Replaced the "Killer" Grid Heater Bolt

[Topzide]

Wasn't sure if a had a wiggle on the grid heater bolt or not, So I got the BD replacement kit. I will say that the job wasn't to bad of a job.

Was very surprised of the amount of soot that I found in the intake horn and the intake valley. The cleaning of parts was the most time of the whole job! What a mess! See pics.

The nut was fine, but piece of mind is priceless!

Was surprised to see a couple of bug carcasses!

Liked the way that the kit has a heavier buss bar and no nut hanging to possibly drop off.

Just wanted to show what I came across at 179709.7 miles!

 

[Diesel85]

Wow is that sooty!

I bet you gained some HP and torque from cleaning that out.

Why are there cooked flies in there too?

 

[sag2]

I would say the bugs dropped in when the manifold was lifted off. Otherwise they would be covered with soot.

 

[Tuesdak]

The nut was fine, but piece of mind is priceless!

I was stunned to see this pop up under new items at Genos Garage. (It's on backorder now.) Yeah, Shut Up and Take My Money! You just beat me to the install as I have it on the shelf waiting to go in. I will blow the area clear with compressed air before I start though.

KILLER GRID HEATER UPGRADE KIT - BD POWER ('07.5-'24 2500/3500 6.7L)
Item #: BD-1041520

The loose nut test is also mentioned here:

https://www.genosgarage.com/product/ram-cummins-killer-grid-heater-upgrade-bd-1041520/new-products

The install instructions are here (only reason for the link as it's not on Genos) and don't forget you need to remove the fuel injector lines. I imagined it was slightly easier.

https://us.bddiesel.com/products/bd...am-2500-3500-2007-2018?variant=42754322170039

 

[Topzide]

I can say that having line wrenches and crows foot line wrenches did make the repair easier on the injector lines! Undoing the wiring harness from over the top of the engine is a must. The sound insulator was fun also. Smaller hands would've helped a bit also. @sag2, probably right about the bugs. I guess i should've blown it off some more, but didn't see anything else. There was quite a bit under the insulator pad though! (will put on yearly maintenance list) @Tuesdak, when you do yours, I'd be curios to see how much soot you encounter.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Yesterday I removed the intake off a ‘14 LML Duramax with around 100K miles. That intake looked just like the inside of yours.

 

[Ozymandias]

I think this is a good upgrade for peace of mind, keep the stock grid, replace only the bolt.
I like that.

 

[sag2]

I think this is a good upgrade for peace of mind, keep the stock grid, replace only the bolt.
I like that.

So do I. After dropping $900 on the Banks kit and I was not happy with the install as I outlined in issue 120. I just might go back to the BD kit and OEM grid heater. Before I do, I would like to run the truck on the schools new dyno just to see if I gained 3 horsepower for my $900!

 

[Topzide]

@sag2, I would like to see some pics if you change back. Mainly to see how much soot has built up since you put the Banks system on. I think, that I might add pulling the air horn when doing the CCV - EGR cleaning schedule. Wouldn't pull intake, way to involve! But at least could clean off heater grid and vacuum out all the loose soot! I will say, having this; https://www.harborfreight.com/cyclo...57194.html?_br_psugg_q=cyclone+dust+collector, kept almost all the soot out of shop vac! This little thing even separated concrete dust when I ground down a floor to expose the gravel in it for the DW. Handy little device to help prolong vac filter.

 

[sag2]

When I installed it there was very little soot in the grid heater and intake.

 

[firefighter_2000]

Are there any dangers to just replacing the bolt/nut with a better nut/bolt?

 

[Topzide]

@firefighter_2000, NO! You don't want that connection under there! Plus the kit has a much thicker bus bar to carry the current. The bolt goes into the bus bar. The bus bar that is in there is stainless. Not a good conductor. The BD kit is aluminum plated copper. It'll take some current! Plus you get a chance to clean all the soot out of the intake while there. Line and crows foot line wrenches in metric make the job very doable! I did mine in the driveway. Label the injector lines as they come off. Pipe dope to seal some of the intake plate bolts is the only odd thing needed besides time! Worth it in the long run if you plan on using your truck as a headstone!

