Therma start

[Swblack1216]

I am installing a thermostart in my Ford 4500 diesel. I’ve put it into the intake manifold and it’s wired to the ignition. I tried using just a canister above gravity, feeding diesel to the thermostart that did not work. My question is if I T into the return lines by the Injectors will that work?I have never seen instructions on how it’s done

 

[Harry in Ky]

Many many tractors use a reservoir with gravity feed to supply a thermostart. If yours doesn't work you need to explain what you used and how you put it all together. Done correctly, no reason for it not to work.

 

[Anakist]

My old MF35 has had one in there for who knows how long with nothing hooked to the diesel line before I bought it. Hit the power and it gets hot but the valve doesn't seem to open.

I made a reservoir that goes between the returns and the tank. I will keep trying and see if the penetrating power of diesel will eventually get it working. You can just buy a new one, which I will probably do once I'm sick of using ether to get it started. It's definitely a slow project though and there is a lot of blow by so it might need a rebuild rather than just a new thermostart...

 

[etpm]

Last year I bought 3 thermostarts. None worked more than once. I bought another one about a month ago but haven't felt like putting it in just to be mad because the darn thing won't work. Again. And no, it is not because I am doing something wrong. They get plenty of gravity fed diesel, they get red hot, but diesel does not dribble out. The best luck I have had is one that worked once. Both heating coils get red hot, but no diesel leaks out of the end. I took one apart, I understand how they work, but even though purchased from different vendors they all appear to be made in the same factory with the same crappy quality control.
Eric

 

[California]

Last year I bought 3 thermostarts. None worked more than once.

Buy the real one if quality is sub-par on the clones.

The real Thermostart is (was) a Perkins patent. Apparently now expired.

I bought an authentic Perkins one from a shop that serviced ThermoKing (refer truck) refrigeration units, that are powered by a Yanmar diesel. To replace the OEM (Nipon Denso, under license?) unit that died.

Not expensive, $15 in 2007.

So far as I know there are only two versions. For slide-on terminal, or one where the tab is threaded for a screw to attach the wire. A slide-on connector also fits fine onto the threaded tab.

 

[etpm]

What you show is what I bought. Same box too for one of them.
Eric

 

[California]

What you show is what I bought. Same box too for one of them.
Eric

Strange that those didn't work. The one I got in that authentic box still works fine in my YM240, some 15 years later.

I bought another Thermostart when I got the first YM186D about 2010. The cheapest one on Ebay was a generic from London. It worked fine for the 5 years I had that Yanmar.

And the original (?) one in the YM186D with loader I own now, works fine.

In all cases 15~20 seconds after twisting the key left, there's a pop as the fuel ignites. I posted a photo of that flame on here long ago that ended up being the illustration in Hoye's description.

ThermoStart - photos of TS flame

By popular demand, (Well I think it is interesting :D ) I just took these photos. Incidentally this was with the key in 'Start' position but with the clutch safety switch preventing cranking. I was testing to see if TS operates in Start position as well as when the key is cranked left. Vapor...

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