Anybody remember starting fluid?

[majorminor]

Not that big a deal but until today the last time for me was the winter of 1982 in Alaska. I've had my old project 1986 F150 at work waiting to get back in to the mechanic as I've put enough miles on the break in oil that it's time for the first oil change. Plus the choke and/or high idle is sticking at times so needs to be tweaked. After this last cold snap probably gonna put in a block heater as well as it's a cold blooded old truck. Tried to start it the last few days with overnight below zero temps just to run it a little and gave up before running the battery down. Then I was like "duh", went to NAPA, bought a can of starter fluid, popped off the air cleaner, shot a squirt down in to the carb and was running in 30 seconds.

This is an old school local go to the rodeo get firewood truck. Gun rack, manual locking hubs, crank windows, dimmer switch on the floor, 4 speed manual 300I6, matchbooks in the glove box from bars that have been closed for years. I had the engine rebuilt and converted to a 4 barrel carb and bigger exhaust etc, all the emissions stuff gone, new clutch, new radiator, new starter, new belts, new brakes. I just noticed there is a wine cork stuck in the fill hole for the washer fluid. Next stop is the body shop for an exterior restoration. Staying with the original Ford blue.

[billhammond]

I'm so OTD that I remember when we just called it "ether." Always had a can of that and a bottle of HEET aboard during winter months.

Good on you, Steve, for keeping that Real Deal truck alive and well.

[gbacklin]

I use it every spring for my rider mower. Before winter, I run it dry to let it set till spring. In spring, I fill the tank with gas and shoot the fluid down the carburetor and off I go.

An unknown fact at the time, as I worked at a gas station from 15-20 years old, was when a car came into the shop and was bellowing out a lot of carbon (black smoke) my boss would change plugs, points etc. when he was done he called me over and said. “I’m going to show you something, but don’t you do this because if it’s done wrong, it will not be a cheap repair.” He then took a glass of water and opened up the throttle and shook the cup of water to drop water down the open carburetor. Just a few drops at a time and the smoke was very black and thick. He kept on doing that for about a minute till no more black came out. I personally never tried that myself, but the boss said it solves the burning carbon every time.

[epaul]

I used to snort it back in my courting days.

[billhammond]

Nov 18, 2022 16:20:07 GMT -5 epaul said:

I used to snort it back in my courting days.

Today, starting fluid is in pill form, and trademarked as Viagra.

[paleo]

I use the spray carburetor cleaner as a starting fluid, it's like magic. I had my grandsons convinced that is was maguc juice when they were young, they still call it that today.
My brother uses spray brake cleaner.

[TKennedy]

I always had a few cans in the back seat. We called it an ether bomb. Kids today have no idea of what it was like when cars didn’t always work perfect.

I love roll up windows. In a modern car when you drive into the lake at 2AM after leaving the Eagles and the electrical system shorts out are you trapped?

[david]

Nice truck Steve.
I used starting fluid last year with my 8hp boat motor. That damn thing give me starting fits. I danced a jig the day I sold it. I later learned that starting fluid is extremely bad for 2 stroke motors. I also used to use it on my weed eater, another 2 stroke that I apparently was abusing.

[majorminor]

....and I just realized....it's "starter fluid" right? Not starting fluid?

[dradtke]

Nov 18, 2022 17:23:57 GMT -5 TKennedy said:

In a modern car when you drive into the lake at 2AM after leaving the Eagles and the electrical system shorts out are you trapped?

Yup.

[brucemacneill]

My emergency generator gets run about once a year just to make certain it will run. When trying to start it I can wear my arm out pulling the cord but if I just spray the carb with a little ether it starts on the 2nd pull and runs like a champ. It will power most the whole house. Once it's been started if I turn it off and start it again it comes right up.

Once upon a time I bought a Rambler for Mary to use while I was at work but as soon as temperatures dropped it wouldn't start. I had a couple of shops work on it but eventually found that a shot of ether would start it so I had to teach her how to do that. Later, while a friend and I were rebuilding a Volvo, planning to race it, I did a ring job on the engine and couldn't get it to start without a shot of ether, after which it ran great and didn't burn oil anymore. After talking to a mechanic I learned that that was a symptom of a leaky intake manifold so I replaced the gaskets and tightened the manifold and it worked. Wish I had known that when we had the Rambler.

[Village Idiot]

I haven't thought of starting fluid for years. In my world starting fluid was always hairspray, WD40, vodka or heet, or whatever else was handy.

[PaulKay]

I thought starting fluid was coffee.

[coachdoc]

Slurping my starting fluid as I type.

[Marshall]

Nov 18, 2022 15:40:59 GMT -5 majorminor said:

matchbooks in the glove box from bars that have been closed for years.

Now you're talking !