Editing Starting fluid (section)

{{Short description|Flammable substances added to aid engine combustion}}
'''Starting fluid''' is a [[Volatility (chemistry)|volatile]], [[flammable liquid]] which is used to aid the starting of [[internal combustion engine]]s, especially during cold weather or in engines that are difficult to start using conventional starting procedures. It is typically available in an [[aerosol spray]] can, and may sometimes be used for starting direct injected diesel engines or [[lean burn]] spark engines running on [[alcohol fuel]]. Some modern starting fluid products contain mostly volatile [[hydrocarbon]]s such as [[heptane]] (the main component of natural gasoline), with a small portion of [[diethyl ether]], and [[carbon dioxide]] (as a propellant).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/5671.pdf |title=CRC JUMP START Starting Fluid |access-date=2013-12-17 |archive-date=2016-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815225424/http://www.crcindustries.com/faxdocs/msds/5671.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://s7d9.scene7.com/is/content/GenuinePartsCompany/716677pdf |title=NAPA Premium Starting Fluid}}</ref> Some formulations contain [[butane]] or [[propane]] as both propellant and starting fuel. Historically, diethyl ether, with a small amount of oil, a trace amount of a [[Diethyl ether#Safety and stability|stabilizer]] and a hydrocarbon propellant has been used to help start internal combustion engines because of its low {{convert|160|C|F}} [[autoignition temperature]].<ref name="MSDS">{{cite web | url = http://hazard.com/msds/mf/baker/baker/files/e2340.htm | title = Ethyl Ether MSDS | publisher = J.T. Baker | accessdate = 2017-12-28}}</ref>

Diethyl ether is distinct from [[petroleum ether]] (a crude oil distillate consisting mostly of [[pentane]] and other [[alkanes]]) which has also been used for starting engines.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}}