Yanmar v1035-3 won't start without starting fluid

[cartrydge]

I went to check out a 2004 mini excavator this morning but, they have been getting it to start with a shot of ether for years. Once it's warm it will start back up fine without it but, my question is do you think this has damaged the engine over the years. Everything else on it seems it great shape and tight no leaks or anything and runs strong once started. Has around 2600 hours on it.

Thanks,

 

[winston1]

From years of following the Yanmar tractor forums I would decline to guess how many broken piston lands I have read of because of ether use. Looks like that excavator has a similar engine. If years of use I don't see how damage could be avoided. However, I would ask, after starting how much blow by does it have?

 

[cartrydge]

From years of following the Yanmar tractor forums I would decline to guess how many broken piston lands I have read of because of ether use. Looks like that excavator has a similar engine. If years of use I don't see how damage could be avoided. However, I would ask, after starting how much blow by does it have?

Yea I think I"m gonna pass on it don't have a great feeling about it.

 

[sweettractors]

Pass would be a good idea unless you can buy cheap enough to rebuild the engine. Ken Sweet

 

[5030]

Yanmar and Kubota motors don't like starting fluid at all. In fact, it does bad things internally. Rings in Yanmars, con rods in Kubota's. Forget about it.

 

[Egon]

If it needs starting fluid every time when cold consider looking elsewhere.

 

[radios1]

If it needs starting fluid every time when cold consider looking elsewhere.

it's just the glow plugs not working right.. not a big deal.. and a compression test will show if there's any damage. but nowadays ether has a lubricant added to prevent the wear that would normally happen..

 

[CoyPatton]

it's just the glow plugs not working right.. not a big deal.. and a compression test will show if there's any damage. but nowadays ether has a lubricant added to prevent the wear that would normally happen..

Use at your own risk with yanmar engines. If buying one buy it cheap enough that an engine rebuild cost is a reasonable deal. Too many horror stories to take that risk otherwise.

 

[radios1]

Use at your own risk with yanmar engines. If buying one buy it cheap enough that an engine rebuild cost is a reasonable deal. Too many horror stories to take that risk otherwise.

actually, WD-40 is a safer starting fluid, it's slower burning... you know, years ago, a 12 gauge blank shotgun shell was used to start engines.. imagine that!..

 

[5030]

it's just the glow plugs not working right.. not a big deal.. and a compression test will show if there's any damage. but nowadays ether has a lubricant added to prevent the wear that would normally happen..

really not a wear issue at all. it's the premature combustion issue coupled with the later compression combustion event that destroys an engine. Either ignites well below the compression threshold of diesel fuel so the 'double combustion hit' is what adversely impacts a diesel. Entrained lubrication has nothing to do with it. In reality, no matter how cold it is, so long as the engine can spin fast enough (good starting batteries) it will make adequate compression to ignite the diesel.