Rocket Rob

Glad I'm not the only one that forgot.

+1 on being able to rotate the engine with the alternator bolt/nut.

Akerlie

Indycam, the starter fluid is generally more volatile and more explosive than gasoline, and that is the purpose of starter fluid.

Over here the use of starter fluid is mostly limited to the colder winter months when larger diesel engines are a pain to start and there is no other way to get the lumps running.
If you get ignition in a cylinder well before TDC on smaller engine and it makes the cylinder go "in reverse" you might be in for a very expensive reparation.
That is why I don't like to use starter fluid on anything else than tractors.

Please excuse my bad technical english.

Indycam

There are more than a few diesels you should never use starting fluid on , spraying starter fluid into the intake of some diesels can cause the whole charge to go off in your face while you are spraying .

springer3

Not to beat a dead horse, but your comment is valid for most spark-ignition engines as well. Ask the poor fellow I know whose face is badly scared, and is missing most of his ear on one side. There are safer and easier ways to start an engine. Starter fluid is a last resort reserved for rare cases. Starting that 917 and starting a tired diesel in below-freezing conditions are cases where it can be justified.

Indycam

I'd love to , give me his email address .

frank964

Flushing out the old fuel and putting in new fuel may be a good idea also, old fuel can lose its calorific value or turn to sludge depending on the environment you are in...