Starting fluid Pro’s/Con’s

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,743]

So I always hear that starter fluid is bad for our engines. 

Two questions:

 1/ Why is it bad to use?

 2/ What is a good alternative?

[rjg854 11,710]

Not sure how to say it, overkill, to powerful,  very explosive. 

 

Try carb cleaner as an alternative 

[lynnmor 7,479]

26 minutes ago, Sparky said:

So I always hear that starter fluid is bad for our engines. 

Two questions:

 1/ Why is it bad to use?

 2/ What is a good alternative?

1/ It can detonate and cause engine damage, think of it as one giant engine knock.

2/ A good alternative is to fix the problem.

[gsummers 236]

I have heard that it washes the oil off of piston and rings, not good. I always use carb cleaner when needed, has a little more lubricants in it.

[ebinmaine 69,710]

Just now, lynnmor said:

good alternative is to fix the problem

NAILED IT

 

I have NO starting fluid.

 

I have had NO starting fluid in at least 20 years.

 

If I have an engine that needs it .... It doesn't need it. It needs repair.

 

No excuses.

 

And it gets flippin COLD up here so we have some nasty temperamental engines sometimes.

If it don't start with its own fuel system the fuel system gets fixed.

 

[skrusins 128]

Starting fluid is to explosive. I use WD40 on all 2 and 4 cycle engines

[The Tuul Crib 7,338]

 I've always used a little gas in a spray bottle. A couple of sprays down the throat of the carburetor with this is a lot better than using starter fluid or carburetor cleaner .

[Pullstart 63,529]

42 minutes ago, skrusins said:

Starting fluid is to explosive. I use WD40 on all 2 and 4 cycle engines

 

WD40 will start an engine?

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,743]

21 minutes ago, pullstart said:

 

WD40 will start an engine?

I’ve never heard that either. Interested to hear if anyone else has used it and was successful.

  Learning stuff today 

[tom2p 2,394]

48 minutes ago, pullstart said:

 

WD40 will start an engine?

WD40 will solve world hunger ...   ... poverty 

 

WD40 and duct tape 

Edited November 20, 2019 by tom2p

[tom2p 2,394]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

NAILED IT

 

I have NO starting fluid.

 

I have had NO starting fluid in at least 20 years.

 

If I have an engine that needs it .... It doesn't need it. It needs repair.

 

No excuses.

 

And it gets flippin COLD up here so we have some nasty temperamental engines sometimes.

If it don't start with its own fuel system the fuel system gets fixed.

 

recently stopped at my parents and checked out the garage 

 

see a couple cans of starting fluid 

 

and a couple cans of radiator stop leak

 

( cringe )

[Mike'sHorseBarn 3,055]

I know taryl on his youtube channel will tell you that a little starter fluid or carb cleaner to get an engine going will never hurt it. As long as you don't run them for long periods of time on that kind of stuff you'll be fine. I've used carb cleaner a lot to get an engine that has been sitting a long time kick started. My trailer queens do a lot of sitting around and the need sticks to the seat as a result. If tapping the bowl doesn't free it then spray a little carb cleaner in the throat of the carb and the vibration of the engine running will free it up. Y'all do what you want but I don't worry about doing it, but I do know I sure as heck will be trying WD-40 now! 

[tom2p 2,394]

59 minutes ago, Sparky said:

I’ve never heard that either. Interested to hear if anyone else has used it and was successful.

  Learning stuff today 

WD40 also kills weeds 

 

I'm so old I can remember when WD-40 didn't exist 

 

or when LPS 3 (or whatever) was almost as popular as WD-40  (LPS 3 much better for many applications)

 

Lubriplate the real deal - but distribution limited  ... fortunate if you could find it at the local parts store 

[troutbum70 857]

I have found the best use for starting fluid is when trying set the bead on tires with stiff sidewalls and you don't have a ratchet strap or similar handy. My kohler kt17 if it sits for a long period of time can be a bear to start and it will not fire on wd40, have to give it a little carb cleaner to get fire in the hole. 

[wallfish 17,193]

Surprising! If you "Just fix it" guys want to tear down a $10 old briggs vertical shaft lawnmower engine to fix it before knowing if it even has spark, have at it. I'll just spray my crap in and give it pull to see if it runs and know instantly.

Shooting a quick shot can most likely indicate if the problem with an engine that's not firing is fuel or spark related, as if it fires up, it's a fuel problem because it has spark. Saves time. It's also helpful for old pull start engines that sit for long periods and have a little trouble starting back up. Some use the vacuum of the carb to pull up the fuel and just need a little bump sometimes or you can yank that thing for 10 minutes until it goes. I'll give it quick shot instead of pulling and be on my way.  

