hi, 
  Have to ask... what's the temp. like down that way?
Once you reach the low 40's or lower you may well need the ether. I believe it's a matter of the wear on the engine. Once the compression is down  some, they become a little harder to start. I have a 770 that always needs a short snort o' the ether regardless of the temp. It seems that every Oliver I have likes a little whiff of alcohol in the morning when its cold! <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->  That being said, the 1255 Fiat-built Oliver never needs ether even down at zero and the 1850 will start without at 30 degrees. I have a Ford diesel that I bought new in 1978 and it has always needed the ether, even when new, but by the same token, I have a 27 year old Kubota that starts fine at 15 below zero without ether.....go figure!
   I wouldn't sweat it too much, but just remember not to use any sort of preheater with the ether.  If you think it may be a matter of temperature, you can install a block heater...should start just like a warm morning!
            Cal