Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Factory ECM has fast idle option in cold weather

[juicedcummins]

Today it worked!Why? IT was +2C at noon when I fired her up. It ran for about 30sec's and up it went. The snow was running off the roof as water and a puddle beside the truck. What gives?

IT hasn't worked before not plugged in as low as -17c so why did it decide to work today?Yesterday it ran for an hour and it was a lot colder out without a sign.

The only thing I did different was when I parked last night I tried to pull the codes with the key on and of thing. I tried the batch of 3 twice and couln't get a code to come up. The odometer displayed each time.

Today all my mod's were hooked up and on. It was also started with remote start same as always.



My buddy has an 01 and it doesn't work either. Today he pulled his codes and code 500came up. Tommorow he is going back to get it done again. The dealer said that they were told to do it a few times to get it to work. THis was supposed to have come from DC. I'll know more in a couple of days.



This will be great with remote start once they get it sorted out. No flippen a switch except on the coffee maker!

 

[Mpoland]

Screwed again!

Well, after paying for IT twice... IT still doesn't work. What a RIP OFF!!!



I'm going to call DC in the morning... for what it's worth!

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

I brought my truck in this past Tuesday (1/8) to have it reflashed for the cold weather fast idle because it wasn't working and after I had talked to the tech, he said the software was updated from before but he had forgotten to enable it Guess I can't be too mad when the guy apologized up and down... we all make mistakes.



Being the temp has been in the 40's all week here in tropical MN I haven't been able to try it out yet I'll keep you guys posted.



Paul

 

[waltk]

I have been following this with interest... So-far, I have had my re-flash done on 4 Jan 2002, did not work (much as others have reported). I have had no discernable affect positive or negative on economy. I took truck back 11 Jan 2002 to have lack of functionality investigated. The technician that worked on my truck told me that based upon *his* conversation with STAR, the fault was in the fact differing versions of DRB tools are in the hands of dealerships. The enable-instructions present in the TSB apparently are applicable to most-recent-revision DRB's... he received different instructions from STAR and the high idle and three cylinder idle remainenabled on my truck now across engine starts, sadly, temperature parameters have not been met, yet. I can not yet confirm operation, but the functions do remain enabled.



Walt K.

 

[David_VT]

Espar is great but still no fast idle...

Still waiting for mine to work... ...





My need for the fast idle software is not super critical but just an irritation at this point. I start with local volunteer emergency med. soon and hope to have some high idle solution in place by then.



I have a growing number of kits to install on the truck but it looks like most will have to wait till spring since my only garage is filled with horse hay.



My espar is the saving grace when I have the time to let it warm the engine. The espar fails when the fuel tank is low (as designed), Fails when the fuel gells in it's small fuel line (fix with additive).



Belated happy new year to all, been busy becoming a part owner in a VT based ISP.

 

[FL70CAT]

Can't someone here hook up a V. O. M. and chech the resistance or voltage of the IAT sensor output and see if it correlates to the outside temperature??

How about the Cummins road relay, diagnostic box..... anyone using it??

 

[juicedcummins]

Today mine worked again. This is the 3'rd time and the 2'nd day in a row. Truck ran for 40mins aand was real toasty when I slipped under the wheel.

I may try to plug it in tonight and see if it works in the am. It is supposed to get colder tonight. But I"D be suprised if it works.

Which sensor did it get info from?I've heard under battery temp&IAT sensor. Which is it ?I would say from what I read itis the IAT.

FL70CAT-my voltmeter is on the fritz.

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

It worked! I was in Duluth, MN this past weekend and when I started the truck (unplugged) in the AM, outside temp was 21 degrees. I started it, began scraping the windows, and got disgusted because it did not initially work. Guess I did not give it enough time because after a few minutes, the idle crept up to 1150. Now I hope it gets very cold so I can test the 3 cylinder function.



Paul

 

[waltk]

Good news,



My fast idle worked this morning... no forecast containing low-enough temps for 3-cylinder function in sight. *But* I do believe my experience reveals part of the difficulty, i. e. differing versions/revisions of DRB's in the field, miscommunication between STAR/ServiceManager/Technician/Customer, instances of unwillingness on part of dealership personnel to contact and listen-to STAR.



Since Welton Motors in Oneida, NY did indeed talk with STAR on Friday 11 Jan and had initially performed my flash on Friday 4 Jan, I am reluctant to believe the dealership quoted as saying 'Chrysler put these on hold because of a problem'. Furthermore, since Welton Motors' technician did indeed successfully enable my fast-idle function after receiving correct instructions from STAR pertaining to the revision of DRB they have on-site, I do not believe *any* dealership should require more than two visits and that would be worst-case (just like my case).



Just my observations and comments, I have no affiliation with Welton Motors, other than having determined they are my best option for dealership-only services.



Walt K.

 

[Mpoland]

enabling the fast idle

Can anyone tell me if there was a seperate setting to enable the fast idle? I watched the tech enable the "3-cylinder operation" but the tech could NOT find an "enabling" function for the fast idle.



But of course, neither has worked! It has not been cold enough for the "3 cylinder" operation... . but no fast idle!

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

Mpoland,



I am assuming there is a way to enable the software but I obviously don't know how because the tech that worked on my truck said he forgot to enable it the first time and it did work after he enabled it the second time. If you want, maybe the tech working on your truck can call the tech that worked on mine. Email me if you need a name and phone number of the tech.



