The air starters I am talking about look like and work like the stock starter motor, except it is pnuematically operated instead of electrically.

The starters on our Gensets on the rigs used this type.

This is what I want on my truck....

One like from AM Airstarters, mentioned above

 

Hmm... I think I will call tomorrow to see what kind of money one would be for our 7.3's . Could be a fun toy.

 

yes it sounds like it would turn some heads starting it up keep us posted on what u find out

 

I'm interested. Those sound clips are pretty cool. Hopefully some good info is found.

 

Wait till you hear them on a 3600 series Cat. Or better yet, a 20 cylinder EMD.....

Somebody has to make them. My dad drives for a trucking company and they have some on their trucks. I'll see if they are running the IH T444E

 

I left a voicemail, and sent an email. No response back yet on the air starters.

 

The united states postal service uses air starters on many of their diesel powered vehicles, internationals included. We need to find out who is suppling them to the body builders or speak to someone in the vehcle maintaince department.

 

I sent an email to AM Airstarters... no reply...

 

We use pneumatic starters on jet engines. The problem you have is if the solenoid valve fails to close the starter will remain engaged. Then the engine lights off and the big gear grabs that little gear, zowweeee. Unless you have a monitor of the solenoid valve closure, i.e. a light to tell you it opened and closed I don't think it's the greatest idea. In addiition, if you live in cold weather you get condesation freezing the valve closed. Alternatively, you could install a manual valve in your cab and route the lines to it. That way, you would have positive opening and closing.....just don't forget to close it after light off.

 

Lou, the starters these guys are talking about are nothing like what you describe. The oilfield compressor engines (3512, 3516 etc.) are regular spark ignited engines that use natural gas for their fuel. The starters work just like an electric one except they use the natural gas to power them. They take a hell of a lot of volume to work and need to be oiled frequently just like an impact wrench.

 

I think I'll stick with my electric starter.

 

There's this simple idea, you take a hand crank and.....

Anyway, if anyone lives near Philly, some of SEPTA's old Neoplan buses have an air starter that sounds sooooo beautiful, clean, smooth and sweet. I used to retrofit them up near Quakertown. Perhaps someone can get a clip.

Warning: You WILL rouse the neighborhood....

 

It would take a very large receiver to store enough air to start a PowerStroke. Too large to be practicle because a PowerStroke needs long cranking times to build oil pressure high enough to fire the injectors. This usually takes around three seconds of cranking. Most other diesels take only one or two revolutions to get started, about 1/2 a second.

I investigated this a couple of years ago. I repair compressed air equipment for a living and make it a practice to use all things air. A small air starter uses approx.30 SCFM to operate. At that rate a 60 gallon receiver would be exhausted in a couple of seconds.

It would be fun though. I agree an air starter sounds cool.

Steve

 

Where I work we have air starters on a lot of big diesel engines, but we do have problems with them sometimes. They will get stuck and not engage, and have to be pulled off and rebuilt or cleaned. Also, we have a big air compressor for the whole building that supplies a pretty constant 95-100psi.

Putting one on a pickup truck would be a hassle with adding the air tank, compressor, lines, air oiler, etc. Plus it would only give you a few cranks before the tank would be out. Unless you put a big electric compressor on the truck you'd be stuck. Too much hassle just to sound cool in my book.

 

Wouldn't that depend on the psi though? If it uses 30 SCFM at say, 45 psi, and you had a 60 gallon tank stored up at 100+ psi, wouldn't it take more than a couple of seconds to drop the psi to the point where the starter would no longer run?

Of course, if the engine failed to start on the first try, and you had no air left, you'd be sitting for a few minutes while the tank built up enough pressure to attempt a second try. I'm with Dan - I think I'll stick to my electric starter. Although, an air starter does sound cool.