What's engine starter spray/should we get some?

[Amethyst]

Lawn tractor wouldn't start. Replaced battery, still wouldn't start. Husband called John Deere serviceman who came out, sprayed the engine with something from a can - darn thing started right up.

I wasn't there; this was related to me by husband.

What was the spray, and would it be a good thing to have on hand, or is it one of those things that mechanics use but lay people shouldn't mess with?

Thanks,

Amethyst

 

[Dimsumkid]

I'd bet it was a carb cleaner...

 

[rescueme]

Gumout® - Small Engine Carb & Choke Spray

 

[calmloki]

ether.

not at all good as a steady diet for internal combustion engines. A couple second squirt, then crank.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starting_fluid

 

[freebird5825]

Engine starting spray is a very highly flammable substance. Too much of a good thing in a small engine can cause nasty things like a warped piston head, valve damage, a cracked spark plug, and in the case of overuse (as in dripping down the engine) the occasional exterior explosion outside the combustion chamber.

My training as a small engine mechanic (thank you Sears! ) tells me to check these sytems in this order...
1. Ignition - clean and/or replace the spark plug, is the starter system supplying electricity to the plug, are the ground wires rust free, is the spark plug wire firmly on the spark plug head, is the battery fully charged.
2. Combustion - is the gas fresh, is it water free, is the gas cap plugged, is the air filter clean, is the choke lever in the right position, is the engine flooded after too many attempts to start it up,
3. Compression - see your mechanic, too involved to get into here
4. Power - ditto

 

[MissMolly]

Another interesting use for starter spray - one year a baby raccoon fell down the chimney into our fireplace. The mother came down after it. We tried calling the police, pest control, animal control - nobody would come to get the coons out of our fireplace. I finally got brave enough to pick up the baby and put it outside thinking the mother would follow after it. Nope. She stayed clinging to the inside of the chimney with just her tail hanging down. I tried pulling on her tail to pull her down. She growled at me. I tried coaxing her out with peanut butter. Didn't work. My husband said he had an idea. He went to the garage and got the starter spray and sprayed it on the mother. Starter spray contains ether. The mother got groggy and fell out of the chimney. I got a broom and "swept" her out the back door where she reunited with her baby and staggered/waddled off through the backyard.

 

[gromit]

Prestone makes a starter fluid. Like other posters mentioned, its ether based, and burns hotter than gas.

Prestone® Starting Fluid | Print View | Products | Prestone®

 

[Midpack]

Ether or an equivalent. Though you want to use it sparingly when you use it, and not as a steady diet. Whatever the engine problem is, it needs to be addressed, starter fluid is not a permanent solution. Best of luck...

 

[travelover]

The repairman didn't do you a favor, as he didn't really fix the problem. It sounds like you have a fuel problem - stale gas or a choke that is not working properly. It could also be a weak spark to the spark plug, or even low compression. Ether use is sort of a trick to overcome any of these problems.

I'd drain the fuel from the gas tank and add fresh gas. See if it will start. If not, shoot a little gasoline or ether into the air inlet. Once it starts run it for 10 minutes or so to allow any stale gas in the carburetor to be consumed.

If it will not restart once cold, you have other issues as noted above.

 

[ls99]

For the OP. It was statring fluid, AKA ether.

It also makes a good wasp spray. In olden days ether was used as anesthetic. It still works as such, not very pleasant. In this case using it on wasps, wood boring bees etc makes them go to sleep permanently.

If you find a 1/2" hole in woodwork , watch for the the bee to crawl in then spray into the hole. A few rattles later bee sleep good.

By the way you should get some. NAPA, wallys, kmart etc. My 50+ year old tractor does not like to start easy. I just spray a few shots onto the filter. Starts fine.

A lot is not good for the engine a liiitle is ok.

edit: Thanks Al, I needed that.

 

[TromboneAl]

For the OP. It was staring fluid...

If you use too much:

 

[73ss454]

I always have a can of ether around to use as a starting aid. I've heard that it shouldn't be used on a 2 stroke engine.

 

[haha]

ether.

not at all good as a steady diet for internal combustion engines. A couple second squirt, then crank.

Starting fluid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had an old tractor that was not easy to make go in the spring. Ether to the rescue!

Ha

 

[pb4uski]

As others have indicated, while the lawn tractor started, it isn't fixed.

For some reason it isn't getting fuel. I know that the ethanol in gas these days raise havoc with many engines. You likely need to have the carb cleaned.

You could try buying a can of carb cleaner (also a spray can) at your auto supply store and follow the directions. Typically, you would spray the carb cleaner into the throat and let it sit and disolve any gum in the carb, play the throttle and chock some and then start the engine.

Good luck.

 

[ERD50]

Engine starting spray is a very highly flammable substance. Too much of a good thing in a small engine can cause nasty things like a warped piston head, valve damage, a cracked spark plug, and in the case of overuse (as in dripping down the engine) the occasional exterior explosion outside the combustion chamber.

My training as a small engine mechanic (thank you Sears! ) tells me to check these sytems in this order...
1. Ignition - clean and/or replace the spark plug, is the starter system supplying electricity to the plug, are the ground wires rust free, is the spark plug wire firmly on the spark plug head, is the battery fully charged.
2. Combustion - is the gas fresh, is it water free, is the gas cap plugged, is the air filter clean, is the choke lever in the right position, is the engine flooded after too many attempts to start it up,
3. Compression - see your mechanic, too involved to get into here
4. Power - ditto

That has got to be one of the sexiest things I've ever heard a female say! Wow, you've got it right on!

