Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Hi Idle

[Moe]

I know this has been chewed on before, But was'nt there some way to do a high idle switch on my 2000 cummins. I hunted the archives until I got wore out to no luck. Anybody have any input? Thanks, Moe.

 

[Bob4x4]

Some have used a solenoid from carb's that were used to fast idle the gassers. They are not strong enough to raise the linkage but will hold it open.

 

[CumminsAholic]

I have a practical solutions high idler on my truck. You can turn up the idle with the turn of a knob. Works sweet. However I don't know if they're around yet. I found this in another post..... "I were you I would send a PM to TDR member muddymess. Howard has a high idle system that should work perfect for you.



mussy has the contact numbers. "



Hopefully that helps, but that post was 2 years old, I dunno if he's still amember or not. If I sell my truck I'll take the high idler off and sell it... . otherwise I'm keepin it for the winter.

Corey

 

[PC12Driver]

There's a thread over on the DTR about it. You can make one for about $20 with parts from Radio Shack.

 

[icman95]

There is a TSB the the dealer can flash into the ecm. It has certain criteria before it will raise the idle. Something like this:



Air temp <32

Coolant temp <140

In park/neutral.

No clutch, brake, etc activated.



This will raise RPM.



If air temp is <15 then it will also shut down 3 cylinders. The engine sounds like a piston is about to come through the hood, but it works just fine. All of this is computer controlled. You can't turn it on and off at will. I had it done and like it a lot. Helps to warm it up an really cold days.



Per the TSB section on this site the TSB number is 18-019-01.

 

[JDiehl]

The dealer wouldn't reflash my 10-99 made 2000 for high idle. Told me that only newer trucks with a six speed trany could have that option. I have a quadzilla xtz+ now that will enable high idle plus it add a little go power also!

 

[PC12Driver]

The dealer wouldn't reflash my 10-99 made 2000 for high idle. Told me that only newer trucks with a six speed trany could have that option. I have a quadzilla xtz+ now that will enable high idle plus it add a little go power also!

That dealer would be wrong. TSB 18-019-01 works for any of the 1998 1/2-2002 ISBs, ETC or ETH.



I had this perfomed on my truck last year. It works, but the air temp is read from the IAT sensor in the head, and the temperature has to be <32*F at the time of start for the high idle to activate. So if the engine isn't cold soaked, it won't trigger. Start the truck with a 40* block in 0* temps and it won't increase idle. But if the block is below 32* when you start, it will ramp right up to high idle any time the conditions in the TSB are met as long as you don't turn off the truck. So if you start the truck and interrupt the high idle with the brake or whatever, drive a mile and park again without shutting down, it'll rev back up until coolant temp hits 140*. A nifty feature, but the whole temperature-at-start thing kinda cripples it. That's where a switched setup is handy.

 

[icman95]

That's where a switched setup is handy

. You got that right. I like the TSB flash alot, but in the commercial trucks at work we can turn the idle up and down at will. I like that even better. This was the only thing I could come up with at the time for my Dodge. I understand that there are some aftermarket things out there that will do it on demand, but I really haven't looked much. I guess if I were to see one that was easy to install and the price was right, I'd use that instead.

 

[SnoKing]

Anyone with a Smarty can turn on the TSB for you by reloading the stock SW after letting you test something better! SNOKING

 

[JDiehl]

Well I guess the dealer here just doesn't have too many request for the high idle option. They sure had a funny look on their face when I asked about it! Even went to the shop and asked a service tech about it. Gave me a long winded answer on how it couldn't be done. Sure would have been handy last winter. Armed with the tsb info would probably get me into trouble marching in there.

 

[tazzen]

Anyone with a Smarty can turn on the TSB for you by reloading the stock SW after letting you test something better! SNOKING

are you sure about that? just wondering because i did test drive a smarty program. ill have to see when my truck sits out in the cold if it does that. that would be sweet

ed

 

[Moose Truck]

There is a TSB the the dealer can flash into the ecm. It has certain criteria before it will raise the idle. Something like this:



Air temp <32

Coolant temp <140

In park/neutral.

No clutch, brake, etc activated.



This will raise RPM.



If air temp is <15 then it will also shut down 3 cylinders. The engine sounds like a piston is about to come through the hood, but it works just fine. All of this is computer controlled. You can't turn it on and off at will. I had it done and like it a lot. Helps to warm it up an really cold days.



Per the TSB section on this site the TSB number is 18-019-01.

If you know anyone with a 24 Valve 2nd Gen Smarty, they can (Re-)flash your truck with this. I Know for a fact that it works with an Auto transmission. Moose

 

[DDT]

If it helps a couple years ago I went to NAPA and bought a cheap trottle lock for a big truck $35. 1/4 turn locks it into place and made a bracket under the dash and hooked it above the go pedal on the metal linkage, drilled a small hole and run the cable through it and got a small cable clamp for the back side. I worked great on my 03.

