Below zero temps and all is not well...

[sdstriper]

You know the routine, the temps go down and so does everything else... Bite your tongue Pete!



Master Cylinder gave up the fight, the grid heater is glitchy now with the WTS light flashing, blinkers switch won't return and that's just on my CTD truck...



My other POS winter beater is down and out for the count I think...



Whewww :{

 

[cerberusiam]

You know the routine, the temps go down and so does everything else... Bite your tongue Pete!



Master Cylinder gave up the fight, the grid heater is glitchy now with the WTS light flashing, blinkers switch won't return and that's just on my CTD truck...



My other POS winter beater is down and out for the count I think...



Whewww :{

Sounds all too familiar.



One of the main reasons I left SD for warmer regions. Only advice I have is "Drive South".

 

[JGrefenstette]

ive had similar problems, in my truck. and i traced most of the electrical glitches back to an old ECM. it seems that the older the ecm the more sensitve it is the the extreme temps. especially cold. i dont know the exact make up of its internals, but i assume it consists of some resistors and diodes, and probly a few other simple electrical cackalakys. a total guess her, so dont count on anything i say from this point :-laf but i would emagine that the extreme temps would cause the resistance values of the diodes and resistors in the ecm, wich are probly already weak. which would cause all sorts of grimlins in the electrical system. sometimes i wish these trucks either had absolutly ZERO electronics, a fully computer controled system, that could be diagnosed and controled outside the vehicle.

 

[cerberusiam]

a total guess her, so dont count on anything i say from this point :-laf but i would emagine that the extreme temps would cause the resistance values of the diodes and resistors in the ecm, wich are probly already weak.

Good guess, but, electronics generally function much more consistently the lower the temps, less heat equals less resistance.



Temps that effect electronics are most always due to the boards they are embedded in contracting and seperating more as the temp drops. What makes an adequate connection at 70's ambient temps will sometimes be open at -20. It will go the other way also with heat causing intermittent malfs as the boards swell.



ECM's are frequently the source of a lot of problems for thse reason and they are just a pain to track down. Dag it into a shop where it is warm enough to work on it and it will run like a champ. Drive it out the door and down the road and it will make you walk home. :-laf

 

[PToombs]

Jeez, how did I get a bad reputation? :-laf

Ross, have your wife get in the cab with you to warm things up.

I'm sure when it gets hot, everything will work better.



I meant when it gets warm out, the truck will work better. Boy, you have a dirty mind!

 

[sdstriper]

No ECM on the early trucks. I'm thinking poor wiring connections or thermistor going bad. Could be the grid heater controller. The grid cycled funny and the wait to start was flashing like the thermistor was unhooked. I'll clean up the connections etc. and refer to the FSM to figure it out.



The stuff that breaks off in the cold I'll have to consider replacing...

 

[JLEONARD]

I would first re-do all the ground connections.

 

[Jgolden]

Jeez, how did I get a bad reputation? :-laf

Ross, have your wife get in the cab with you to warm things up.

I'm sure when it gets hot, everything will work better.



I meant when it gets warm out, the truck will work better. Boy, you have a dirty mind!

Pete your reputation is safe.



PS: I cant knock weather in your part of NY anymore, had my power out for 6 days ice storm. Crews all the way from Michigan (Reed lake?) in my area. Had to start old reliable 1st gen motorhome on coldest day (8*) to move away from trees, that just kept falling for days from the weight of 1 1/2 inches of ice.

 

[PToombs]

Ross, you could just put a switch on the grid relays and run them by hand. Then when it warms up outside, fix it.



Joe, sorry to hear that. We didn't get anything for ice.

 

[GHarman]

sdstriper, Just got done with a whole bunch of electrical issues, back in the early part of the year, with "Old Ugly". This is what I had to do. I dont know if this will fit your symptoms. Replaced the alternator, Brushes completely gone. Intermittent contact on the BRUSH SPRINGS! New Voltage regulator. Replaced the PCM (used unit) and the instrument cluster (used unit). Cleaned all contacts. Automotive electrician rebuilt the engine wiring harness. It seems to work great. The time on for the heating element greatly increased with the replacement of the PCM. It would hardly come on for a count above 55*F, before the PCM was replaced. GregH