Easystart controversy

[MikeT]

From the moment the head came off my engine I was freaked by the combustion marks on the cylinder walls and the blasted-clean edges of the piston crowns which I put down to the use of easystart.

As per my blog, the RAC patrolman had used it to get the engine started back in April,and he advised me to buy myself a tin but warned "try not to use it too much as engines get addicted to it". I heeded his warning and intended to fix the non-starting problem ASAP.

So I admit, I did buy a tin and used it either once or twice before diagnosing & repairing the failure to start as total glow-plug failure.

Shortly after, I discovered the coolant system was overpressurising probably due to head gasket failure.

Looking into this topic more, I've read some horrific reports about how much engine damage this stuff can cause because it doesn't ignite and burn, it explodes. The consensus seems to be - don't use it on light diesel engines or even high compression petrol engines.

Most damage appears to be done to the bottom end though there have been reports of it blowing the head gasket and damaging valves.

Originally, I may have initially advised others to try easystart on a non-starting engine but I have totally reversed my opinion now and apologise to anyone who might have tried it on my advice.

I hope this post helps others to avoid the potential damage easystart can cause.

[nick]

It could well be that some engines are more susceptable to damage from Easy Start than others. I think I've mentioned here before my stepfather's L reg Cavalier 1.7TD (Isuzu engine). One of the glowplugs snapped off in the head some years ago, another is stuck and he daren't risk it snapping off too, so it has only 2 remaining working glowplugs.

As a result he uses Easy Start to start it from cold every time, and has done every day since the glowplug problem first occured some time in 2002 or 2003. The car is used about 6 days a week and usually has 2 cold starts with Easy Start per day.
That would equate to around 3000-3500 uses of Easy Start, the car has now covered 225k, the engine uses no oil and has not apparently become any more difficult to start over the years.

[Peter.N.]

The only way an engine can become 'addicted' to it, is that it will have caused some damage that will have lowered the compression. I have been running diesels since the days that you had to use it, it was the only way some engines would start. I'm talking about the '50/60s. It can make a horrendous noise though, which sounds as though its destroying the engine, but then so can pumping lots of fuel in without the engine starting, when it does. I have never seen any firm evidence of damage although its quite concievable that using large ammounts over an extended period of time could. I had at least three Perkins 4/108 crankshafts break due to running them with over advanced pump timing, but it didn't happen straight away, modern engines with a five bearing crankshaft are unlikely to be as vulnerable.

It is very good however for starting reluctant two stroke engines, chain saws, strimmers and the like, even if you have left the petrol in since last year!

[XantiaMan]

It could well be that some engines are more susceptable to damage from Easy Start than others. I think I've mentioned here before my stepfather's L reg Cavalier 1.7TD (Isuzu engine). One of the glowplugs snapped off in the head some years ago, another is stuck and he daren't risk it snapping off too, so it has only 2 remaining working glowplugs.

As a result he uses Easy Start to start it from cold every time, and has done every day since the glowplug problem first occured some time in 2002 or 2003. The car is used about 6 days a week and usually has 2 cold starts with Easy Start per day.
That would equate to around 3000-3500 uses of Easy Start, the car has now covered 225k, the engine uses no oil and has not apparently become any more difficult to start over the years.

So you dont reckon it was easy start then!

Me either, i think the marks on bores was unrelated.

[MikeT]

Nick, I find that an incredible story considering the steps needed to use easystart, come rain or shine. However, I would have thought with two working glowplugs it wouldn't need easystart - perhaps that is a classic example of the afore warned addiction? It would be an ideal study candidate should that engine eventually give up the ghost.

Yes Peter, that is what they're saying - that the compression is lowered by the damage hence the "addiction". While diesels of old may be have been more strongly built and with greater tolerances, perhaps easystart never caused these problems I've read about.

Gareth, everyone's entitled to their opinion but yours appears to have escaped me unless it was just to mock. Would you care to elaborate on what you think caused those combustion marks and blew the carbon off the crowns on the same side?

[citronut]

i allways thought easy start rinses the boars down , then the piston rings are running up and down a dry boar with no lubricant, so this is the reason they loose compresion
regardas malcolm

[MikeT]

I wouldn't know Malcolm, it's all theory without proof as far as I'm concerned but until I know, I won't be using easystart again in a hurry and want to bring it to others attention as I believe I recommended it to other forum members previously.

If the bore and piston marks are nothing to do with easystart, that's fine by me but that's where my thinking's at today.

[nick]

Nick, I find that an incredible story considering the steps needed to use easystart, come rain or shine.

You perhaps wouldn't if you'd met my stepfather King of the bodgers! He connected up a tube from the air filter housing to a point on the front grille so he could give the engine a squirt of Easy Start as he walked past without having to lift the bonnet....
It was only intended to be a temporary measure as the car was bought from a neighbour as a cheap runabout, but otherwise its been ok and keeps passing MOTs with very little needed, so the temporary arrangement sort of became permanent.
He claims its no worse to start now than when the glowplug problem first arose. It will start from cold without, but takes a lot of cranking and runs rough for the first few seconds. From hot it always starts instantly without Easy Start.
He also has a Corsa 1.5D non-turbo, and has tried Easy Start in that but says the engine in that really seems to hate it. I wonder if its due to the higher compression ratio of the non-turbo engine ?

I have occasionally used it in the Xantia TD I used to own without any obvious problems, although I was very sparing with it.

[steelcityuk]

I was warned off Easystart back in the mid eighties and the risk of the engine becoming 'addicted' to it. After reading the ingredients list I came to the conclusion that it will knacker the bearings due to the explosive nature of the product. From what I've seen most scrap yards have several tins if only for starting their plant machinery. Same stuff as used in model 'diesel' engines I believe (though mixed with paraffin and oil).

I wouldn't even use the stuff on my lawnmower!

Steve.

[jeremy]

I wonder:

If your engine starts well - you won't use easystart.

Modern diesels start well unless there is something wrong with them.

So easystart is only used on engines with a defect.

Most defects like failing head gaskets get rapidly worse.

So easystart gets blamed for failure of an engine that's failing anyway.

So called addiction - is because of wear or another fault the engine had got to the stage that it won't start readily without it - which is why it was used in the first place.

[XantiaMan]

Gareth, everyone's entitled to their opinion but yours appears to have escaped me unless it was just to mock. Would you care to elaborate on what you think caused those combustion marks and blew the carbon off the crowns on the same side?

Me, Mock? Never! Maybe it was the easy start that turned your engine into a bit of a rough diamond.

[lexi]

Easystart used repeatedly will destroy the "ring" of carbon that older engines have. This and the piston wash is what may cause problems with it`s use.

[MikeT]

Gareth, everyone's entitled to their opinion but yours appears to have escaped me unless it was just to mock. Would you care to elaborate on what you think caused those combustion marks and blew the carbon off the crowns on the same side?

Me, Mock? Never! Maybe it was the easy start that turned your engine into a bit of a rough diamond.

Classic signs of a troll. Now where's that ignore button?

[XantiaMan]

Did someone post something just then?