Paul

 

[HTRDHLR]

Does anyone know if I get the PS high idler would it be a "void" warranty issue?? I knd of like that method over the three cylinder shut down

 

[waltk]

Regarding the question of enabling fast idle as well as three cylinder operation... since my truck would not fast idle until the technician at Welton Motors spoke to STAR and was made aware of the correct procedure to enable with the revision of DRB in-house at Welton Motors and then utilized that procedure *WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE PROCEDURE IN THE TEXT OF THE TSB* fast idle now works, I was assured that there are two features to enable... fast idle *and* three cylinder...



Walt K.



members -- those of us in differing geographic-areas should, as a service to others, post those dealership and technician names that have learned the magic of flashing and enabling this feature... I will start -- Welton Motors, Oneida, NY (315) 363-3100; technician's name is Mark.

 

[Newf Limo]

I had mine done yesterday. It took two trips. I should have remembered to ask the tech if he enabled the three cylinder Idle while I was there, but I called when I got home. "What do you mean Enable" So I went back down the mountain and he hooked up the DRB III and found the three cylinder Idle section and enabled it, 4 times. But I have a feeling that the High Idle software isn't in there right to begin with. Let's just say I don't have alot of faith in this guy, he seemed pretty clueless about everything including cold weather problems with diesels. It was borderline 32 degrees last night and it didn't work. I will wait 'till a colder day and try again Not real impressed with my dealer. It cost me $70. 00, Thiefs. We move to Maine next month, Wanted it done for the trip. Might have to wait until after the move.

 

[WTBurke]

Hey FL70CAT CAUTION V. O. M.



Care must be used when taking any voltage or resistance readings. Be sure the device you use has extreamly high input resistance so as not to "load" the circuit that you may be measuring.



A good device will have at least 20 meg-ohms per volt at it's input test terminals or more.



Always remember we must "lightly sniff" the spagetti sauce never put your nose directly into the sauce pan... it could ruin the sauce.



Great "isolation" allows us to get a -TRUE- reading without the circuit under test knowing it's being measured.



The variations of our TEMP sensors are "excited" from 0 to 1 volt only in most cases. The ECU will deduce extreamly small variations in "current change" as the resistance changes in these thermal devices.

SORRY... I dable in electronics... thought a bit of theory here might prevent an accident



William

 

[WestTN]

Any ETH's working?

I need the name of a dealer who has flashed the cold idle software into an ETH truck. My selling dealer in Tennessee said he couldn't load it because the machine says it has the most up to date software available. The local Okeechobee, FL dealer says the same thing. I called STAR customer support and they echoed the dealer. They are saying this software is only for auto'a and 5 speeds.

 

[Texas Diesel]

BS, I have a HO 6 speed 2001. 5, and have the update and it works.

You MAY have it already installed and just need to enable it. They told me the exact same thing, that I had the most current update. Go into you PCM using the DRB and look at INSTALLED updates, that is how we found that i already had it. Seems like we found it listed under Misc or something like that.

 

[WestTN]

ETH cold idle

Thanks, Texas Diesel.

I'll try this and see if the dealer can find it.

 

[Newf Limo]

I spent a couple hours yesterday with the Service Manager of Moss Dodge, trying to figure out what the deal was with this update. She wasn't convinced it existed because her computer would not show that TSB. She walked me through the whole process so I understand her lack of confidence in it. Plus, being in southern California, they know very little about Cold weather and Diesels (They need to come up here to the mountains!) She was ready to give up, so I took out my trusty cell phone and called Mark (service Mgr. Welton Motors, Oneida N. Y. ) They chatted and he said he would forward the info via fax. She gets it and to her dismay, it was exactly what I had printed from the TDR. But, it still didn't help. So, we called STAR. The head "Flash" guru seemed to only know about a cold wx hard start update. You should have seen the looks on our faces when he asked, 2001 Cummins, is that the 24 valve? The service manager looked as though she wished she hadn't used the speaker phone He couldn't help so he asked if we wanted to talk to the Diesel department? Uh. . . Yeah! So, I talkede with the Diesel God himself! It seems that the Software is already in the ECM'S. The DRBIII is used to enable it. It is under Cummins and Misc. and 3cylinder Idle.

So, now Moss Bros. Dodge is willing and able to do the Job. It still cost me $70 bucks though. I definately got over charged. It should only take 10 minutes to do the job.

Good luck! Next week I will be in Tahoe, Maybe it will be cold enough there to test it. We have only just hit freezing here. Strange Winter



Two notes: 1) Thank you WaltK for the name and # of your service manager, Mark. My dealer WOULD NOT CALL it, so I did while I had them trapped in the office

2) The latest software update for the DRBIII is 53. 1

If they are using 53. 0 or lower, it can still be done but they will have to page back and go through the ENABLE process a couple times. If they have any questions, make them call STAR- Diesel department, not the flash department!

 

[jdkenyon]

I decided that while I had my truck in for several other things I would have them enabled this feature as well. As usual, I get the truck back, leave it parked outside overnight (21 degrees) and let it idle in the morning. Nothing. Big surprise. I took it back to the dealer and argued until they let me talk to the mechanic. He said it should already work. I had to walk him through the instructions for enabling the feature since he hadn't bothered reading that far yet. It said disabled when we found it. Changed it and tested the next morning. Works as advertised now.