Yep, it's low compression that causes diesels to become 'crack babies'- dependant on ether to start. The old Detroit Diesel 71 series was known for it, and often had a factory device installed on the intake to put 'ether egg' capsules into.
I often wonder if the use of ether and that hi-revving cold start it produces was the cause of the broken rings and scored cylinders that brought on the low compression. Or was it the thousands of hours on the block, and it still kept on screaming along.

 

Either was known to break Detroit rings, especially on the later 92 series where the top ring was called a fire ring and was very close to the top of the piston. That is how they became dependant, they would lose compression until it took either to start them.

A hair dryer down the intake stack worked better with no damage. The only thing either is good for is mounting tubeless tires in the back yard or Old Old diesels.

 

For engines without glow plugs or grid heaters it's OK to use either, but you must use only enough to do the job, and only until the engine starts. It is surprising how little it takes.
When someone talks about "washing" the oil off the cylinder walls, don't worry. By the time that has happened you've used about 100 times too much and other damage is likely to be the issue. When too much is used, starting detonation becomes so violent that it drives the rings down and breaks the ring lands. Then the compression pressure leaks past the rings and it becomes almost required to use either.
I've seen guys just pour it in and the resulting sound is painful. Or worse yet, they'll pour more in after the engine has started to "help it warm up". This causes the engine to violently slow down and leads to broken crankshafts.
Just a slight bit of either on a rag wafted by the intake, while cranking, is all it takes.
Another way is to use a lit propane torch pointed into the intake. Or, in a pinch, use a lit piece of newspaper held over the intake. You can also pour fuel into the intake and light it on fire then crank it. Be creative if needed, but be careful with either. I haven't tried WD40 but I think it's the propane propellant that does the trick. Don't use acetylene! That led to one of the loudest bangs I've ever heard and a cover blown clear off the engine.

Wetspirit

 

I don't know about the 2nd or 3rd generation diesels but on my first gen. it secifically says not to use ether. i think its printed on the air filter.

 

Using a gas soaked rag is a good way to end up in a burn hospital. It happened to a friend of mine several years ago.

 

All engines with starting aids like glow plugs or Intake grids will have warnings to not use ether.

Ether can get down between and under the rings and destroy engines.

Particularily as cylinder wear progresses, things get sloppy, compression gets low and people use more and more ether to get them going and they self destruct.

Ether is far more volatile than the fuel the engine was designed to run on.

 

Takes about 3 cans to seat a big tractor tire.

 

The owners manual for the 2-valve 5.9 engined Ram's has a warning that would be prudent to notice...that the engine can "injest" airborn fumes and run-away. Using a Gas-soaked rag is an excellent way to injest gasoline fumes into your Cummins, causing a runaway engine situation.

Either is similarly dangerous, even with no heat grid or glow plugs, the engine CAN run away, even though this is rare.

My suggestion would be to invest in a good oil or coolant-based block heater and start plugging it in. Good luck-and be safe first of all. Your truck can be replaced, you cannot!

 

Actually I have always been a bit gunshy of using either for tires. I generally use gasoline. Light it, kick the tire, its mounted... I have done literally hundreds of them that way. Last summer tried that on a lawn tractor tire that would not seat, blew the tire up..

 

3 cans?????

That's nuts. I have never seen anyone use any where near that much ether on a tire.

Just take the can and spray a healthy dose around the inside of the tire, lay a trail down along the rim and a few feet across the ground. Drop a much on the trail and turn your back.

BANG! tire is seated.

A friend of mine used a crazy amount of ether on a combine tire one time.

BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The explosion was so viloent, the rim was inside the tire!!!!! Not good, have fun getting that out! That's a great way to die when the tire explodes! Shrapnel city.

 

LOL! yeah, that's the start of a "slow day" right there

 

Nocked him down on his butt to. Anyone within a fifty foot radius felt like they got kicked by a horse!

 

For what it's worth it's been a little warmer (30-35 in the morning) these last couple days and it is starting fine without the ether. I do not think poor compression causes the problem as I've heard of it before and within a matter of weeks the ether will cause it's addiction. I think perhpas the ether does some sort of coating or something. My compression also appears to be excellent, as good as ever for both starting and running...

 

I use starting fluid on my old vw diesel and it has glow plugs. The thing is hard to start when it is 20 degrees. I have had NO problems yet. I did not care as I wonted the engine to run and it has payed for it self many times over. I have 300k+on the engine. I have used starting fluid for years on it when its is cold. I dont baby the engine after it is warm. If the engine was fresh maby I would not use starting fluid, but the car is a work car and if it gets trashed I will pay cash for anougher one. You have to use a LITTLE common since, dont use much,
I cycle the glow plugs a couple of times an give it a little starting fluid. It starts ......
That is all I wont. I do pug in the car and it is on a timer to come on a couple of hours before I wont to start the car. At 18 to 20 degrees it is hard to start a 81 vw with 300k miles. As long as starting fluid works that is good enough for me. If the enging fails I will buy anougher one on EBAY. Jim

 

long time ago I worked at a tire shop... I was pumping up a loose wheel/tire. had it standing upright on a machine in front of me... IE, NOT locked into the machine laying flat. was just sitting there pumping it, and the sidewall let go, and that thing SLAMMED down... glad I didn't have any body parts in the way, or I probably would have had some broken bones!

Forrest