Archived hard to start

[JamieWood]

I have a 94' 2500 when the temp gets below 50 the truck is hard to start. When it starts it white smokes reallllllllll bad and spits and sputters until it warms up then its fine. I have changed the fuel heater and checked the air heater and everything seems to be in working order. What other problem may it be? Would it maybe the timing?

 

[bmoeller]

I would check the timing, and when you put the 370s in, check the compression.



Given the miles, new injectors may me be in order, as well, if they are original. I see you are looking for 370s, but they do create white smoke and haze in the winter. Nice power, too.



My truck starts better cold, with the 370s. If nothing else, it is from better atomization, as apposed to worn out tips.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Although you checked the air heater, it sounds like it isn't working. Did you check the grid itself, or just the voltage across the grid? The grid could be "open" and you would have voltage but no heat generated.

 

[JamieWood]

Although you checked the air heater, it sounds like it isn't working. Did you check the grid itself, or just the voltage across the grid? The grid could be "open" and you would have voltage but no heat generated.

Just the voltage. How is the grid checked?

 

[RAJohnson]

Check the grid buy removing one of the wire's on either side of it, and ohm out the element with a fluke or simpson meter, from post to post only. By removing one of the leads to the grid heater you are only ohming or checking the resistance of the element. If it shows open or NO resistance then you have a bad grid heater. I'm not sure what the ohm's would be if it were good but I would guess it would be around 1-3K (just a guess)

 

[Joe G.]

The grid heater is almost a dead short. It has to be to draw enough current to drop your voltage to eight volts.



Your idle may be too low.

 

[Alan Reagan]

The grid should be very low resistance. Probably 5-10 if that much.