Tricks on starting an old Perkins when cold

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

I'm not sure I follow the logic here. Ether will definitely do the job. It might not be great for the engine- but it works every time.


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Have you not read or believe that ether strips lubricant from the cylinder walls. Granted it will start an engine but reduces the engine life. Heated intake air or reduced oil viscosity by heating works better for the long term. If the engine is already shot, has poor compression, won't shut down because it is running on sump oil, hell yes use ether. Nothing to loose. Used on a good engine will be expensive in the long run.

[misfits]

Originally Posted by Cadence

You might try WD 40 I have heard it works spayed into the intake. I have never tried it or are convinced it wouldn't strip lub. oil.

WD40, it works & is safer than either. That's how we use to start all the heavy equipment on the farm when it was pissa cold out.

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Have you not read or believe that ether strips lubricant from the cylinder walls. Granted it will start an engine but reduces the engine life. Heated intake air or reduced oil viscosity by heating works better for the long term. If the engine is already shot, has poor compression, won't shut down because it is running on sump oil, hell yes use ether. Nothing to loose. Used on a good engine will be expensive in the long run.

Actually, I've carefully read every single post in this thread, because I have a hard starting Perkins 4-108. I certainly don't need cruisers forum to tell me prolonged use of ether on a small diesel can be hard on it.

That in no way changes the fact that it works. If it's cold out, I can't get my Perkins started, and I need it to start (ice flow moving down on my position, dragging anchor, need to claw my way off a lee shore), I'm not going to hesitate for a second to give a shot to the engine. I'm certainly not going to go down stairs and build a campfire in my bilge to warm my oil pan or find a hand crank magneto to charge my batteries.

There are some great tricks on here that I'll likely experiment with the next time I have trouble getting started. Thanks for the ingenious tips guys (I especially like the rubber plug in the air intake).

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[Cadence]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

Actually, I've carefully read every single post in this thread, because I have a hard starting Perkins 4-108. I certainly don't need cruisers forum to tell me prolonged use of ether on a small diesel can be hard on it.

That in no way changes the fact that it works. If it's cold out, I can't get my Perkins started, and I need it to start (ice flow moving down on my position, dragging anchor, need to claw my way off a lee shore), I'm not going to hesitate for a second to give a shot to the engine. I'm certainly not going to go down stairs and build a campfire in my bilge to warm my oil pan or find a hand crank magneto to charge my batteries.

There are some great tricks on here that I'll likely experiment with the next time I have trouble getting started. Thanks for the ingenious tips guys (I especially like the rubber plug in the air intake).

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It is your engine and choice.

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by Cadence

It is your engine and choice.

Hmm. I think it's you that isn't reading. I acknowledge in every post I've made that it's hard on the engine. I said I'm interested in experimenting with more options and I use ether as a last resort. But if I need to get my engine started I will always put the immediate safety of the vessel and crew over the longevity of a 30 year old engine. Wouldn't you?

I also don't spare the ponies if I need to get out of a bind. Yes jamming my engine hard astern is bad for the engine and transmission- but some times you need to stop in a hurry, that's operating a boat in the real world for you. Some times you need to compromise.

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[Cadence]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

Hmm. I think it's you that isn't reading. I acknowledge in every post I've made that it's hard on the engine. I said I'm interested in experimenting with more options and I use ether as a last resort. But if I need to get my engine started I will always put the immediate safety of the vessel and crew over the longevity of a 30 year old engine. Wouldn't you?

I also don't spare the ponies if I need to get out of a bind. Yes jamming my engine hard astern is bad for the engine and transmission- but some times you need to stop in a hurry, that's operating a boat in the real world for you. Some times you need to compromise.

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I guess in a bind ether would do. As a practice I would not recommend it.
As said it is your engine. I thought the conversation was about routine starting in cold weather exercising the engine makes sense.

[FamilyVan]

Oh, maybe it is routine only. I might have missed that. In the past few years I have only used ether once to start my Perkins (I have used it quite a bit in the past, particularly on big Detroit's). The situation really was kind of routine.

I paid the yard to have one of there mechanics to winterise my engine for me. It was a busy time at work and I figured it was money well spent.

