Dealer Conclusion for my smoke at (very) cold weather startup!

[Scooby]

Ugh... sometimes I think I'm going to hurt my neck... cause all I can do is shake my head.



Like several here I've had an occasional rough idle start with a TON of smoke while starting in the morning at roughly 15 degrees F. When I start, I always follow proper start up procedure: I'm anal and paid a crapload of money for this truck so I'm going to do everything within my power correctly.



Back to the story... At the dealer I complained about the smoke, rough idle, howling from the rear end, whining from the rear end, and a rattle in the door (which appeared after they replace my broken drivers door lock mechanism). I explained that the smoke is only after a cold soak start and the rear end noises are really loud when the truck is cold.

They kept the truck for three days and two nights. Naturally I had no idea how long they planned to keep it and they never called with updates. I had to call each day to inquire as to the status of my vehicle.



I guess its too late to say "to make a long story short", but in the end the service advisor relayed to me what the problem was. Apparently the tech went outside and started it in 18 degree weather. He did a quick start as they called it (which means jumping in an cranking it without waiting for the heater grids to cycle and the light to go out). As you can guess, they saw TONS of smoke Suprise!! Then the guy goes back inside and starts the truck after an hour or so. Only this time he does a proper start and see no smoke. Wow. BUT WAIT, IT GETS BETTER...



The service advisor explains to me that it sure did smoke on the quick start... and the reason it did is because the heaters and glow plugs didn't have the chance to heat the fuel properly. That's right he said "glow plugs". :{



This is the same guy who said my shims were adjusted perfectly on my AA rear end. Ok. Thanks, but these don't have shims.



By the way, the door rattle is gone! And apparently my truck is really heavy duty and so the howling and whining coming from the rear end is normal. Ouch - there goes my neck... .

 

[lil red cummins]

i'll tell ya: it just makes me nuts when i have to go to the dealer.



have to make sure i have no weapons when i go there.



so still no fix for the smoking truck then?



i assume you mentioned the TSB for smoke at cold start, to the service person?



boy am i glad i got the 04. 0.



good luck with this. we are here for you.



jim

 

[DocDetonancour]

I don't know, but suspect that the "tech" is poorly paid and could care less. See a lot of this, IMO. Doc

 

[JHertz]

Sorry I have not figured out how to fill out my signature yet. But any way I have a 04. 5 2500 4x4 and had a cold start problem similar to yours. when I started the truck it would take at least until the second turn of the key to get it running and then it would run very very ruff as well as a lot of smoke.

The first time I went to the dealer they told me that they where waiting for chrysler to put out a new program for cold starts and that I shoud call them every month to find out if they had it yet. After three weeks of this going on I got fed up and took it in again and they decided that I had a faulty cam sensor. After having to order the part and install I have had no problems with cold, ruff, smoky starts. :-laf

 

[RChamberlain]

I got the tsb done on my truck saturday for the white smoke and the mpg i haven't notice any change in the smoke but the mpg I have, I plug mine in at night on a timer that kicks on 3 hrs before I go to work so when I get in the truck the wait to start light goes off right after I turn the key on, it your not pluging it in at night in 15 deg probley alot of you problem if I doun't plug mine in it runs rough right after starting.

 

[Buzzer]

I've noticed if I have it plugged in for a few hours mine starts right up with no smoke, even if its 0 degrees out. If its not plugged in then when I start I have alot of smoke and a rough idle for a bit. I've come to the conclsion that if the block is semi warm there appears to be more complete combustion so I'm not complaining. As far as the rear goes based on all I've heard from others I think it is normal for the differential to whine a bit. I've gotten so used to it now I don't even notice it unless I specificlly listen for it.

 

[DCaswell]

My rear end howled from the get-go & they told me it was tire noise. I waited until 5k before warranty expired & went in & insisted something be done. New gears in rear & no howl. Tech said it was an SOB to get set up correctly.

 

[WyattEarp]

I would have thought someone would have chimed in about cycling the grid heaters more than once, if i can't plug it in, ie. at work for instance, at 32 to 20 degrees i cycle once. from 19-0degrees i cycle twice and from there depending if the wind has been blowing all nite i cycle 3 times but if the wind hasn't been blowing just 2 times with the grid heaters and i haven't had any problems, and also at the temps we have been seeing at mid teens to -15 below your going to see smoke even sometimes if you have had it plugged up. Of course mine has almost 97500 on the odometer but with strong batteries mind has sit all nite and i have started with no problems at -20 degrees... just my 2 cents maybe something i mentioned will help out.

 

[swexlin]

My 04. 5 started right up this morning at 5* after a 45 hour cold soak. I live in a condo, and can't plug in. She idled right up to 1000 rpm, and romped for about the first 1-1. 5 minutes, some white smoke, then she calmed down and was smooth as silk.



This has been typical of my cold starts under 20* or so. FWIW, she starts faster, and warms up much more quickly than my 2001 Powerstroke did.

 

[nickleinonen]

why cycle the grids more than once??? i can't see the point why... it will start just fine with one cycle of the grids. it will smoke blue/white when it is cold outside. it is normal... what's the big deal???



my truck started up just fine like that when it was -28°c/-18. 5°f

 

[Scooby]

I had an '01 prior to this that I admit I typically plugged in for at least 3 hours prior to starting when it was below freezing - But these trucks are rated to start without block heaters waaayy below the temp the 2nd gen was.



I haven't tried cycling the grid heaters more than once on these cold mornings because I figured the light goes out when the grid heaters have run long enough for the "Brain" (and I mean the trucks brain) to say - go ahead and start.



I realize it is hard on a motor to start when its 15 outside - heck its tough for me to do anything when its 15 outside. And other than an embarrassing amount of smoke from my environmentally friendlier new common rail system on cold starts, the truck drives great... . I actually miss not driving it if it has been more than a day or two.

 

[JMingledorff]

Compared to my powerstroke where I had to repalce the glow plug relay after the first two cold snaps when I'd go out and crank and crank and crank and only get clouds of white smoke... no start. I'm perfectly happy knowing that my truck starts when I need it to, even if it puffs white smoke for a few minutes. I mean it blows black smoke the rest of the time

 

[swexlin]

Compared to my powerstroke where I had to repalce the glow plug relay after the first two cold snaps when I'd go out and crank and crank and crank and only get clouds of white smoke... no start

Same thing happened to my on my Powerstroke. The Cummins starts easier, cranks less time, and warms up faster on my drive to work, which is only 11 miles.