Diethyl ether, with a small amount of oil, a trace amount of a stabilizer and a hydrocarbon propellant, has historically[1] been used to help start internal combustion engines because of its low 160 °C (320 °F) autoignition temperature.[2] Some current products sold as starting fluid are mostly volatile hydrocarbons such as heptane, (the main component of natural gasoline) with only a small portion of diethyl ether, and carbon dioxide (as a propellant).[4] It is often useful when starting direct injected diesel engines or lean burn spark engines running on alcohol fuel. Some formulations include butane or propane as both propellant and starting fuel. Diethyl ether should not be confused with petroleum ether (a crude oil distillate consisting mostly of pentane and other alkanes) which has also been used for starting engines. Charcoal is pre-soaked with ignition fluid to help ignite the coal. Starting fluid is sprayed into the engine intake near the air filter, or into the carburetor bore or a spark plug hole of an engine to get added fuel to the combustion cylinder quickly.

Using starting fluid to get the engine running faster avoids wear to starters and fatigue to one's arm with pull start engines, especially on rarely used machines. Other uses include cold weather starting, vehicles that run out of fuel and thus require extra time to restore fuel pressure, and sometimes with flooded engines. Mechanics sometimes use it to diagnose starting problems by determining whether the spark and ignition system of the vehicle is functioning; if the spark is adequate but the fuel delivery system is not, the engine will run until the starting fluid vapors are consumed. It is used more often with carbureted engines than with fuel injection systems. Caution is required when using starting fluid with diesel engines that have preheat systems in the intake or glow-plugs installed, as the starting fluid may pre-ignite, leading to engine damage. Starting fluid is not recommended for regular use with some two-stroke engines, because it has no lubricating qualities. The lubricating oil for these engines is either mixed with the fuel or injected near the fuel intake of the motor.

There is also a risk of igniting the mixture in the crankcase.[] Engines that require premixed gasoline and haven't been run recently are especially in need of the mixed lubricating oil because oil can dry off internal parts over time.[] WD-40 was previously recommended for use on two stroke engines because it has lubricating qualities,[] however, the formulation with CO2 as propellant instead of propane no longer has the same effect. Diethyl ether has a long history as a medical anesthetic; when starting fluid was mostly ether, a similar effect could be obtained using it. Use at the present time directly as an inhalant includes the effect of the petroleum solvents, which are more toxic as inhalants than diethyl ether. Sometimes referred to as "passing the shirt," the starting fluid is sprayed on a piece of cloth and held up to one's face for inhalation. This trend has gradually picked up since the turn of the century, as phrases such as "etherized" and "ethervision" have gained popularity.

The effects of inhalation vary, but have been known to include lightheadedness, loss of coordination, paranoia, and sometimes hallucinations. Back to Answers Index This problem started last year before the winter. The old battery was not secured well and slid around and touched the body of the mower and sparked up. air purifier open roomI'm not sure if that might have caused something in the electrical system to short? can air purifier help with dustOr this could just be a coincidence.best air purifiers for allergies I replaced the battery and has a good charge. If I pour some gas, or spray ether into the intake the mower fires up and runs clean / strong but only for about 3 seconds. No carbed or gunked up

Gas is passing through the fuel filter and the fuel line is wet where it attaches to the carb. I disconnected seat safety switch and wedged in small wood shim so connections aren't touching. What do you guys think this could be? The problem may be a partially restricted carburetor. As gas gets old, it turns to varnish and clogs up the passageways inside the carburetor, not allowing enough gas to get to the engine. This condition is cumulative. Every time gas sits, the varnish builds up just a little more, like coats of paint, until eventually gas can not flow. It will not happen overnight, but the symptoms can show up over night. The use of fuel additives, such as Sta-Bil or Sea Foam will not stop this process from happening. They will greatly slow it down, but the gas will still go bad. When this happens, either the engine simply will not start, or it will not run without the choke on (this reduces the amount of air getting pulled into the engine, changing the fuel/air mixture), or it will run but surges.

Another issue that varnish in the carb can cause is that the varnish may not allow the float needle to seal properly against the seat, causing the flow of gas to not shut off when the bowl is full. The result will be gas overflowing the carb and running into the cylinder, and possibly out the air intake. If the gas gets into the cylinder, it will seep past the rings and down into the crankcase. This will be evidenced by your oil level being over-full and/or the oil smelling like gas. The only 2 solutions are to either replace the carburetor or give it a good, thorough cleaning. When removing the carb, make sure to take a good picture, or make a good drawing of where all springs and linkages are attached. This will make reassembly much easier. Most people believe that cleaning a carb involves removing the bowl and wiping it out, then spraying some carb cleaner through it. This is simply insufficient. To properly clean the carb, you must remove it, disassemble it (making sure to remove all non-metal parts), and soak it in a commercial solvent for several hours.

Soaking it overnight is even better. Then clean all solvent off with a spray type carb cleaner, making sure to get lots of cleaner into every hole and passage there is. Pay special attention to the tiny holes in the bore of the carb, under the throttle plate for the carbs that have these holes. Use lots of cleaner. And make sure to wear safety goggles to avoid getting the over spray into your eyes. There will be over spray. Dry the carb with low pressure compressed air. When reassembling the carb, make sure to use a carb kit, when one is available for your carb. Occasionally, even a good cleaning is not going to be sufficient, and you may end up having to replace the carb anyhow. Be prepared for this. I borrowed this answer from Hank. The problem is in your carburetor. You need to remove your carburetor and dis-assemble it and clean all internal parts. If you have never done this you may want to watch on you tube or have someone do it for you. After cleaning with carb cleaner and blowing out the jet and ports re-assemble.