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

Or backwards.

 

Ha. You are right. The old cats did sound like you just filed the air cleaner up with ether.

 

I think ya'll mean 1693 Clatterpillar

 

The first thing is that you have to check with the manufacturer for what year and model engine Etc that you have to see if you are permitted to use ether.

For example I have an older backhoe that ether can be used to start it. I have a newer backhoe that case says absolutely under no circumstances to use ether on that engine.

Myself, I don't like the use of ether. I especially don't like it when it is very very very cold out. Always always in my opinion, plug your truck in rather than shoot ether.

When it is very cold out you really want to put the least amount of wear on your engine and on your batteries by having your truck or piece of Machinery plugged in.

On an ice cold engine in 0 degree weather to shoot it with ether is a dangerous proposition because if you shoot too much you can damage the engine. You can damage your engine with ether in any weather, but the cold weather is even worse.

I had someone that gave me an engine actually he gave me the whole truck, because his guys went out to start it on a cold morning and they shot it with ether and broke the crankshaft. Things like that do happen. And it can cause other types of engine damage also.

It isn't that you can't use it unless the manufacturer says so, but I would use as little as possible, let's put it that way.

It is always always better to plug in.

 

I never have cold engine starting problems regardless of the temperature I have a Webasto engine coolant heater heater

 

I used starting fluid on a 6.5 L Diesel and I’m not certain if the timing was off or the engine had seized up but the brand new starter fell off. One of the mounting bolts snapped or maybe both I need to inspect it closer after the snow melts. The starter is a heavy duty with lot’s of torque. Could this be caused by the engine sizing or something else?

 

Couple of things...

I don't know anything about that particular engine. But always check with the manufacturer to see if it's okay to use starting fluid. Never ever ever use starting fluid on an engine that has glow plugs. The tips of the glow plugs can break off and go down into your engine.

As far as your problem goes, if it were me I would make sure that starter is completely off and get a bar at the crankshaft or however it is you need to do it and turn that engine over by hand. You need to see if that engine will turn over if it's seized or if you have a hard spot that you can't move. You also need to check that ring gear to see if any teeth are broken off of it or badly damaged.

You said that it's a brand new starter. Are you sure that starter has the right number of teeth for that ring gear?

You also mentioned timing. Did you replace a timing chain or something that you're concerned about timing? An engine that's too far advanced won't want to turn over.

I don't know that you did this, but putting ether to an engine that's too far Advanced is like putting Dynamite in gasoline. If that happened and it broke the starter you're lucky that's all it is. In that scenario if that engine fired it might blow up. Too much ether in an engine properly timed will lock the engine up until the ether dissipates.

 

That was a common issue on those engines. Probably completely unrelated to using ether. They also like to eat glow plugs, and they won't start without them when they're cold, because they're indirect injection. When you replace them, get the slow 12v ones, and wire the controller to a push button. You can cycle them for almost a full minute if you want. The factory 6v glow plugs are only good for about ten seconds. Have fun getting them out. The tips like to swell and get stuck in the head.

If you insist on keeping that thing, check out sixfiveturbodiesel.com

 

Older trucks have a spin on can and a switch right on the dash to give them a hit, I don’t know about all the new computer stuff though

 

Had an old Cummins with a compession release , seemed to work