No start when it is cool

[DWebster]

I have just begun having a problem with cold weather starting. The overnight temperature is only in the low thirties or high twenties. When I try to start my truck in the morning the starter will crank and it tries to start, but the battery will die first. Once it is jumped it starts fine and will continue to start fine throughout the day, unless I leave it for several hours and the weather is cold and or wet.



I have started plugging it in at nights and this has allowed me to get it started in the morning without having to jump the battery.



I just had the batteries checked (after a short drive of 1 mile) and they are both up to 12V. I did try to charge a battery on an RV unit, this past summer, and drained the battery at that time. I was able to jump it and get it started. I have had not other problems since then until now.

This is a 98 24 valve.

 

[Bob Wagner]

the Cummins really sucks the amperage[grid heater] when starting if the batteries are the original , its time to replace them.



Just because the battery shows 12v is meaningless

 

[chuck3]

Bad Batt.

Sounds like a bad battery, take it to AutoZone and have an amp draw done on it that will tell you if the battery has some dead cells.

 

[Lsfarm]

Grid heater??

How long is it cranking before the battery dies??



If it cranks normally for say 10-20 seconds and doesn't start, then I would believe that the grid heater is not working.



If it still cranks a lot when you jump it to get it going , it still sounds like the grid heater.



If preheating with the block heater is doing the trick, I really believe it is the grid heater.



Just my opinion. And my experience with my '96.



A test light will tell if there is voltage to the heater, you may have to remove the intake elbow to see if the grid gets hot.



Hope this helps, Greg L

 

[fmj]

I agree with chuck3, you need to have the batteries checked under load. If they check out you need to start looking for a slow drain. I had my truck at near zero for a week while hunting and the morning we left it was around 10 degrees. It took a while for the wait light to go out, and once it did the truck started right up. You shouldn't drain the batteries that fast. If it a slow drain it can be anywhere. I had a friend that had a problem keeping the batteries up, and even had the centeral brain (of course it was a GMC) replaced. It turned out to be his LOJack. The LOJack has an internal battery like your watch and it was shorted which created a direct short to ground, draining batteries over a 24 hour period. I hope yours is just a battery. Good luck.

 

[DWebster]

No start when it is cool - Reply

Thank you for all of your input. I took the truck into AutoZone and the first battery tested out as bad. It starts great right now, but I am waiting for a few more days before I declare the patient recovered. It is not an expense that I wanted or needed right now, but it is done and my wife can now drive it without worying about how to get it started.



Thank you again.