What is this?

[dittle]

I have the either setup on my truck and have used it 2x. Both times it worked as designed and I had no issues firing my truck up. Probably wasn't needed but I had unknown fuel in the truck and didn't know why it was having slow starts.

 

[drgreg]

How long does the ether can last and should I expect the can in my truck to be empty? I just picked my truck up from GL.

Take off the canister and shake it, if you feel liquid you should be ready to go.
I really like my ether system, I have used it several times and I am still on the same can that came with my truck. I think Stumps even got a spare can on Sprout, you don't see that too often.
The ether start is also temperature regulated, it will not work with a warm engine.

 

[monkster]

For as much as ether is a useful tool. On all my tractors I remove the ether can and plug the the line. This is a direct line of ambient air to the eng. should there be a hole can or a dried out "O" ring. Also ether is a last resort. Planing w/ block heaters on, and or a helper w/ the air cleaner off to squirt the ether into the eng has worked for me many years. Bare in mind when you here the pinging from the ether that hurts.

 

[Capt.Marion]

How about the original manifold flame heater? That works better than anything, as far as I'm concerned... but then again I live in GA.

 

[Keith_J]

Ether isn't a good thing for an engine with such a high compression ratio. The high compression is necessary for multifuel use. Yes, gasoline is harder to ignite. Aviation gasoline is very hard to ignite with compression ignition.

But ether? It is VERY easy to ignite, compression or otherwise. The ether starts precisely injected only enough to help, not enough to harm, if working properly.

 

[Varyag]

I have one of those on my truck. I was wondering if I should check it to see if it was full. Looks new.

I had no idea how it worked and didn't want to touch it till I read something about it. Thanks guys.

 

[stumps]

Take off the canister and shake it, if you feel liquid you should be ready to go.
I really like my ether system, I have used it several times and I am still on the same can that came with my truck. I think Stumps even got a spare can on Sprout, you don't see that too often.
The ether start is also temperature regulated, it will not work with a warm engine.

Yep! I ended up with an unopened full spare can, and an almost full can installed. I can envision that I will have to use it for some winter starts, as it gets pretty cold here in December through February. I will probably install a block heater, as that seems to do the trick for most of the winter on my other diesels.

The ether injection system is very nicely done. They tried hard to prevent accidental overcharges, and the damage that can cause.

Outside of a couple of rust spots on the understructure of the bed, Sprout is looking pretty good. I have been fixing little mechanical issues, like an open circuited heater motor, an oil filled speedometer, stuck transmission/differential vents... Very minor things. I just got my SF97, so I will have tags soon. Yee Haw!

-Chuck

 

[11Echo]

Don't forget the the right cold cranking amp batterys that are up to par. To many times cold starting problems are mistaken for lack of heating the block or fuel. That is very important but the correct cranking speed must be obtained to fire a diesel also. Make sure in cold weather the batterys are good to go and if the manifold heater is working properly you should have no problems. Block heaters are a great option but sometimes electricity is not available.

All good info from badgmc56!

My tipper came with the manifold heater and an electric water heater. Last winter I used neither as it started great everytime. Still, it's nice knowing they are there if I need it.

 

[dittle]

I have one of those on my truck. I was wondering if I should check it to see if it was full. Looks new.

I had no idea how it worked and didn't want to touch it till I read something about it. Thanks guys.

Basically the way it works is like this:

Until the temp gets below around 30 degrees (I believe this is the temp) the system is disabled automatically. Once the required temp is achieved when you hold the switch (with the engine turning over) on it will activate the canister to fill a "holding chamber" (or whatever you want to call it). Once this chamber is full (and it is a very small amount) no more either will be issued to the system. When you let off the switch (with the engine turning over) it will release the small amount of either from the holding chamber into the pistons for ignition. To get more either you have to repeat the cycle of the switch.

If the system is working properly you can't over use the either without blatently cycling the either switch (you can't prevent stupid).

 

[Scarecrow1]

I see a lot of high tech toy's to keep an engine warm and they work, don't get me wrong they are worth the cost when you think of the cold starting problems . But I still remember a show on surviving and living with the cold weather in Russia . A looked to be 70 or so year old gentleman had two 150 watt spot lights in a box lined with aluminum foil shaped to slide under the engine . He said it never failed to keep it warm enough to fire right up in the mornings . I still marvel at mans ability to over come the elements witch tend to overwhelm our lives .

 

[GoHot229]

Capt.Marion is right, in the coldest weather around here 20 degrees it will start easily enough with the manifold heater. Granted He's in the South along with myself, but I don't like either as I suspect He does not as well.

How about the original manifold flame heater? That works better than anything, as far as I'm concerned... but then again I live in GA.

 

[stumps]

I see a lot of high tech toy's to keep an engine warm and they work, don't get me wrong they are worth the cost when you think of the cold starting problems . But I still remember a show on surviving and living with the cold weather in Russia . A looked to be 70 or so year old gentleman had two 150 watt spot lights in a box lined with aluminum foil shaped to slide under the engine . He said it never failed to keep it warm enough to fire right up in the mornings . I still marvel at mans ability to over come the elements witch tend to overwhelm our lives .

When my dad was a boy in northern Wisconsin, his dad would light a smudge pot fire under the oil pan on 40 below mornings when he needed to start the truck. The battery came inside when you shut the truck down, and came back outside in the morning when you needed to start it. Those were the days of alcohol as an antifreeze... sort of, and single weight oils.... you ran SAE30 in the summer, and SAE 10W in the winter.

You can get by with these "field expedient" solutions, but the modern "high tech" ways are better most of the time.

-Chuck

 

[dittle]

I remember having to do that to one our farm tractors Stumps. Funny thing is this tractor had glow plugs on it and you had to use the glow plugs for 30 seconds no matter -30 or +90. Wouldn't start without using the plugs (could cheat and use its either system but we didn't) but as soon as you did it would fire up....stubborn darn thing.

 

[emr]

How long does the ether can last and should I expect the can in my truck to be empty? I just picked my truck up from GL.

I think they seem to last forever....a very long time for sure...

Also the manifold heater works very well in northern NJ on the 25 degree days...And i slap on 3 magnet block heaters on a three way cord and sometimes add the ready heater 150 thou btu's when im at the shop , to go romping thru the snow ...

Randy...