Starting Fluid

[heatherm]

Help! Could someone please tell me the Thai translation for starting fluid? If you can write it in Thai that is even better. Much thanks!!

[transam]

Whats ''Starting Fluid'' ?

[Tywais]

Whats ''Starting Fluid'' ?

Never lived in a cold climate, that's where I was familiar with it? Also, when I would rebuild a carburetor or engine, helps to jump start the fuel system.

Starting fluid is sprayed into the engine intake near the air filter or into a spark plug hole of an engine to get added fuel to the combustion cylinder quickly. Using starting fluid to get the engine running faster avoids wear to starters and fatigue to your arm with pull start engines, especially on rarely used machines. Other uses include cold weather starting, vehicles that run out of fuel, and sometimes with flooded engines. Mechanics, especially amateur mechanics that lack diagnostic tools, sometimes use it to diagnose starting problems. If sprayed into the air intake on a car, it can be used to determine whether the spark and ignition system of the car is functioning and the fuel delivery system is not, since the engine will run until the starting fluid vapors in the intake system are exhausted. It is used more often with carbureted engines than with fuel injection systems. It is not recommended for starting some diesel engines that have preheat systems in the intake or glow-plugs installed as this may lead to damage to the engine.

Source - Wiki

[transam]

Whats ''Starting Fluid'' ?

Never lived in a cold climate, that's where I was familiar with it? Also, when I would rebuild a carburetor or engine, helps to jump start the fuel system.

Starting fluid is sprayed into the engine intake near the air filter or into a spark plug hole of an engine to get added fuel to the combustion cylinder quickly. Using starting fluid to get the engine running faster avoids wear to starters and fatigue to your arm with pull start engines, especially on rarely used machines. Other uses include cold weather starting, vehicles that run out of fuel, and sometimes with flooded engines. Mechanics, especially amateur mechanics that lack diagnostic tools, sometimes use it to diagnose starting problems. If sprayed into the air intake on a car, it can be used to determine whether the spark and ignition system of the car is functioning and the fuel delivery system is not, since the engine will run until the starting fluid vapors in the intake system are exhausted. It is used more often with carbureted engines than with fuel injection systems. It is not recommended for starting some diesel engines that have preheat systems in the intake or glow-plugs installed as this may lead to damage to the engine.

Source - Wiki

Thought we were in LOS. Phew.

[mogandave]

Got any brake-kleen?

[heatherm]

Guess they don't have it here. The guys brought me engine cleaner. Starting fluid sometimes is also called ether. It comes in an aerosol spray can. When your engine has a hard time starting you can spray it in the place your air filter goes to help start your engine. It's not good for your engine because it doesn't lubricate like a running engine should. It is VERY bad for diesel engines with working glow plugs. The glow plugs can pre-ignite the ether and blow up your engine. As bad as it is, if you have an old crappy truck it is better to squirt a bit in the engine rather than run the starter for 5 minutes. If you don't have starter fluid you can also use WD-40. We chose the gasoline soaked rag stuffed in the air intake hole. So much messier.

[transam]

Yeh, it's a Gas. Sorry didn't know what you referring to via the fluid thing.

[Pomthai]

Don't know where to get it here but the product is called "Ether".

Also - Try not to use it, it's terrible stuff for the engine, its highly volatile which is why it works so well. However you may have heard of engines getting addicted to it. That happens because the explosion takes place early (extremely advanced timing as it were) when the piston is still lower than normal and on the upward compression stroke. Combustion is so violent when compared with normal petrol / diesel fuel and timing that the resultant explosion can force the piston down with such force or even back down rocking the engine backwards, that the connecting rods can be bent ever so slightly each time it happens. Over time the con-rod gradually shortens, the piston no longer reaches as high up in the cylinder bore as before reducing the compression - this in turn adds to poor performance and poor starting issues - hence the addiction. - Source "My little head"

[overherebc]

Guess they don't have it here. The guys brought me engine cleaner. Starting fluid sometimes is also called ether. It comes in an aerosol spray can. When your engine has a hard time starting you can spray it in the place your air filter goes to help start your engine. It's not good for your engine because it doesn't lubricate like a running engine should. It is VERY bad for diesel engines with working glow plugs. The glow plugs can pre-ignite the ether and blow up your engine. As bad as it is, if you have an old crappy truck it is better to squirt a bit in the engine rather than run the starter for 5 minutes. If you don't have starter fluid you can also use WD-40. We chose the gasoline soaked rag stuffed in the air intake hole. So much messier.

