Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Intake Heater Meltdown

[PSU-CE]

A friend called me last night and said on the way to work his check gauges light came on in his 2001 and his volt gauge was all the way down. He was already at work so he left it until after his shift. When he came back out, it wouldn't start. He opened the hood and the neck into the intake was yellowed and blackened from heat. With only 37k on the truck he called the dealer and they hauled it away. So far they are giving him the run around. He has had alot of problems with this truck: rear end went out, front end makes noise, dash and all electronics went out, and of course transfer pump failure. It appears as though the intake heater grid had stayed on until 'meltdown'. Has anybody else encountered this intake heater grid problem, and if so what was the cause?



PSU-CE

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Stuck Intake Grid Heater Relay. They draw 110 AMPS so with those cookin' all the time those batteries are spent ... Never the less a massive load on the poor alternator!

 

[PSU-CE]

ToolManTimTaylor



I didn't see the damage but can the heater actually melt, and would this lead to the possibility of the melted heater (or pieces) dropping into the intake? I want to make sure that my friend knows what to check and ask about before he gets it back from the dealer.



PSU-CE

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Never seen a melted one as aluminium needs a wicked amount of heat to actually melt it (It will pop and shatter first) It sure will discolor though. The grid itself is copper/nickle/alloy type material and I suppose could break if hot enough and jarred. That I could see winding up in the intake trough. Have him ask if he can see the old grid and or relays.

 

[JFitzgerald]

Had a problem last night so I searched on grid heater problems and found this post with a problem similar to mine.



Started the truck cold and left for work like normal. In the first 1/2 mile I noticed the lights were dim as usual when the heater cycles, but they were staying dim instead of cycling. It was colder than it has been, so this didn't alarm me until the dinger went of and the "check gauges" light lit up. The voltmeter was as low as she goes. I could smell that "hot electrical" smell. I turned around and pulled back in the barn, shut it down, then re-started. The voltmeter went to about 12, but something still wasn't right. I had to get to work, so I took the van to work. :{



This morning, after having some time to think about it, I checked the wiring to the grid heater and tapped the relays. Then I started it and it cycled like normal and the voltmeter acted like normal. I assume my relays are sticking. Are they serviceable (can the contacts be cleaned?). Is this a dealer-only item or can they be had from Cummins or elsewhere? Thanks for any help.

 

[PSU-CE]

If I remember correctly, the dealer ended up replacing his relays. I did see the intake "neck", the heat turned it black at the base and blue then yellow towards the hump hose.



Can't help you on the relays, I stay away from electric!

 

[JFitzgerald]

Thanks. I didn't see any heat damage, and the heaters have been working fine since. I'm still going to look for some replacement relays.