I typically use carb cleaner since there always a can around. Modern starting fluid is no where near as explosive as the old ether was. You can barely set the bead with half a can now. Before it was a couple of quick sprays and stand back

Edited November 20, 2019 by wallfish

[tractor guy 3]

 

Starting fluid is a volatile, flammable liquid which is used to aid the starting of internal combustion engines, especially during cold weather or in engines that are difficult to start using conventional starting procedures. It is typically available in an aerosol spray can, and may sometimes be used for starting direct injected diesel engines or lean burn spark engines running on alcohol fuel. Some modern starting fluid products contain mostly volatile hydrocarbons such as heptane, (the main component of natural gasoline) with a small portion of diethyl ether, and carbon dioxide (as a propellant). Some formulations contain butane or propane as both propellant and starting fuel. Historically, Diethyl ether, with a small amount of oil, a trace amount of a stabilizer and a hydrocarbon propellant has been used to help start internal combustion engines because of its low 160 °C (320 °F) autoignition temperature.

Use any flammable liquids very carefully or you can get hurt....if you spray to much, it ignites will be a big fire ball....

if you know the problem, fix the problem or get some one with skills to fix it...

 

 

 

[roadapples 6,983]

For years been using lighter fluid. Ronson or Zippo....

[Stepney 2,335]

I very well recall a tale an old timer told me a long time ago. 
A large hit and miss engine was being started on ether. Blew the head and cylinder to bits.

As a kid I holed a piston on a small Kohler in a generic riding mower. Didn't take much..

I concur. I haven't had ether around in years. I do keep a little pump oilcan full of mixed oil/gas for the occasional stubborn engine that may have been sitting. They weren't stubborn and fickle when they were new. No reason for them to be now. 

As for the 'free curbside mower in unknown condition'. Thats what the oil/gas mix in a can is for. A little oil for dry rings and still plenty enough kick to see the engine fire. 

Maybe I'll add some little brass priming cups to the heads of my Kohlers .. yknow, like my one lunger engines have

[Tractorhead 9,065]

I agree with some, if an Engine needs a starter fluid, fix it.

independently of the Age, an engine must be able to start with it‘s own Fuelsystem,

if it doesn‘t something in the envoirement must be wrong.

 

that can start from wrong engine oil, come over worse ignition and last but not least wron Fuelsystem.

 

i dove several older Engines over the time,

but never need stuff like that, even on very old Diesels.

the only alternatives i accept at very cold day‘s was a preheat of starting air on very cold day‘s..

 

depending on your possibilities, i would use an old hairdryer or a small torchburner

to preheat the Air arround purifier while try starting.

If oil is too cold and crankspeed cannot reached (mainly on older diesels) 

starter fluid will be the quick engine killer.

change oil to a other viscosity and the engine must start from itself.

max. A warm breze to airintake to help starting.

 

best will be on Watercooled Engines a water preheater.

no cold start and immediately a warm car. 😎

 

[JoeM 7,886]

I use WD40, but you have to buy the one that is flammable.

I am with EB though, when they are right I never had any cold start issues. 

The only time I use anything to start is for troubleshooting.

[Mikey the Monkey 697]

i use it occasionally if i have a new tractor to see if it has spark/fuel. i used it this past weekend on a snowmobile. before i use it i always have to tell myself im ok with the possible outcome of using this...it might make me lazy or careless i dont know, after all its a lawn mower not the space shuttle...easier than pulling my shoulder out of socket on an old snowmobile

[Pullstart 63,529]

The other day I pulled my C-160 out, popped in a battery and it rolled over.  I shot a spray of the juice in and touched it off.  It was a great quick way to tell if I needed real tools like a meter or points file.  Lazy?  Yep.  Quickest alternative to see if it’s worth digging in to?  Yep.

[953 nut 56,742]

I have used starting fluid on occasion to encourage a dormant engine to cooperate and have never had a problem with it. As with most other things in life,   moderation is the key to success. If you drench the cylinder with starting fluid you are going to have a problem.

9 hours ago, tom2p said:

WD40 will solve world hunger ...   ... poverty 

  

WD40 and duct tape

                  BALING WIRE, you left out baling wire!    There are some jobs that need more than WD40 and duct tape!

 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,591]

Use it sparingly and rarely, but it serves a purpose...

 

Saves time and gets to issue of “will it start” quickly so I can then determine where to go from there...

 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

i use starting fluid as bee spray if that helps?

I have a bunch of cans of it that was in both grandparents sheds, they both used it.  I grabbed it all for the bees, personally I use carb and choke cleaner.