Glow plug? / plug in

[KDurst]

This is my first post on this site, I could really use some help.



I have a 2003 Ram, this is the first winter that I had to plug it in to start it.

Now a new problem, I drove it to work the other day (55 miles, hour drive). When I went to start it 4 hours later, it wouldn't start. I plugged it in and I was able to start it after an hour. It's not like the temperature is that cold out. It was only in the mid 20's.

Anyone have any ideas on what could be causing this?

Is there a seperate fuse for the heating element that the 110v plug in might by pass? The light goes on for the "glow plug" and turns off like it normally does.

 

[Tinman]

Firstly, welcome to the forum.



You don't have glow plugs, you have a grid heater in the intake horn to warm the in coming air.



In the 20's you shouldn't have to plug is up,so something is amiss. I know my second gen wouldn't like if it was cranked that cold without the grid heater.



The CRs crank better in the cold but might have trouble without a grid heater at that temp. My thoughts are: Grid heater malfunction, timing/software issue, bad fuel. Does it smoke much at start up?



Check the grid heater, and then maybe add some fuel additive.

 

[matches]

Welcome to the TDR, best people for your CTD.

After it starts, do you notice your lights dim then get bright, then dim. If so this is an indicator that your grid heater is working properly, it draws a lot of amps, when you turn the key on you should see the voltage guage drop low while it cycles on then off. If you don't have these symptoms your grid heaters might not be working, causing hard cold starts.

 

[DLane]

Injectors going bad... been there and done it

 

[rbattelle]

Injectors going bad... been there and done it

There's a good chance that's true, but a quick check of the grid heaters is definitely in order first.



Have a look at this thread.



Ryan

 

[AHolt]

I run my truck year round without a grid heater.

I have never had to plug in, even with temp down to 0.

Truck will run rough for a few seconds,then fine.

 

[WoodChuck]

We need more info to properly diagnose. When you say it won't start is it cranking and not starting or not even cranking? You might still have original batteries and if you do I would start there. I'm still on the original batteries after 5 yrs and they're holding up good.

 

[KDurst]

Thanks for the welcomes, I appreciate it.



I'll try to answer the questions in the order of the replies / questions I received them.



No, it's doesn't smoke much at start up. I think the grid heater works, because the lights do dim when it kicks in. I do run additive in it. I've run it in there for a few years.

Here's a little history, within the first year I was having problems with it running bad, it was obviously plugged injectors. Dealership wanted $4,000 to change them. My brother found out that there was a silent recall on the trucks (he worked at Chrysler at the time) because cummins put a wrong size fuel filter on some of the trucks. When my truck was there at the dealership, there were 6 trucks (all 2003's) with the same problem. Chrysler denied the problem and I fought them to to prevail. So my brother suggested an additvie. I've been running Power service octane boost for a while and it helped. A month ago it started running like crap, surging, stalling when i was sitting with the truck in drive (wouldn't stall and idled fine when it was in neutral or park) and it was warmed up, it would never stall when it was cold. Which made it more puzzling.

So we thought it might have been some bad fuel, so my brother picked up some Shaeffer "soy" additive and I've been running that for a month. I've been changing the fuel filter every 2 weeks or sooner if it started running rough again. We plan on running the gallon worth thru it, and if it continues to run bad, change the injectors. Other than this cold starting, it seems to be runing better since starting the Shaeffer additive.



Yes, the truck does crank over, just won't fire.



After running it and leaving it unpluggled. If I try to start it after 4 hours it won't start. I have to plug it back in, wait an hour and it will start.



Could the fuel heater cause the problem if it isn't working? I've pulled both fuel heater fuses and plan on taking them in to have them tested for being bad or not.

 

[steved]

The surging sounds like a failing Fuel Control Actuator... FCA.

If you didn't already know, make sure you locate a nearby Cummins shop... you can get most of the engine parts from them a whole lot cheaper than through Dodge.

 

[KDurst]

Just to give an update. The problem was fixed by replacing a bad fuel heater.

1 probblem down a few to go.

 

[KDurst]

Another update

Well it was o. k. for a week. Now I'm back to plugging it in again. So I don't know if my mechanic got a bad heater from the dealership or if there's something electrical going on with the heater. Maybe a sensor or bad connection type issue?

 

[CToney]

Clean all connections with electrical contact cleaner. If your lift pump is on the side of the engine not in the tank, look into an aftermarket pump/filters. Finer filtration is better. To check for DTC codes cycle the key off and on 3 times and read codes on the odometer. I don't use a fuel heater but always use winter diesel in the winter. Always plug the truck in when cold it is easier on the battery and alternators. Remove key from ignition when parked as this drains the battery if the key is left in the ignition. Batteries don't last forever either.

 

[KKohagen]

I didn't see this mentioned, but when was the last time the coolant was changed. It may be that in the short amount of time the water/coolant may be freezing in and around the water pump and may cause issues. I don't think this is the whole issue, but I would check the freeze protection of your coolant.
I think it may be the injectors and/or the FCA (as previously mentioned), but we seem to be grasping at straws so to speak. Let us know.

 

[KDurst]

I've recently changed the anti freeze. Saturday I went to start it, and it wouldn't even start with it plugged in. The only way to start it was by using starting fluid (I know it's not recommended), I let it run for a while. It would start after that as long as it was warm. The day before, I noticed when I pulled the extension cord from the wall socket, that the plug was kind of warm. I'm wondering if I blew a fuse got blown or not. I'll check it when I get home tonight.

Temperatures were in the upper single digits at night this weekend.

After I check it out tonight, I'll probably make arrangements to take it to a Cummins dealership.

 

[rbattelle]

This is really sounding like a fuel system problem (possibly an injector).

Ryan

 

[KDurst]

Well I know the block heater isn't working now. Just by how long it takes for the grid heater signal to go off. When the heater was working the sign would go off in a couple of seconds, now it takes about 10 to 15 seconds to go off.

 

[RShipp]

I would be thinking something in the heater circuit. Relay, manifold air temp sensor, or grid itself. If it works once you plug it in and get some heat into it, then I don't see how it could be anything else. Warming an engine up would not correct a failing injector.

 

[KDurst]

Still no solutions

After 4 weeks at a garage in Lapeer, I took my truck to a diesel shop (kenworth) in Mt. Clemens. They replaced the block heater, but they can't find out why it will start when it's left in the shop over night, but won't start when it's outside over night.

They kept saying that it was from in in the system, yet they can't find an air leak. Then they thought it was a bad fuel blow back valve, they replace that, and that didn't fix it. They check the fuel pressure to the lift pump and it was fine. They checked the pressure to the injectors and that was fine.

So after 2 weeks there, no they sent it across the street to the Cummins Ridgeway shop. They've had it for 5 days now, and they still don't know what is going on.

This is getting pretty frustrating.

 

[steved]

This is indicative of worn injectors that are returning too much fuel to the tank.

 

[KDurst]

I'm heading over to the Cummins place this afternoon. The injectors is what they were looking at next.