Hello out their how is everyone out their I just got a question I need answered my wife's father is visiting us and we went to the store in the 86 pace car and on the way home he told me NEVER use starting fluid on a corvette cause it will ruin your engine to the point it's trash so is their ANY truth to this I would think not being starting fluid but honestly I don't know so could I get some input from someone who knows thanks

 

It is not good for it but have used a squirt for testing.

 

Yeah right a squirt shouldn't do anything that's what I think but he was telling me this horror story about this guy who did 1 three second spray on his 76 c3 and it trashed his heads and oil system (I'm not a tech) but every part of me says no way but I do know eather will eat gaskets so is he just pulling my leg

 

To me, using starting fluid is like using gasoline to start a fire. If used carefully it can get the job done. If not done correctly you can do a lot of damage. How much ends up in the cylinder when compression and ignition is attempted is what determines whether potential damage will occur or not. I've seen an engine with damaged rings after starting fluid was used to get it running. Did the starting fluid cause the damage, it's possible but not worth the risk. IMO if you do a second or so of starting fluid, may be ok but if you shoot a lot then you're risking damage.

My thoughts.

 

I've herd rumors of starter fluid being too lean and doing bad stuff.

 

This is a interesting subject to me I never knew or thought STARTING FLUID could be so dangerous when I got to work this morning I asked our shop forman about it and without even looking at me he replied

Starting fluid will trash your tune port injection vette and get it ADDICTED to it

Wow a machine addicted to a chemical 😲 he said because it is so flammable it will remove ALL the lubrication from the engine and destroy cylinders and rods ( idk i'm not a tech)

And if needed to use WD-40 instead he said STARTER FLUID is for old tractors and for COLD starts in cold climates and we live in Bakersfield ca so NEVER use it

Like I said I'm NO tech but I'm learning little by little and honestly I thought my father in law was telling a story but wow

Thanks for your guys input I learned SOMETHING this weekend thanks

 

Starting fluid is great for a diesel motors without glow plugs or as a cleaner.

 

Yeah that's what our shop Forman said it was made for old diesel tractors WITHOUT glowplugs and some old Mercedes trucks in Europe

The part that blows my mind is your car can get addicted to it 😄
A car with an addiction 😄
A short one from what I hear
Wonder what that support group be like

 

I do hope this is sarcasm. Starting fluid in a gasoline engine is bad enough, in a diesel your beyond stupid at that point.

I cringe and hope the engine blows every time I see someone use it on a diesel.

Wait you said NO glow plugs...ok maybe I can see that but anything with....

 

A lot of Old heavy equipment had no glow plugs and would only start in cold weather with a shot Some even had it plumbed in from the factory for winter starting.

 

^ Yeah, I was thinking of newer post 96 diesel trucks and so forth. I see guys using it on newer stuff all the time. I once saw a 7.3 Powerstroke melt the entire intake system and part of the wiring harness using starting fluid from a backfire. Cost the guy about $6000. Expensive mistake.

 

It is an intresting subject one I personally never thought of when I heard my father in law tell his story I was thinking
Yeah right
But latter on that night I looked up useing STARTER FLUID on a corvette and found nothing strange? No one has EVER done it
And let it be known I'M NO TECH but it got my curiosity aroused
But fortunately I know an old salty dog that used to be a navy submarine mechanic in the cold war years
Our shop Forman and WOW that is an expensive can of stupid
I feel sorry for those vettes that died a horrible death that is an ordeal to fix that mess

 

Starting fluid + Glow plugs = Big no-no. Same goes for starting fluid + Grid heaters. That = big intake explosion.

Our older snow cats at the resort (mid '90's - mid 2000'), had Cummins 8.3L engines no grid heaters, no glow plugs. They'd fire right off in ANY temp, plugged in, and they'd start not plugged in, OK down to about 20*F. Below that temp, it required way too much cranking and you'd be better off to used the factory installed cold start aid; Ether start. The system consisted of an ether bottle (looking like a propane torch cylinder), plumbing to the intake, a momentary solenoid and a momentary button on the dash. The dash swtich was only powered during cranking, and the solenoid metered a very small, single shot into the intake. That was all it needed. Start cranking, hit the button, and boom...they'd fire right off every time.


What kills me is people unloading 1/2 a can into the air filter housing of a diesel, trying to get it started. WTF? They get the intake so loaded up w/such a rich mixture, the thing won't start! All it'll do is "knock" and kick, stopping the starter each compression stroke, like a gas engine trying to start w/over advance ignition timing. Which is essentially what is going on w/the diesel drowned in ether.

Carefully metered ether use is OK in a diesel w/o heated cold start aids.

Ether use on a gas engine, IMO means that you should put the ether can away and be a better mechanic.

 

I know it's like cigarettes for cars
Your looking for instant action WITHOUT thinking of the long term affects and it is just cheap enough to hand you a MASSIVE repair bill
Their should be a PSA about it do any of you remember those from the 80's

This is your car 🚗 this is your car on starting fluid 🔥 any questions

 

I would never use starting fluid on any road vehicle, not to get the engine started anyway. Starting fluid has other uses such as testing for vacuum leaks, etc. Mowers and tillers and other small engines, fine to use starting fluid, but only if they really need it. Basically, if it won't start with fuel alone, there's another issue that needs attention. And remember there's only 3 requirements for an engine to run: fuel, spark, and compression. I haven't used starting fluid for over 30 years.

 

another myth...I use starting fluid all the time and many different engines. it is simply an easily ignited gas with some oil added (look it up). it does not wash down the cylinders and destroy an engine. it does not make diesels explode. it will get you high if you sniff it, so I don't recommend that. it is no different than running an engine on propane...

 

I hope the addiction comment was in jest. Total and complete bullshet.

 

I'm not sure who said that, exactly, but it most certainly will create a major intake explosion on a diesel w/a grid heater. Are you claiming that it won't?

 

no, just claiming that my duramax did not explode, nor did my JD backhoe, or any of my diesel tractors...

 

Moderation in all things lol

I don't own any starting fluid and just use a propane torch. Don't start it just let the gas go in the intake it works well.