Starting fluid???

[justinlogue5_0]

I know either is like crack to a diesel so I got to wondering what is the best stuff to use IF you have to use it? I have heard WD-40 (didn't work for me) and I have seen people take a rag soaked in gas and place it over the air intake. I guess anything you use you should still wait to make sure the glow plugs go out first?

[NoRalPh]

It's not crack for the engine as much as it can CRACK your engine

It IS all about the Glow Plugs + Either.

I think it has as much the aerosols propellant (propane) as it is what you're actually spraying in there with it. Maybe propane alone? BUT you have to have a way to regulate the gas flow or the engine could "run-away" with you. You'd need somebody to be able to turn the flow off if needed.

Gas Fumes work but can be kind of dangerous...

How about Brake Clean? Have you tried that?

[justinlogue5_0]

No I haven't heard that one? But thats why I started this thread to see what all is out there and what has worked for people. Brake cleen not an airesol?

[dieselcrawler]

I wouldn't touch my PSD with ether, brake clean, gas, any of it... can you risk a $3-5K dollar motor on THAT? Plug it in, when the block heater has the motor warm, it will start up. My red truck has a new glow plug relay (stancor) sitting in the center console... doesn't do much good there, but starts fine when plugged in, and it's been down to zero degrees at night lately. 3-4 hours plugged in, and it should fire up. If it's at operating temp when you shut it down, you should get 3-4 hours of sitting in the cold before it wouldnt' start again without plugging it in...

This can be a real pain when you have to park in some lot at work, or the mall, with no place to plug in, and no chance to run out to the truck and start it every few hours, just to make sure it will start when you get to leave... but it's a lot of motovation to fix the glow plugs!!!

[justinlogue5_0]

Well lets say its not to get it to start on a cold morning/day. what if you are working on the truck and the last resort to see if its fuel/fire etc... you HAVE to give it a shot of some thing. What would be the best and safest?

[dieselcrawler]

I must admit... yes, I have used ether... on gassers. And on my old chevy 6.2L's, but only with fully manual control of the glow plugs. On the K-5 Blazer I used to run, in a pinch I would use ether, when I knew the glow plugs had not been turned on for a long time, and I HAD to get the truck running, and only because I have 3 spare motors in the building... I didn't care about the motor. It was a woods/play truck, and never saw highway use, let alone daily use.

The issue with ether is if the glow plugs are at all warm, they can cause the ether to ignite instantly, and it will blow back thru the intake system. Not where you want uncontroled fire. Stuff comes apart. Quickly.

[cstem@comcast.net]

when you use either,brake clean, or any thing like it you are taking a huge chance on blowing your engine. I have personaly seen it happen, a little to much and the engine blows putting the rods thru the block,blowing the heads off, etc.. As said before , make sure your glow plugs are working and plug it in. It only needs about 3-4 hrs. to bring it up to 80-90 deg..

[justinlogue5_0]

I feel like every one is missing my point. Lets say its a 90 degree summer day, you are pulling your hair out trying to figure your truck problem out and the only option left is to spray it with some thing and see if it hits. You have disconnected your glow plug system to make sure there is NO misfires (like a nitrous pop,very bad!) and you spray it. What would you use and why? Some one has already said brake cleen,why that and not ether?

[justinlogue5_0]

Originally Posted by cstem@comcast.net

when you use either,brake clean, or any thing like it you are taking a huge chance on blowing your engine. I have personaly seen it happen, a little to much and the engine blows putting the rods thru the block,blowing the heads off, etc.. As said before , make sure your glow plugs are working and plug it in. It only needs about 3-4 hrs. to bring it up to 80-90 deg..

Yep, I saw that happen to a farm tractor one time. Parts went every where.

[NoRalPh]

There is a tremendous amount of "power" in either that's Not there in WD-40, BrakeClean (aerosol), or propane. They just don't have the energy to do the damage that either does. That's why the warnings on either (WITH a working GP system)

BUT what you're talking about here is for Cold Start - right? Where as a shot of "spray", for me, it about confirming a de-fuled engine more than anything else.

I have to agree with the others, there's really no reason to resort to an starting aid when the truck should be able to start without it when everything is working properly.....