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Looking at this current series of Bangers & Cash on TV today to see the older "Staff" spraying a can of Easy Start trying to get a Motorbike Engine Running.. also the younger generation "Staff" were using Easy Start on a Vauxhall & they failed to get that engine started .. thinking if that was my Bike or Car
Maybe you reach for a Spray-Can of Easy Start when your engine fails to start ?

I've used it for years, mostly on small engines that are difficult to start. On cars, I only use it as a temporary measure or to prove that an engine will run. There's a couple of brands available in Australia. I mostly use Aerostart, but this Nulon product has a funnier title.



The ether is also a very good solvent for cleaning parts, but is too expensive to use regularly.

Tim

https://youtu.be/PGMUGjlV5HU?si=V0f2ZtUA3AKpqCvw

Use it all the time on my case digger especially when the diesel pressure drops when standing for a while.
Nothing wrong with it as an aid, just like putting petrol in the air cleaner or carburettor.
I make sure that the oil is well circulated first though.
As it's a gas I don't feel that it washes the bores of oil any worse than neat petrol than petrol.
T

Brake cleaner and WD40 also work……anecdotally, I use WD40 on an engine not started for long time as, in my head, it may help lube the bores etc….no proof though and maybe complete rubbish

I use it on an 80 year old diesel boat engine for the first start in the Spring.

But on my cars I follow Roger Barr's lead (Chasing Classic Cars - US) and have a small squirty bottle of FRESH fuel and squirt a bit in the air intake.

Works like a charm, almost instant starting, even if the rest of the fuel system has months old petrol.

….on the lawnmower take plug out, squirt petrol in, plug back in and starts striaght away..

Same here...... but add '....heat plug with a blow lamp...' ready for first cut in a week or so.

Talking of which, just went out into garage. My Rover 2000 RCSport started with first turn of the key after being laid up since October last year. Samne car was laid up for 18 months during covid. Yep, started first kick too

Peter Laidler wrote: ↑Fri Feb 21, 2025 11:10 am Same here...... but add '....heat plug with a blow lamp...' ready for first cut in a week or so.

Talking of which, just went out into garage. My Rover 2000 RCSport started with first turn of the key after being laid up since October last year. Samne car was laid up for 18 months during covid. Yep, started first kick too

One of the advantages of fuel injection over a carb is that the sealed from atmosphere fuel system means it takes a lot longer for the petrol to degrade and go off.

I worked in the plant and machinery hire, sales and repair industry for many years, many users of plant and small engines would , rather than spend money having an engine (mainly diesel) repaired or serviced properly, use copious amounts of “Easy Start”
There were always stories of engines getting “addicted” to it, even after a thorough servicing the engine still wouldn’t start without a “fix” of ether.
A cement mixer came in one day, fitted with a Japanese Yanmar diesel engine, normally a quality piece of kit and a great improvement over the old single cylinder Lister units, for a service but even after a complete overhaul it ld not start as it should. To get to the bottom of the problem we did a total strip of the engine and inspected every part, what we found answered the “addiction” conundrum, the con rod was bent, not quite banana shaped but enough to reduce the compression and the more it was started with “Easy Start” the worse it got and the more it needed “a sniff”
A new conrod fitted cured the problem along with confiscation of the brickie’s spray can.
The problem is due to the fact that the ether in “Easy Start” is more volatile than diesel (or petrol) and the engine fires earlier changing the forces on the conrod.
Not likely to affect a four cylinder engine in the same way but you guys starting your mowers should consider using fuel stabiliser in you petrol can which stops the dreaded E10 going off.

How could i resist not buying a can of "Start you Bastard"

I think Ford used an ether start system as well as the CAV Thermostart system on the old york diesel engines.
EDIT:- It was known as the "Start pilot" and consists of an ether p/p controlled from the dash and was used for extreme climatic conditions,
similar systems also used by CAT. Cummins and John Deer to name a few.

Grey Fergie tractors had a tank for kigas as I recall it was fitted to the 4 cylinder model which started as well as a York diesel on a frosty morning

I use a squirt of butane gas from a disposable gas canister/torch (Obviously, you don't light the torch). Its ideal where you have a carb bowl of old fuel that needs to be used up before the fresh fuel flows through, also for 2 stroke engines where there is more oil in the old fuel lines after a winter layup.
Bob