Intake heater needed???

[JSpecht]

Do you really need the intake heater all the ones I know of that have a rotory pump start good in the winter, I know the powerstrokes will not start if the glow plugs aren,t working ???

 

[Greenleaf]

No. No you don't. I don't have any in favor of a custom intake horn and nor do many of my school buses with the 5. 9 Cummins. 'Nuff said.



GL

 

[1stgen4evr]

intake heater

While the glow plugs achieve similar result, there is really no comparison between the glow plugs and the intake heater. And no it isn't absolutely neccessary. The intake heater is optinal on the cummins. It is a feature that allows the cummins to be a bit more clean burning in the first minute of operation and for REALLY cold start up.



James

 

[JLEONARD]

I think in temps above about 20 deg F the heater is not needed at all. Not even a consideration IMHO.

When the temps are in that region I never have the patience to wait for the grids anyway. I just fire up and go as soon as the oil P starts to register.

In those temps the engine does not start on the very first compression stroke like it does in warmer temps... the engine may crank one revolution or so.

Yes it smokes a bit, but so what.

I have not tried in lower temps without waiting for the grids to work, but I imagine it would start if the battery was strong enough to spin her over good.

With 2 good batteries it will have no problems.



Greenleaf doesn't drive his truck in the winter ( :-laf ), so he doesn't need the heaters.

I have my boat grids disconnected (on a 6bta) because I only boat in spring/summer/fall( )



Usually glow plugs are put on engines with higher compresion ratios that our engines have. My experience is that engines equipped with glow plugs MUST use them to start.

One exapmple... I have a genset on my boat ... . 3 cyl, 8 hp engine... I must glow it even in summer or it won't start. My old VW was the same way. Both these engines have compression ratios in the 20+:1 range.

The Cummins is like 17. 5:1



Jay

 

[cerberusiam]

I guess I will add my 2 cents and a different opinion.



Do you need the grid heaters? No.



Are there for a reason? Yes.



Consider the amount of smoke made when starting cold without the grid heaters. Not only is it fouling the atmosphere, which some people object violently to, but until the engine warms enough to promote complete combustion there is a lot of raw fuel being pushed out the exhaust and fouling the cylinders. The danger of washing down the cylinders causing premature wear and fouling the oil with diesel is a lot greater. The engine warms to operating temps a lot faster with the heaters cycling than not.



Remember, black smoke is GOOD, white smoke is BAD.



Just another opinion among the many.