smoked like a chimney but would not fire. Spent nearly a half hour of cranking 30 seconds/2 minute starter cooldown. Got no where. Had no ether on the truck either. Desperate times, desperate measures. Took the pipe off the intake manifold, grabbed my spray bottle of brake cleaner and gave a tiny little shot into the manifold. Put the pipe back on and it fired on the first revolution. Bush league but it worked lol. I prefer WD40 though since it will provide a bit of lubrication.

 

On truck tires its fine. They don't jump. worse thing that can happen is your eyebrows look a bit funny till they grow back. But big tires require a lot more ether... its a very very fine line from just enough to seat the bead and a bit to much and you are playing dodge ball with a 500 lb Goodyear.

 

The best practice for using ether is to wait until you get smoke pumping out the exhaust before you start spraying (spray as in like a half second burst every 5-7 seconds). I was always told the injected fuel provides lubrication on the cylinder walls and reduces the chances of permanent damage.

 

That mashes sense. Had a second bursts is all I've ever done. Any more and you risk damage from predetonation.

For those that don't know, if you've ever started an engine with ether and it rattled for a second or 3 after firing... that's predetonation. It's the ether igniting in the cylinder while fuel is being sprayed from the injector. Use less ether next time.

 

fixed