 

[SnoKing]

are you sure about that? just wondering because i did test drive a smarty program. ill have to see when my truck sits out in the cold if it does that. that would be sweet

ed

Yes I believe the stock Smarty program includes the TSB for high idle. And by default it is set to turned on!



Truck has to REALLY cold soak to make it work. Have TP ready the first time it goes into 3 cylinder mode, as you may mess your pants!



Note: Most dealers can not do it right the first time. Mine was one of the early ones to get turned on and it took me setting there in the cab with the tech and the TSB at a second dealers shop to get to the correct screen on the DRBII to enable it. First dealer installed TSB but failed to enable it.



Smarty is much easier route. Load a program, have a fun test drive, restore to new stock program that is in Smarty and you are good to go.



SNOKING

 

[JLandry]

Truck has to REALLY cold soak to make it work.

From the TSB:



Once enabled, idle speed will slowly ramp up from 800 rpm to 1200 rpm when all of the following conditions are met:

1. Intake Manifold Temperature less than 0 C (32 F) and,

2. Coolant Temp is less than 60 C (140 F) and,

3. The Transmission is in Neutral or Park and,

4. The Service Brake pedal is not depressed and,

5. Throttle = 0% and,

6. Vehicle Speed = 0 mph​

Additionally, if Intake Manifold Temperature (IMT) is less than -9 C (15 F), and all of the parameters above are met, three of the cylinders will be shut off upon reaching 1200 rpm, creating a slight change in engine sound which is normal. This allows the engine to create increased heat in the cooling system, allowing more rapid engine warm up and cab heating.



John L.

 

[PC12Driver]

Armed with the tsb info would probably get me into trouble marching in there.

Ya gotta remind them who's paying who. You're right though, they're not very receptive when you walk in with a printout and say "they guys on the internet said this will work. " Service departments typically assume they know more than the owner does. I was told that they'd never heard of that and that it wouldn't work (if they hadn't heard of it, how do they know it won't work?). It came down to me paying them for an hour of labor and they'd "try" it (5-Star dealer btw).



Basically, the high idle program was added to the truck's ECM from the factory somewhere in mid 2001 (ETHs got it earlier), but it wasn't activated. With those trucks, the dealer can basically plug in the DRBIII tool and enable the program. For the rest of the trucks, they'll have to re-flash the ECM with the latest ECM program revision(s) from Dodge first so the high idle program gets added, then they have to go back and turn it on with the DRBIII (that's the part that gets left out - just flashing the ECM won't do it). It isn't special ECM software, just the latest version available.



If the dealer flashes the ECM up to the latest software, the high idle menu selection will be there.

 

[SSolderitch]

YUP, on a cold morning start up had 1150 rpm until I steped on the brake pedal (given 10 min for warm up) and it droped to my 850 rpm. I have a 5 speed truck and a ECM reflash was done by the dealer last month. I don't remember having a fast idle last winter (my first with a diesel). My guess is a new software code...

 

[SSolderitch]

it was only the low 30 and I heard the "labor" type of sound change - I thought something was wrong.



"Additionally, if Intake Manifold Temperature (IMT) is less than -9 C (15 F), and all of the parameters above are met, three of the cylinders will be shut off upon reaching 1200 rpm, creating a slight change in engine sound which is normal. This allows the engine to create increased heat in the cooling system, allowing more rapid engine warm up and cab heating. "



SO it's normal, thanks. It just caught me by supprise to hear the engine cycle. Unlike a hot idle were she purrs all day long...

 

[SnoKing]

it was only the low 30 and I heard the "labor" type of sound change - I thought something was wrong.



"Additionally, if Intake Manifold Temperature (IMT) is less than -9 C (15 F), and all of the parameters above are met, three of the cylinders will be shut off upon reaching 1200 rpm, creating a slight change in engine sound which is normal. This allows the engine to create increased heat in the cooling system, allowing more rapid engine warm up and cab heating. "



SO it's normal, thanks. It just caught me by supprise to hear the engine cycle. Unlike a hot idle were she purrs all day long...

The "labor" sound was most likely just the grid heaters coming on. SNOKING

 

[johncameron]

"Additionally, if Intake Manifold Temperature (IMT) is less than -9 C (15 F), and all of the parameters above are met, three of the cylinders will be shut off upon reaching 1200 rpm, creating a slight change in engine sound which is normal. This allows the engine to create increased heat in the cooling system, allowing more rapid engine warm up and cab heating. "

It needs to be somewhere just below 0F for it to shut off 3 cylinders.