Ford 4500 wont start with ether

   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #1  

Auminer

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2007
Messages
7
Location
S. E. Alaska
Tractor
'79 406 Unimog (does that count?)
Thought ether would at least kick over almost anything. Ran when I parked it last fall, had a tough winter here in Alaska, but now nothing no smoke, nothing.
When I first tried it this spring with low battery, it did kick over with a shot of ether, but didn't run with diesel, but that's the last of anything. Been trying with fully charged battery, removed the rubber hose and sprayed directly into the intake.
I'm lost...
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #2  
I've seen new tractors brought in at a dealership. They only ran it out of fuel and used ether to start it after putting fuel in it. Ruined the engine.

You didn't open the injector lines a little and crank it over until you got fuel at injectors? Funny how everyone uses ether except diesel mechanics.

My uncle was a diesel mechanic in Vietnam. Came back and worked for Cummins. Never saw him pick up a can. I have some but only use it to seat beads on difficult tires. It does work great for that.

Make sure you are getting fuel to pump. Then make sure it's getting to the injectors. Lot of tractors leak down over time. Does tractor have a mechanical pump that supplies injector pump?
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #3  
Ether on any engine, used very sparingly will fire it up, if the engine is sound. Use too much and it will bend a rod - engine is then toast. Also good for cleaning parts.
If it has the inline pump, the lift pump may not be getting fuel to the injector pump, but rather into the engine. Like Roustabout recommended, check fuel output first from the tank, filter, lift pump (if it has one), injection pump and then bleed injectors.
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #4  
Although the engine needs fuel to run don't overlook the air supply. The air filter may be clogged or you may have a rodent nest blocking airflow. Check the air path from the filter to the intake manifold. If you have glow plugs be sure they're functioning as well.
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Wow, mentioning ether on here is like throwing red meat to the Piranhas.
While I didn't see your uncle while I was in Nam, could be we were in different ops. Yup works great on tires and also came with another of my diesels, the Unimog. Bent rods, holes, cracks and even melted pistons all horror stories for sure, some have merit lots are handed down by "real" mechanics.
Still most diesels will at least fire with ether...maybe only once before they blow up, but fire never the less. even if they aren't getting diesel. Guess I'm old school as not one of my owned diesels have had glow plugs, Freightliner, Mercedes, or this old Ford. When the weather gets cold up here in Alaska we do whatever it takes to start these old irons, I've even seen pilots start fires under the pan to get it warmed up.

Ok, enough of that. I will of course bleed the injectors as I have fuel up to that point, and thanks Roadworthy for the air suggestion. Appreciate the input.
Funny no one mentioned timing, is this model noted for timing issues?
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #6  
Although the engine needs fuel to run don't overlook the air supply. The air filter may be clogged or you may have a rodent nest blocking airflow. Check the air path from the filter to the intake manifold. If you have glow plugs be sure they're functioning as well.
He said he had the air hose off and was putting the high potency spray directly in the intake.
Wow, mentioning ether on here is like throwing red meat to the Piranhas.
While I didn't see your uncle while I was in Nam, could be we were in different ops. Yup works great on tires and also came with another of my diesels, the Unimog. Bent rods, holes, cracks and even melted pistons all horror stories for sure, some have merit lots are handed down by "real" mechanics.
Still most diesels will at least fire with ether...maybe only once before they blow up, but fire never the less. even if they aren't getting diesel. Guess I'm old school as not one of my owned diesels have had glow plugs, Freightliner, Mercedes, or this old Ford. When the weather gets cold up here in Alaska we do whatever it takes to start these old irons, I've even seen pilots start fires under the pan to get it warmed up.