I got a call at work from the yard owner. He couldn't get my engine started and needed me to come down to get it running for him. I said I'd come on Saturday but he insisted it had to be immediately as he had left the job too late and it was dropping to -15 that night.

I took off on my lunch break to get it started. I parallel house batteries- they were dead. It was about -5 out so getting the engine warmed up was out of the question. I wasn't so concerned about the $100/hr this "mechanic" was charging me as the fact that I really had to get back to work.

After 20 minutes of farting around I told him to go crank it, I grabbed the ether from my work shop, gave it a shot and the Perkins instantly roared to life. I went back to work and decided I'd never hire the mechanic again.

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[Campbellcruiser]

My father Inlaw, who has been around diesels all his life, said to turn the engine over and spray while it is turning over. Works greats and barely used any!
I think I will try WD40 and hope that works. As well the propane torch down the intake. I did try some methyl hydrate and light it on fire, but it didn't seem to work that well.


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[Cadence]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

Oh, maybe it is routine only. I might have missed that. In the past few years I have only used ether once to start my Perkins (I have used it quite a bit in the past, particularly on big Detroit's). The situation really was kind of routine.

I paid the yard to have one of there mechanics to winterise my engine for me. It was a busy time at work and I figured it was money well spent.

I got a call at work from the yard owner. He couldn't get my engine started and needed me to come down to get it running for him. I said I'd come on Saturday but he insisted it had to be immediately as he had left the job too late and it was dropping to -15 that night.

I took off on my lunch break to get it started. I parallel house batteries- they were dead. It was about -5 out so getting the engine warmed up was out of the question. I wasn't so concerned about the $100/hr this "mechanic" was charging me as the fact that I really had to get back to work.

After 20 minutes of farting around I told him to go crank it, I grabbed the ether from my work shop, gave it a shot and the Perkins instantly roared to life. I went back to work and decided I'd never hire the mechanic again.

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Big Detroits are about indistructable.

[FamilyVan]

Yes, I recall, and nearly as hard to start when cold as they are to destroy.

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[Boatyarddog]

Install an inline coolant heater, used on truck engines all the time .
The trick is to heat the head up so the fuel will burn.
Plug it in, prior to starting, for 20 min.
Any weather it will start.
Shore power, or an onboard small genset, will supply the power you need to heat it up.
1000watts


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[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Install an inline coolant heater, used on truck engines all the time .
The trick is to heat the head up so the fuel will burn.
Plug it in, prior to starting, for 20 min.
Any weather it will start.
Shore power, or an onboard small genset, will supply the power you need to heat it up.
1000watts


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

Probably ask a trucker on the Alaskan pipe line.

[Presto]

I have a Perkins 4-154 and it is a bear to start when cold. At my wife's suggestion we use a hair dryer for a few minutes and it start right up. If we take a trip in the colder months (we are in Texas) and are running the engine every few days it starts right up, is only hard to start if sits for a couple of weeks when cold.


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[johnb23]

here's my 2 cents....be sure your injectors are to spec, (clean, pressure ok etc.) your fuel is ok, some climes sell winter diesel (also your fuel is not old or has water through condensation in it)...battery sufficient to crank at proper rpm....and a block or pan heater is ideal... if it's still hard to start, maybe you have a worn engine, compression down or other factors...as far as starting fluid...ether based works, but it is HARD on parts because your engine detonates using it, detonation will destroy your engine....however WD 40 available everywhere, while not a very good penetrant as it is advertised, will work as a starting fluid with the benefits of lubrication and reduced, if any detonation...there are other ideas for starting engines, but with your relatively mild winter temps, i doubt you need them...good luck

[storyinframes]

I also have a Perkins 4.108 on my westsail32. Its been pretty cold here on Chesapeake. temps dipping to minus 16C.

My perkins would start sometimes when it is sunny.

I stopped using Ether.
I got my battery checked with an ammeter and it has the punch.
I installed the magnetic 110AC heater under the sump. And a blower heater in the engine compartment.
Still the engine wouldn't start.

It did start yesterday though. and once warm, the engine starts in half a turn of key.

How more better i can heat up the engine. today is 20F/-7C