To others who are saying the ether/starting fluid didn't fix anything - true, but sometimes just getting the engine started is enough to pull enough gas through to clear out the stale gas in the line. It might get you by, kinda like a 'jump start' doesn't fix any problems, but if the battery is just low, it'll get you going again.

-ERD50

 

[Keim]

That has got to be one of the sexiest things I've ever heard a female say! Wow, you've got it right on!

To others who are saying the ether/starting fluid didn't fix anything - true, but sometimes just getting the engine started is enough to pull enough gas through to clear out the stale gas in the line. It might get you by, kinda like a 'jump start' doesn't fix any problems, but if the battery is just low, it'll get you going again.

-ERD50

You might try some SeaFoam in both the gas tank and carburetor.

 

[youbet]

To others who are saying the ether/starting fluid didn't fix anything - true, but sometimes just getting the engine started is enough to pull enough gas through to clear out the stale gas in the line.

-ERD50

+1

Yep....... for starting my mower first time in the spring or my snow blower first time in the winter, a little starter fluid sprayed into the air intake will usually get it to fire for a few cycles and get fuel flowing again. If spraying into the air intake doesn't do it, I pull the plug a give 'er a little spray direct into the cyliner, replace the plug and usually get great results.

But Amethyst, normal maintenance still needs to be done. New plugs, oil change for 4-strokes, new air and fuel filter, etc.

 

[rescueme]

Yep....... for starting my mower first time in the spring or my snow blower first time in the winter, a little starter fluid sprayed into the air intake will usually get it to fire for a few cycles and get fuel flowing again. If spraying into the air intake doesn't do it, I pull the plug a give 'er a little spray direct into the cyliner, replace the plug and usually get great results.

But Amethyst, normal maintenance still needs to be done. New plugs, oil change for 4-strokes, new air and fuel filter, etc.

Also, don't forget to "treat" your remaining gas before you shut it down for the season. In my case, it's my lawn tractor and snowblower. Here's what I add to the tanks:

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/default.aspx

 

[pb4uski]

<snip> To others who are saying the ether/starting fluid didn't fix anything - true, but sometimes just getting the engine started is enough to pull enough gas through to clear out the stale gas in the line. It might get you by, kinda like a 'jump start' doesn't fix any problems, but if the battery is just low, it'll get you going again.

-ERD50

+1 I thought she was having recurring problems and that is why she wanted the starting fluid but after reading the original post I see she just wanted to have some handy.

What I sometimes do if I'm out of starting fluid is pull the plug(s), pour a bit of fuel (1/4 cup or so) in each cylinder, reset the plugs, pull the chole and start the engine. If it is having trouble getting fuel this sometimes draws it through and get things going.

 

[travelover]

..........pour a bit of fuel (1/4 cup or so) in each cylinder...........

Seriously, a 1/4 cup? I hope you mean a few drops.

 

[ERD50]

Seriously, a 1/4 cup? I hope you mean a few drops.

Agreed, a 1/4 cup sounds scary!!!!! Might even blow the piston rings or damage the engine some other way, since fluids do not compress.

I have an old 'encyclopedia' of Motor Cars published in 1911 or something. They talk about a 1/4 teaspoon of gas in the cylinders on cold mornings. Thank goodness for modern chokes, fuel injection and engine control modules!


-ERD50

 

[freebird5825]

That has got to be one of the sexiest things I've ever heard a female say! Wow, you've got it right on!

-ERD50

Aaaawww shucks

I was lucky enough to land a job as a small engine mechanic during summers off from college. I was trained by a master mechanic who did all the instructing while I was the grease monkey turning the bolts and taking apart engines for valve jobs. I also took the Sears small engine correspondence course. It was a lot of fun. Puzzle solving to the max!

It is a skill that I continue to use to this day. You can just imagine the looks I get from "the guys" when I offer to get their !*@# lawn equipment going and actually can do the work. Priceless!

 

[freebird5825]

Seriously, a 1/4 cup? I hope you mean a few drops.

Kaboom!
I see a spark plug being blown out of its seating threads in someone's future.

 

[youbet]

Also, don't forget to "treat" your remaining gas before you shut it down for the season. In my case, it's my lawn tractor and snowblower. Here's what I add to the tanks:

Deprecated Browser Error

Yeah, I add Stabil prior to every off season and run the engine a few minutes to distribute the treated fuel. Still, some of my older equipment (15 yr old snow blower, etc.) can be balky after sitting for months and a little spray of starting fluid seems to be a shortcut to getting things going again.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I once heard a mechanic tell my dad that people like him shouldn't be allowed to buy ether (starter fluid). This was after dad started a fire under the hood of my old Jimmy with it and subsequently put the fire out with great handfuls of dirt. Said mechanic was the one cleaning all the dirt out of the engine.

I've started an old truck with the cupful of fuel option when it ran out of gas. The gauge didn't work and if you didn't have good math skills to keep track of the odometer reading (noted in pen on the back of the visor) you'd get stuck on the side of the road.