 

[firefighter_2000]

@firefighter_2000, NO! You don't want that connection under there! Plus the kit has a much thicker bus bar to carry the current. The bolt goes into the bus bar. The bus bar that is in there is stainless. Not a good conductor. The BD kit is aluminum plated copper. It'll take some current! Plus you get a chance to clean all the soot out of the intake while there. Line and crows foot line wrenches in metric make the job very doable! I did mine in the driveway. Label the injector lines as they come off. Pipe dope to seal some of the intake plate bolts is the only odd thing needed besides time! Worth it in the long run if you plan on using your truck as a headstone!

I get what you’re saying, and I agree. It’s definitely a beefier design. However, mine has lasted for over 200,000 miles so far with zero issues. So, if I were to just replace the nut, what would the actual danger be? I plan on keeping the truck a while, but I really don’t want to spend $200 that’s not 100% necessary.

 

[Topzide]

It's not just the nut, It's the bolt that would fail first as it goes through the bus bar. They say "killer grid nut" because it drops intact with the broken bolt! That's were the BD kit captures the bolt in the bus bar instead of dropping off. A stronger nut won't help, you need a bolt that could carry the amperage if relay were to get stuck on! Hope that helps explain it. Did you notice what the mileage was on mine? Almost 200K!

 

[firefighter_2000]

It's not just the nut, It's the bolt that would fail first as it goes through the bus bar. They say "killer grid nut" because it drops intact with the broken bolt! That's were the BD kit captures the bolt in the bus bar instead of dropping off. A stronger nut won't help, you need a bolt that could carry the amperage if relay were to get stuck on! Hope that helps explain it. Did you notice what the mileage was on mine? Almost 200K!

Got it. From the videos I’ve watched, I understood that the nut was the failure point.

 

[Grumpy8811]

I get what you’re saying, and I agree. It’s definitely a beefier design. However, mine has lasted for over 200,000 miles so far with zero issues. So, if I were to just replace the nut, what would the actual danger be? I plan on keeping the truck a while, but I really don’t want to spend $200 that’s not 100% necessary.

like mine.. 160k miles.. live at 26 degrees of latitude year round.. grid heater probably cycles once or twice a year.. chances of it failing are as close to zero.

 

[firefighter_2000]

I live in Arkansas. My truck is inside half the time. Plugged up the other half of the time if it’s outside over night, so even when it’s cold, it doesn’t cycle long.

 

[Grumpy8811]

like anything that happens to any vehicle, and with the inherent ability of internet chatter to magnify a small problem into what looks like a 100% certainty of death and destruction, I have often wondered what the failure rate actually is on the grid heater bolt.

probably will never know.

 

[Ozymandias]

@firefighter_2000, NO! You don't want that connection under there! Plus the kit has a much thicker bus bar to carry the current. The bolt goes into the bus bar. The bus bar that is in there is stainless. Not a good conductor. The BD kit is aluminum plated copper. It'll take some current! Plus you get a chance to clean all the soot out of the intake while there. Line and crows foot line wrenches in metric make the job very doable! I did mine in the driveway. Label the injector lines as they come off. Pipe dope to seal some of the intake plate bolts is the only odd thing needed besides time! Worth it in the long run if you plan on using your truck as a headstone!

I wonder how good the copper works in that environment with the EGR sending all kinds of chemicals down the intake.
Cooper is a highly reactive material.
Usually engineers chose a material for a reason.
We'll see.

 

[Topzide]

@Ozymandias, It's an aluminum plated copper. As long as the plating is good, no worse then the other aluminum used in the intake! It seemed that the plating is good as there were no nicks in the one I got since it was in a bag with other hardware exposed to shipping!