Why would a diesel need ether

I am just curious of Why would a diesel tractor need ether . For the first start of the day. I have a friend that says he hast to give it a little ether every morning to start the first time. Rest the day at fires upon its own perfectly.
 
low compression, due to a worn engine like rings and recessed valves, or its just too cold outside for the compression to build enough heat to fire the diesel. what tractor is this ? many tractors came with a starting fluid can from the factory for cold starts.
 
low compression, due to a worn engine like rings and recessed valves, or its just too cold outside for the compression to build enough heat to fire the diesel. what tractor is this ? many tractors came with a starting fluid can from the factory for cold starts.
It’s an older Massey Ferguson don’t know exact model number
 
If you have a Case, one of the experts insists if valves are ground and they are not reseated, it will lower compression enough to mess up how well it starts.
 
Diesel fuel ignites from 475 to 600 degrees F Differences in summer/winter and elevation drive the difference as supplied by oil companies.
That temperature is dependent on compression ratio (about 16:1 or higher usually) Ambient temperature, condition of engine, wear, and if the engine has had a valve job that sets the valves too deep in the head increasing the chamber volume and decreasing compression. Poor spray patterns from worn injectors or mediocre injection pressure from a worn pump are also causes of poor ignition.
Diesels have several starting aids, from engine and oil pan heaters, to air intake heater systems, and glow plugs that present a red hot coil of wire to the entering fuel. In antique Hot Bulb engines, an exterior flame was used on a thermal transfer device to raise a location high enough in temp. to fire the diesel fuel. IH made thousands of diesel engines with complex intake systems that allowed starting the engines on gasoline with much lower compression, and switching to diesel as it got warmed up. This also allowed hand crank starting the engine. Jim
 
If you have a Case, one of the experts insists if valves are ground and they are not reseated, it will lower compression enough to mess up how well it starts.
kenbob, with respect, let’s clarify the word “reseated”.. meaning if when the valves are ground or resurfaced the heads of the valves are not at a specified height in comparison to the head surface they need to have new “insert seats” installed to bring them to the proper specified height. Installing the replacement insert seats would be “reseated” in these terms.
 
I am going a different route on this. Maybe it's losing prime from the pump-fuel bleeding back to the tank. A faulty check valve. Cranking and running on ether for a moment allows the pump to reprime it self by spinning faster. Mark.
 
I am just curious of Why would a diesel tractor need ether . For the first start of the day. I have a friend that says he hast to give it a little ether every morning to start the first time. Rest the day at fires upon its own perfectly.
Timing can be off as well as the other already mentioned
 
Try: Dis-connecting the battery in the evening when you are finished using the tractor. In the morning, connect the battery and see if it starts. If it starts, you may have a parasitic drain that reduces the battery voltage for the morning start. Lower voltage results in lower cranking speed which the ether can compensate for allowing the engine to start. Along the same logic; the morning starting attempt may be at a lower temperature than the follow on day time temperatures. Again the lower temperature will reduce the cranking speed.
 
kenbob, with respect, let’s clarify the word “reseated”.. meaning if when the valves are ground or resurfaced the heads of the valves are not at a specified height in comparison to the head surface they need to have new “insert seats” installed to bring them to the proper specified height. Installing the replacement insert seats would be “reseated” in these terms.
YEs, I mean new seats to bring them to the proper hight, not a simple grind which would cause valve recession.
 
My Ford 5200 acts like this.

The engine isn’t exactly fresh.

It might be leaking down a little fuel from the injector pump over night.

It is less noticeable when the battery is fresh and the wiring is good, but that doesn’t eliminate the issue entirely. It’s a lot worse tho if the electrical is a bit weak, starter spins slower….

Obviously cold temps require either, but in the heat of summer this issue is still there.
 
I am just curious of Why would a diesel tractor need ether . For the first start of the day. I have a friend that says he hast to give it a little ether every morning to start the first time. Rest the day at fires upon its own perfectly.
low compression from broken rings . Because detonation from using ether has broken the rings .
 
He wants it to be hard on starters and rods so he can rebuild it . cheaper to do that than change out glow pugs I’m sure
What diesel is it care to share that with us. .
 
Why did they put ether injection systems , from the factory, on all sorts of vehicles if they break piston rings? They must know that not everyone is careful about the dose, whether out of ignorance or complacency.... why would they risk a warranty short block?
 
I can remember tractors that could be run in the morning, and if they were parked in the shade at dinner time, would need a squirt of either before you could go back to work for the afternoon. Low compression on a worn engine is the most common reason. And older engines that were built with low compression and indirect injection fuel system are notoriously cold blooded, and can need a pre heater or either to get them started
 

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