Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Grid Heater Question

[chazj]

Is it necessary to use the grid heater when it gets below 40 degrees?



My 02 truck seems to start just as easily at 25 degrees as it does at 70 degrees... without waiting for the "wait to start light" to go out.

 

[ANicklas]

I was wondering the same thing.
For some reason, my WTS light still comes on even if it's ~90* out... . I wait out of habit, but a little curious as to why it does this?

 

[mhenon]

Is it necessary to use the grid heater when it gets below 40 degrees?



My 02 truck seems to start just as easily at 25 degrees as it does at 70 degrees... without waiting for the "wait to start light" to go out.

I'v started mine in the low teens with no grids. . but man. . it wasn't happy. It's a simple matter to leave them un-plugged until needed but in your location, Nevada, you might want to hook them up in the winter.

I can plug in my block heater when it gets cold or find myself next to a beach in Mexico for the winter. Either way. . no grids required.

Mike

 

[WTBurke]

To reduce wear and tear on the batteries I disable the grids during warm weather. Remove the high current leads from the battery on the driver's side to prevent the relays from providing DC to the grids. The ECM looks at the relay closure action not the high current flow to the grids. This prevents a code from being locked into the ECM. It doesn't really matter as it won't do any harm if this code is showing anyway.



Grids only heat the air-charge entering the combustion chambers to aid in cold weather starting. (It's an emission thing too... ) However; the CTD will start without these huge current drawing devices, down to some pretty cold temperatures. Your battery life will be much extended if you do this.



I'm in Carson City Nevada during the winter months and mornings are well into the teens quite often. I always hook my B+ back up before I travel into a colder area. My grids are disabled until temperatures reach the low 40's. If I'm in Butte, Montana during the winter the grids are on line.



William