thoughts on ether?

[Kubota Newbie]

BX 1860 has it right - Has nothing to do with the engine having glow plugs, has been used on Case, Deere & IH engines with glow plug systems for decades (even factory equipment in some cases) without problem. It is however a big problem in engines with pre-combustion chambers in part because of the "location" of the glow plug in those systems.
That being said my old M4500 starts fine at -20 in an unheated shed with a little extra glow plug time (maybe 50 seconds or a little more).

 

[Tx Jim]

BX 1860 has it right - Has nothing to do with the engine having glow plugs, has been used on Case, Deere & IH engines with glow plug systems for decades (even factory equipment in some cases) without problem..

Could you please list the models of Case, Deere & IH engines that have glow plugs that also have the factory option of ether starting aid? I think if you'll perform some research you'll find not many model """true JD engines""" have glow plugs.

 

[GeoHorn]

Not promoting ether/starting fluid in diesels but.... whether or not the unit has glow plugs isn't the problem..... it's the USE of glow plugs which are hazardous. If the glow plugs are never activated then the use of starting ether/fluid is less hazardous (but still a questionable practice due to the high compression ratios of diesels.)

 

[Fido Farms]

Moderation is the key to ether use. If the glow plugs may turn on put the ether in ur pocket and don***8217;t cheap out on a block heater or some other kind of supplementary heat. Or use ether and don***8217;t whine here if sh it happens. And it will. Happy tractoring

 

[motorhead]

No one asked you what type or weight of oil you are using. Full synthetic will make the engine crank faster at low temps. I would recommend, if you aren't already using it, a 0-40 or 5-40 full synthetic. Keep your battery on a battery MAINTAINER. Put the trans in neutral and push in the clutch if your model has a manual clutch. Depending your glow plug system, if it is an automatic cycling, cycle it twice. If it is where you hold the key, hold it a little extra time but not longer than 30-40 seconds.
Block heater is really the way to go if you know when you are going to use the tractor. Both of my Cummins powered Dodge pickups had them. I would put the block heater on a heavy duty timer to come on about 3 hours before I needed to start it for work.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting thread. Lots of opinions and not much factual information.

 

[Fido Farms]

So much for what u know I guess

 

[NoJacketRequired]

So much for what u know I guess

Fido - if your MF35 is a diesel, you will likely have several cans of either kicking around as these old machines won't start without it in the cold. Just the briefest whiff of either at the "mushroom cap" air intake, then wait 10 seconds for to dissipate, then crank. My MF135 is supposed to have a glow plug in the intake - it's never worked. I've had to use ether on it a couple of times when it was imperative that the tractor be available for use before the normal block heater warm-up time.

It's hard on the equipment, but if you are in dire circumstances, using ether with these older tractors sometimes is your only way out of a tight jam.

I should mention that for me, a "tight jam" was an electrical power outage that happened on a cold winter day. Without electrical power I couldn't pre-heat the tractor. Without a brain (or so it would seem) I had arranged the garage so the generator was pinned between the back wall of the garage and the tractor. The only way to get the generator out and operational was to move the tractor. I hated to do it, but ether came to my rescue. Oh, yes, ether AND fully synthetic engine oil. Lesson learned - now the generator is closest to the door so, worst case, I can leave the garage door open and fire it up in the garage right where it sits. Ideally I'd move the tractor so the gen set can be placed outside, but if push came to shove, I could run it where it is, even if only to power the block heater for the tractor.

Ether is a last-ditch hail Mary for me.

 

[GeoHorn]

...- now the generator is closest to the door so, worst case, I can leave the garage door open and fire it up in the garage right where it sits. ....

Whooo-Hooo! Not to be snipe-ing...but I hope you know that even with an open door or window your generator can poison you pretty quickly if you run it indoors. I'd suggest you move it completely away from the garage, point the exhaust away...and think about the relative wind before you do any such things.

 

[Fido Farms]

Yup my 35 does have the intake glow plug and works great. But yup ether is a last ditch starting aid. It can work miracles or create disasters. Use at own risk. Happy tractoring

 

[Bulldog]

In those temps I'd suggest switching to Amsoil 5w30 heavy duty diesel oil. It stays fluid down to -53F.

If you want a quick fix find a dip stick heater. I remember using them on our combines in the winter when I was a kid. They would crank like it was summer time.

 

[D2Cat]

If someone is going to use a dip stick heater it needs to be powered on as soon as the engine is shut down. One I had was 90 watt and it might help maintain the oil temp, but it won't do much to raise in from cold.

 

[85Hokie]

If someone is going to use a dip stick heater it needs to be powered on as soon as the engine is shut down. One I had was 90 watt and it might help maintain the oil temp, but it won't do much to raise in from cold.

Using a dip stick heater is about the same as....

going outside naked......
coming in and placing your............wait for it......





FINGER in hot water!!!!

Might not heat you up better - but a warm cup of JOE (block heater) will warm you up better!

 

[SDT]

BX2200. Ok to use a little ether to start? -11 this a.m. and high of -11 next Wednesday apparently. Wasn't too eager to start this morning, so doubt will be eager after -20 low Tuesday night.

Ether is not a good idea.

Hold the glow plugs on for 2 or 3 minutes.

If that does not work, use a hair dryer in the air inlet.

SDT

 

[ItBmine]

I have never needed any help with the Kubota, but I use a product called Start Pilote for the heavy equipment. It is like ether but it has a lubricant in it so it won't lock anything up from a dry start.

 

[SDT]

Yup my 35 does have the intake glow plug and works great. But yup ether is a last ditch starting aid. It can work miracles or create disasters. Use at own risk. Happy tractoring

Actually, your MF 35 does not have an intake glow plug, but rather, a thermo start system, an entirely different animal.

FWIW, most thermo start systems haven't worked for decades.

SDT

 

[NoJacketRequired]

Whooo-Hooo! Not to be snipe-ing...but I hope you know that even with an open door or window your generator can poison you pretty quickly if you run it indoors. I'd suggest you move it completely away from the garage, point the exhaust away...and think about the relative wind before you do any such things.

The generator would be run indoors if and only if I can't move the tractor, and then for only long enough to preheat the tractor. What I didn't mention was that I would be using the generator to power a kerosene salamander-style 50,000BTu heater aimed under the tractor, thus minimizing the run time of the generator. I'm well aware of the dangers of CO poisoning so the overhead door, man door and windows would all have to be open.

 

[NoJacketRequired]

Actually, your MF 35 does not have an intake glow plug, but rather, a thermo start system, an entirely different animal.

FWIW, most thermo start systems haven't worked for decades.

SDT

SDT - please share your knowledge of how this thermo-start system works!

 

[Fido Farms]

Well FYI mine does work. Basically it***8217;s a glowplug with a fuel line in the intake. Turn the glow plug on and you can hear the fuel light in the intake. Then crank and start.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Could you please list the models of Case, Deere & IH engines that have glow plugs that also have the factory option of ether starting aid? I think if you'll perform some research you'll find not many model """true JD engines""" have glow plugs.

I'm busted! The older 706 & 656 IH's w/the D282 had both but you're right the remainder of the IH & Deere engines with factory ether kits didn't have glow plugs.