Ok, enough of that. I will of course bleed the injectors as I have fuel up to that point, and thanks Roadworthy for the air suggestion. Appreciate the input.
Funny no one mentioned timing, is this model noted for timing issues?
You must assume I haven't been all over Alaska. Old iron? I drove to Alaska in a 75 truck I got a deal on a 58 power major nobody could start. 4 cylinders, 8 push rods, 6 of them were bent 90 degrees from starting spray. So I hammered them out straight on a board. Rolled and tapped them until pretty fair straight. Baby fired right off, without any spray. Had not ran in 17 years. So you might check for bent push rods. Building fires under cold diesels is fine. I'll do that in a heart beat. But it ain't winter in Alaska right now. Long days and warm weather.
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #7  
Wow, mentioning ether on here is like throwing red meat to the Piranhas.
While I didn't see your uncle while I was in Nam, could be we were in different ops. Yup works great on tires and also came with another of my diesels, the Unimog. Bent rods, holes, cracks and even melted pistons all horror stories for sure, some have merit lots are handed down by "real" mechanics.
Still most diesels will at least fire with ether...maybe only once before they blow up, but fire never the less. even if they aren't getting diesel. Guess I'm old school as not one of my owned diesels have had glow plugs, Freightliner, Mercedes, or this old Ford. When the weather gets cold up here in Alaska we do whatever it takes to start these old irons, I've even seen pilots start fires under the pan to get it warmed up.

Ok, enough of that. I will of course bleed the injectors as I have fuel up to that point, and thanks Roadworthy for the air suggestion. Appreciate the input.
Funny no one mentioned timing, is this model noted for timing issues?
Ford should have a thermostart screwed in the intake. If you swing the battery out it's on front of intake near radiator. It has a fuel return hose that goes to top of tank. It has a wire plugged on it that is on the spring loaded part of key switch between run and start. For the record. We keep ours in working order. When it's zero out, and we have to put out hay, if that starter touches that flywheel, it's a running. I know in Alaska you have to shut down part of the year because it's cold and dark. Make sure your thermostart is functioning properly. Ford knew about Alaska, Poland, and lots of other places when they built those tractors.
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #8  
Wow, mentioning ether on here is like throwing red meat to the Piranhas.
While I didn't see your uncle while I was in Nam, could be we were in different ops. Yup works great on tires and also came with another of my diesels, the Unimog. Bent rods, holes, cracks and even melted pistons all horror stories for sure, some have merit lots are handed down by "real" mechanics.
Still most diesels will at least fire with ether...maybe only once before they blow up, but fire never the less. even if they aren't getting diesel. Guess I'm old school as not one of my owned diesels have had glow plugs, Freightliner, Mercedes, or this old Ford. When the weather gets cold up here in Alaska we do whatever it takes to start these old irons, I've even seen pilots start fires under the pan to get it warmed up.

Ok, enough of that. I will of course bleed the injectors as I have fuel up to that point, and thanks Roadworthy for the air suggestion. Appreciate the input.
Funny no one mentioned timing, is this model noted for timing issues?
No timing issues. All steel gear timing.
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #9  
There’s a bleed screw by the name plate.. it’s a double screw.. loosen the 5/16 part of the screw and crank the engine.. it should shoot out about 3 ft.. tighten it up and loosen ALL the steel lines from the pump to the injectors a couple of turns..
Hold the throttle wide open and crank to a count of 10 and stop to let the starter cool..your looking for fuel to squirt out of the lines..
Once u get that, tighten up the lines and it should start now..
But, if u get no fuel up at the loosened lines at the injectors.. it’s time to get help
 
   / Ford 4500 wont start with ether #10  
Ford should have a thermostart screwed in the intake. If you swing the battery out it's on front of intake near radiator. It has a fuel return hose that goes to top of tank. It has a wire plugged on it that is on the spring loaded part of key switch between run and start. For the record. We keep ours in working order. When it's zero out, and we have to put out hay, if that starter touches that flywheel, it's a running. I know in Alaska you have to shut down part of the year because it's cold and dark. Make sure your thermostart is functioning properly. Ford knew about Alaska, Poland, and lots of other places when they built those tractors.
Would love to know how to install a thermostart on my 4500 it was an option I don’t have. I have all the manuals nothing shows how to add. Can you hook me up to link or drawing. Thanks
 
 
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