Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) hard to start in the am

[Bill Johnson]

I think the block heater is not working , the wait to start don't stay on long and when it starts it sounds like a pile driver starting up for 30 seconds. has anyone else ever have this happen? Its not the block heater it's the air intake grid heater. last week I had to remove that housing to install a sensor for the fuel guage. after that the truck is starting hard. I don't think I did anything wrong putting it back.

 

[Bill Johnson]

does anyone know how important the air intake grid heater is?

 

[AllianceDiesel]

Did you remember to run a intake bolt through the ground wire?

 

[DavidC]

Looks like your in Florida. Doubt the block or intake heater is required and that is the fast wait to start. The intake does not trigger until below 45 if I remember right which would give you a longer wait to start light. Maybe the sensor you put in is sucking air overnight which would bleed fuel back to the tank.

Dave

 

[Bill Johnson]

the sensor I installed was the oil pressure gauge not the fuel like I said, my mistake. I had to take the intake grid heater housing off to get to it and I thought I put it back on the same way I took it off.

 

[DavidC]

You need to go to the TDR main page then click on Settings. When there scroll down to edit profile. When there scroll down to Additional Information and fill out the Truck Profile so people know what you have. When done scroll down to Save Changes and it will appear on your posts like mine does.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

does anyone know how important the air intake grid heater is?

I totally removed the intake grid heaters when I installed the DTT stainless intake horn:

I don't drive the truck here much in the winter, no 4wd, but truck has started fine clear down at 32 degrees without the heaters...


.

 

[dknoch]

We need more info...what year?, any codes? Did you have to move the fuel filter housing, could you have bumped the lines enough to break a seal and be introducing air, loosing prime? Grid heater will set a code.

 

[KATOOM]

Surprisingly, the grid heaters are more important than people think when the engine is cold. But if you're in a climate which is above around 60* or so then you shouldnt need it much. If its hard starting when the engines cold or after the trucks been sitting then it just may be a fuel leak. Try parking with the nose of the truck down hill. What this does is raise the fuel tank up more to the level of the engine which when the fuel prime is lost due to a leak, gravity isnt pulling that fuel out of the lines and back into the fuel tank. If it starts better or normal with the nose parked downhill then you have a leak.

 

[JR]

Lots of Cummins engines in off-road equipment with no grid heaters and they start just fine in frigid weather. Sure they help, but not necessary. Primarily an emissions thing. I rarely take the time to even let mine cycle until it starts dipping down into the teens.