Ether Start Systems

Air Shut Offs

Posted February 11 2009 12:33 PM by jason.thompson
Filed under: Miscellaneous, Diesel Opinions

Yesterday at lunch we got to thinking about some interesting topics.

1. Air shut offs: Unlike gasoline engines where you can just kill the spark and the engine will stop running a diesel will keep going as long as it is getting fuel. Any fuel. That includes engine oil or anything that will combust. So as a safety net would you buy a product that would allow you to cut the air flow to the engine? Anyone out there make their own kit?

2. Ether start systems: Many of the biggest diesel manufactures offer or have offered an ether start system. Basically electronic solenoids deliver ether into the air intake. It does this once the engine has started cranking and a little more to get it going.

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Reader Comments:

1. Ether..ahhh perfect for las vegas

bkknoxville - Posted February 11 2009 05:38 PM

2. Roda Deaco Valve and Envacon both make positive air shutdown systems for diesel engines. Google them for more info.
Ether is not a good idea with grid heaters(think Dodge) as it can result in a really big explosion.

Partsdude - Posted February 12 2009 08:42 PM

3. Good point. Thanks for the information on the air shutdowns. I was doing some more research on ether and I heard it can become very unstable as it ages. It turns into peroxide which can explode just by looking at it. Still if I had a diesel generator in the Arctic I would count on the ether more than a cold battery. Little off topic.

jason.thompson - Posted February 13 2009 03:03 PM

4. Just a tip on the use of ether. DONT!!!! This stuff is the best friend to anyone who owns a REPAIR SHOP! I am a mechanic as well as own my own rig and ether is ok at BEST if used as a mix with WD-40. It does not combust so much as it explodes and can do a lot of damage in short order. Even better NEVER USE IT AT ALL! A straight dose of WD-40 will work as well as ether and has NO destructive capabilities And there is no such thing as using too much of it The same cannot be said for ether. I thought it was an old wives tale when I heard about it but I tried it and it works! Started an N-14 Cummins in minus 40 weather last time it froze up on me in Dryden Ontario in Feb. Truck sat in a howling wind for 36 hours when I finally got ready to start it and it fired right up. A friendly tip from a guy who learned

andytburg - Posted March 3 2009 06:07 PM

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