Hi Steve,
If ether shortened the life of a direct injection diesel engine to a high
degree,
I doubt very much that major diesel engine manufacturers would have a permanent
place to put "bombs" so they can be "bombed" to start in colder climates.
Usually at fail to start time, there's a whole lot of diesel fuel in the
chambers
and likely pretty oily in there.
It might be that the "bombs" don't contain ether, but surely it's something
pretty close to it!
Later, Paul A
Steve Dillen wrote:
> I've heard lots of horror stories (myths???) about the damage that ether
> does to engines. Is there any substance to the stories? The boat I used to
> crew on has (well, had, it finally wore out and died) an old Volvo 2 cyl
> diesel that didn't have any pre-heat mechanism. In the winter, it was
> nearly impossible to start without a shot of ether. Later in its life (20
> some odd years old), it had such poor compression that it wouldn't even
> start in the summer without a squirt. It ultimately died (worn rings, $$$$$
> to rebuild, and raw water cooled, so of unknown condition in the water
> passages) and is now being replaced.
>
> Nearly everyone I've ever talked to about that engine said that using ether
> caused premature wear (we're talking about a quick squirt -- not washing
> down the cylinder walls here) in the engine. I've never bought the story,
> but also didn't have any facts to the contrary. . .so basically have always
> kept my mouth shut.
>
> Steve Dillen
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