I've used Ronsol lighter fuel as a substitute. Doesn't evaporate as quickly but seems to do the job.

On gasoline engines,not diesel.

Edited August 21, 2012 by overherebc

[heatherm]

Yeah, I really don't like to use it. Our ancient Isuzu diesel pick-up is dead in the water and parked in such a way that push starting it or towing it is impossible unless we had a bunch of people. It turns over well and wants to start, but just can't. We were actually taking it over to get the plugs replaced because it has been having problems lately. It's so close to starting that a tiny squirt would push it over the edge I think. The locals came to stare at it with us. My boyfriend knows nothing about engines and Thais find it hard to grasp that a 39 year old fat white lady has any idea what to do. The head guy thought I was crazy to use gasoline fumes. He's the same one that pumped the primer thingy until fuel was coming out of it and when that didn't work he lit his lighter and stuck it in there. I know diesel doesn't burn the same a gasoline, but it didn't look like a good idea to me! I was taught by my father never to put open flames in an oil and fuel soaked engine. On the other hand, the lighter thing worked and I didn't need to get my hands covered in gasoline.

[transam]

Don't know where to get it here but the product is called "Ether".

Also - Try not to use it, it's terrible stuff for the engine, its highly volatile which is why it works so well. However you may have heard of engines getting addicted to it. That happens because the explosion takes place early (extremely advanced timing as it were) when the piston is still lower than normal and on the upward compression stroke. Combustion is so violent when compared with normal petrol / diesel fuel and timing that the resultant explosion can force the piston down with such force or even back down rocking the engine backwards, that the connecting rods can be bent ever so slightly each time it happens. Over time the con-rod gradually shortens, the piston no longer reaches as high up in the cylinder bore as before reducing the compression - this in turn adds to poor performance and poor starting issues - hence the addiction. - Source "My little head"

I question your theory a little as diesels are built to withstand much more force than petrol engines, via 17/18-i compression ratio, and off idle the turbo increases forces a lot. Using gas to start a diesel is OK, used it decades ago on primitive diesels.

[Lickey]

OP, years ago i had a Ford Escort 1.8 diesel, i bought it with about 160,000 miles on it, the fella who sold it said he had renewed the injectors,heater plugs,starter and battery, and it still wouldnt start without either, me being in the motor trade for many years knew how to start it, so hoping your heater plugs and injectors are working ok, pre-heat it, wind it over a turn or 2, pre-heat it again, and it should/might start, it always worked on the escort..

[yankee99]

here are two substitutes that are used in the usa........use at your own risk!!! wd40 easy to find here.....you can also use brake cleaner.

[bigdavenangrong]

Sold in the UK with the name EASY START. Ok to start engine don't use reguler

[Crossy]

Learned from my dad (a bus driver).

To start a reluctant diesel. Air cleaner off, rag soaked in diesel (NOT petrol / gasoline) near the intake, light the rag, operate the starter. Works every time

Some Ford diesels had a coil inside the manifold, coil glowed red when cranking and a small injector sprayed diesel on it, same effect but less messy.

[transam]

Learned from my dad (a bus driver).

To start a reluctant diesel. Air cleaner off, rag soaked in diesel (NOT petrol / gasoline) near the intake, light the rag, operate the starter. Works every time

But now you have to pay for a fire brigade call out.

[yankee99]

I know starter fluid is dangerous but setting a rag soaked in diesel on fire and sticking it in your engine.seem more dangerous,

[Crossy]

We're not talking Molotov Cocktails here, small rag not a sheet

We had one particularly stubborn vehicle that needed this treatment every winter morning, never set anything on fire, when it fired drop the rag and stamp on it.

[Semper]

It's not available in Thailand. But you can try to find ether and you'll have the same result (if you want to start a stubborn engine).

[VocalNeal]

Well Heather,

Is it running yet?

[Semper]

here are two substitutes that are used in the usa........use at your own risk!!! wd40 easy to find here.....you can also use brake cleaner.

Hair spray, spray deodorant ?

[lional6]

AEROSTART is the brand name in Australia

[Semper]

In the long run, I would recommend a engine tune-up.