Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Anyone ever gutted a...

[USMCBay]

... Grid Heater to increase airflow. It got down almost to 31° in the Houston area (Clear Lake) this winter... so obviously I wont be needing the grid heater to start my truck. I've seen the aftermarket power blocks ( http://www.powerbypoole.com/cnc.html )and it looks to me that the stock block gutted our would have more Cubic space internally.



Removing the electrical and plugging holes would seem to do the trick...



... or would it???

 

[DMcPherson]

the heater does more than get the truck started. the opst cycle is also very important. you could get away with it, but I would think that you would have lots of injector problems from carbon

 

[nps]

We've got similar weather in Vegas as you do. I've run with my grids unplugged since last fall. Just pulled off the control wires to the relays and wrapped them with tape.



My son pulled off his grid block and replaced it with a power block.



In both our cases we can put the grids back to work easily.



If you gut your grid block and need them later you may be in for some big $$$. Otherwise do your alternator a favor and get rid of them.

 

[Bob4x4]

I haven't run grid heaters for many years now in the 94,have been down below freezing with out any concerns. No white smoke on cold start where I live either.



Bob

 

[CHolman]

I'm not any diesel tech by any means, but I would leave things be... What would you really pick up? 2 to 5hp,"if that" is it really worth it??? You want to pick up some power in that area? I LOVE my ATS arch flow manifold... . Mine fits good, got it from industrial injection...

 

[Bob Wagner]

Olee machined these up



#ad

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I ran the stock grid heater @800 hp.

 

[USMCBay]

the heater does more than get the truck started. the opst cycle is also very important. you could get away with it, but I would think that you would have lots of injector problems from carbon

How would carbon get into the injectors... would this really be a problem? Isnt it a sealed line up to - and out of the injectors - and then a carbon conducive atmoshpere in the mix??



Believe me... I would be the last to know. Just an honest question.



I like the fact of reducing alternator drag as well...

 

[nps]

... carbon... would this really be a problem?

(I don't think so. )

 

[Bob4x4]

How would carbon get into the injectors... would this really be a problem? Isnt it a sealed line up to - and out of the injectors - and then a carbon conducive atmoshpere in the mix??



Believe me... I would be the last to know. Just an honest question.



I like the fact of reducing alternator drag as well...

The carbon issue is on the egr equipped models,and does not get into the injectors. The flip side of that is,when the egr valve comes apart the grid will normally catch the big pieces



Bob

 

[Rman]

I ran the stock grid heater @800 hp.

Without it you could have had 801! :-laf

 

[rivercat]

The way I take it, The biggest benifit to gutting or running a power block is quicker cooldown times before shutdown. Then again I'm no expert either.

I For one would like to see if a mass air sensor could be rigged up to measure gains in airflow. Any MAS would work if phisically big enough to not be a restriction even without any real calibration gains could be meseured by the decrease of resistance after a base run was made. Might not work on the charge air side but that shouldn't matter the reading just down stream of the air filter would work. OR NO?

 

[DMcPherson]

regaurdless of having an egr or not carbon is a problem. maybe not if it does not idle for extended periods, but the post heat cycle on the heaters is important to bring up intake temps while coolant temps are low, yes even in warm weather, if you do a lot of highway driving its not bad. we have this problem all the time with boats, (for some reason the heaters og a lot) and have all kind of injector problems. like carboning up rather quickly from too low cylinder temps. if yo udrive on the highway a lot it snot a big concers because its coming up to temp pretty quick.

shwandixon its the injector tip in the cylinder that carbons.

and yes I am a cummins service advisor.

 

[USMCBay]

shwandixon its the injector tip in the cylinder that carbons.

and yes I am a cummins service advisor.

Gotcha... starting to seem to me that the gain does not equate to the risk...



Seems like a newly opened can of worms too.



All in all just thought I might had found a 12 Valve style wrenching trick on my 24 Valve'r - probably not... I just love wrenching HP into a Cummins but I don't think the 24's are set up for that...



Thanks

 

[Froadin]

Coolent temps are EASY to bring up if you have an exhaust brake

I have been thinking about doing this kind of bypass on my 01. I ALWAYS use my EB, and would like to not run the alt like it always does.



On the other hand, I see nothing wrong with just leaving it in there. There is no way that thing could cause anything in resistance like the intercooler.

Not sure it would give too much benefit for cooldown either. Sure they hold some heat, but they can't hold THAT much.

 

[OPoole]

... Grid Heater to increase airflow. It got down almost to 31° in the Houston area (Clear Lake) this winter... so obviously I wont be needing the grid heater to start my truck. I've seen the aftermarket power blocks ( http://www.powerbypoole.com/cnc.html )and it looks to me that the stock block gutted our would have more Cubic space internally.



Removing the electrical and plugging holes would seem to do the trick...



... or would it???

The Power-Blok is made out to gasket size.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Unless you are making 600+ hp I doubt you would see any gain from this mod.



Just my 2 cents



CJ

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I've gotten so annoyed at excessive grid heater cycling on my trucks that I've often disconnected them for all but the coldest part of winter. My '03 was the worst, I only ran the grid heaters in December & January. I can't say if my tips carboned up because I never pulled them but the truck ran good and always got good mileage.



I would say if your truck starts with minimal or no smoke when they're disconnected then you're fine for sure without them. During cold weather I try to take a long run (30-45 minutes at least) once a week to "clear" the carbon.



Vaughn

 

[USMCBay]

Unless you are making 600+ hp I doubt you would see any gain from this mod.



Just my 2 cents



CJ

San Leon Huh... I live right in your neck of the woods (or saltgrass :-laf )... Dickinson - near the Green Caye Golf Course!



Howdy Nay-ber!!!!