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Stop Using Starting Fluid on Diesels, This 30 Second Trick Saved Me a $1,200 Repair
Had a 2006 Duramax in the shop last Tuesday that would crank forever but not fire when cold. I was about to grab the starting fluid like I always did, but a old diesel guy named Ray stopped me and said that stuff will crack your pistons. He told me to cycle the key 4 times, waiting 15 seconds between each one, so the lift pump could push fuel all the way up. Did that once, hit the key, and it fired right up like it was 80 degrees outside. Turns out my fuel filter housing was letting air in overnight and the cycles primed it out. Charged the customer $40 for a new filter instead of the $1,200 injector job I almost sold him. Ask your older diesel guys about this stuff, they know things that ain't in any manual.
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the_lucas27d ago
Man, I've been around enough diesels to know that starting fluid thing is way overblown. Yeah, if you're hosing a hot engine with it or dumping half a can in, sure, you can do damage. But a quick sniff to get a stubborn cold motor to light off? I've seen guys do that for years on old 7.3s and 5.9s without a single cracked piston. The key cycle trick is legit though, that's just priming the system. Sounds more like the real fix was the air leak, not avoiding the ether.
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