I want to remove the Zerostart ether cold weather starting system from my coach. It has a very small tube and two wires attached to the base. Is there any special procedure for doing this or can I just cut and tape the wires and tube? I don't want to keep the base attached to the coach, since it is rusty and I don't want to refinish something I have no use for. Earlier conversations had to do with capping off the bottle attachment port.
I would put a screw the size of the hole in the hose and cut and tape the wires as you suggest. Of course the screw head must be bigger than the hole.
A round wooden tooth pick would fit better. There must be a valve controlled by the ether switch that is normally closed, so I don't think it would be a problem.
I just traced that tube and it eventually travels along the dipstick tube and goes into the flange at the intake manifold. It looks like a 1/8 pipe fitting. The tube will be pressurized so nothing will travel up the tube. It would also be easy to plug if you felt like it. Mine still has the system intact and no corrosion so I will leave it for now. I may someday go to Alaska as that is the one thing I would like to do, and it might come in useful at that time.
Why not leave it there, the next person may need it. If the coach goes north it maybe needed.
The base an brackets are rusty and I have enough to do and don't want to spend the time restoring it. I don't think it will affect the resale value ten or so years down the road.
We are thinking about taking one of those tours that make all the arrangements in Alaska (the only place we would do this), but it would be during the warmer months.
You have aqua-hot which is the best way to preheat your engine in cold weather. If fixing your ether start is a problem, just don't bother with it. Ran with my 320 in the north and only used the boiler to preheat my engine, no problems.
There are not too many times a person really could use a SMALL amount of ether,
If the batteries are low.
If the fuel has run out after you prime the filters.
When it is really cold and there is not time to wait several hours for the water to heat.
If you ever run out of fuel DO NOT try to crank the engine without priming the furl filters.
I have added booster pumps on several rigs to bleed the air out of the fuel system, cheap insurance.
Ether has its place but is not an every day star product.
Carter-
When you remove the can and bracket, snip the electric wires off and put some kind of protection on the ends. Tuck them safely away with a tag identifying them. They are routed from the engine compartment up to the switch on your dash - might come in handy some day for a future project, like a EGT gauge, boost gauge, etc. 8)
Hard to believe, but even Amazon sells the kit.
Amazon.com: ZeroStart 820-3954 Starting Fluid: Automotive (https://www.amazon.com/Zerostart-820-3954-ZeroStart-Starting-Fluid/dp/B00499Z7ZG)
Indeed, if the ether injects directly on into the intake manifold which can see PSI of 25+ from the turbo, I would not just plug the line with a toothpick or screw. I would fine the screw-in connection at the intake manifold and install a screw-in plug with thread sealer on it.
I had no intention of using a toothpick - I was using that as a visual reference (tiny tube). I did trace it back to the intake manifold and found that it had broken off at some point. I will install a small bolt.
It is pipe thread looks to be 1/8th
Bolts are not compatible with pipe thread which is tapered
I will back out the tube fitting and bring that down to Lowe's for a fit.
Perfect. And that should gain you a little boost if that line was cracked and allowing boosted air to escape.