Something Nasty This Way Comes..?

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Am I seeing a possible upcoming problem? The last two mornings after I start the truck, (50-60 degrees here), my headlights dim noticeably. The ampmeter moves down toward 8 amps for a couple of seconds, then hops back to 14. The lights get brighter for ten seconds or so, then it happens again. After a few minutes on the road, it quits. Alternator? Battery? Thanks in advance for the ideas!

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'96 Regular Cab, 112K, SLT 2WD auto 3. 54, Vista topper, Pillar-mounted Autometer Boost/Pyro, transmission temp and oil pressure guages under dash, starwheel spun

 

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Jim... these posts happen every fall! There is probably nothing wrong with your truck, this happens because of the heater grid cycling to preheat the air going into the combustion chamber. Keep reading the forums... there have been several posts about this lately.
Relax and enjoy your Ram!

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Rob Hanson
1999 "Big Red", 3500 SLT QC 4X4 6 spd, 4. 10 LSD, Braided SS fuel lines, Mag-Hytec Rear Cover, Cummins E-Brake, Blue Box, Bosch 275HP injectors, All-steel Cowl Induction Hood, Rhino, Rosewood Kit, Scotty System, SportComp Gauges, TorkLift SuperHitch, Teshonka Brake Controller, Rear Flood lights, Cobra CB, DeeZee Running Boards, BD 2WD Low kit, Air Lift bags and a Geno's "I tromped a Ford" decal. Member of BOMB! (WW NW Chapter)

MyPics.com (pics updated 8/21/00)

I'd rather be... .
Cummin than Strokin.

 

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Hey Rob, Us Deep South Texans get a little nervous when the mercury drops so low (burrrrr get out the sweaters) LOL. We feel like it is a freak of nature for the grid heaters to actually WORK. And if you think this is funny you should be here for the occasional hard freeze !!!! Our freeways become large rolling destruction derbys. We have lots of very high elevated sections, and believe me you haven't lived until you are slideing sideways, about 60 ft off the ground with only a weak looking wall between you and the ground!!!!!!!

No offence ment by this Jim, just light hearted kidding. I went thru the same thing when I first got mine !!!!!!!


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92 Ext. Cab, Auto trans. , 3. 54 Non-LS, Isspro Tach and Pyro (pre-turbo), 210,000+ miles, straight pipe,old and abused but still running strong!!!!

[This message has been edited by Shrimpy (edited 10-12-2000). ]

 

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Thanks guys! I feel like a Nervous Nellie now! #ad
#ad
Can you say PARANOID!
This is my first winter as a Ram owner, and yes I think 50 degrees is COLD! Call me wimpy, but IMHO, ice belongs only on my frosty mug of Tecate! #ad
#ad


Seriously though, thanks for your answers. This is the greatest forum in the world!!!

 

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Thanks for the question Jim, and the answer Rob. I have the same problem, now I know why and I feel better about it.

 

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I know what that's like. It was a frosty 56 degrees here the other morning and I had to use my heated seats for my delicate back end #ad
Then I was thinking - hey, why not a heated steering wheel?! #ad
#ad
What do you say... . group purchase anyone?

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'01 2500 SLT+, QC, LWB, 4X4, 3. 54s, AT, SPA guages, Alpha Liner, every option but running lights!

'98 DUCATI ST2 "Bombed" 944CC with Ducati Performance Carbon Fiber Exhaust, F. I. M. Chip, K&N and "modified" air box.

 

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Jeesh guys, mine does it year round. I don't notice it as much in the summer because the need for headlights diminishes. I got worried this last summer though, when it didn't cycle (must have been too warm #ad
)

 

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I am with you Bee, the next time I notice the truck not doing that I am going to worry.
Just so you know, got up this AM (in Prudhoe Bay) and it was zero degrees... ... Walked to work in sweats and a light jacket... 56 degrees to me is summer... .

 

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More power to you fellas in Alaska! #ad


To this South Texas boy, anything north of Houston is Eskimo Country! I moved to Austin once, it snowed three times. I immediately moved back south, as far as I could go!
Give me 95 in the shade, 100% humidity!

I don't trust air I can't cut with a knife...

 

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You fellas up in Alaska have my full repect. I spent one winter in Sioux City, Iowa and will never, I mean never go back. When I have to go outside and pre-heat my truck for 30 minutes it's too cold for this southern boy. My first question when I got there taht January was "What the he!! is all this white stuff?". First time in 22 years that I had seen snow on the ground. Sure, It might snow down here once every 6 years or so but it doesn't stay snow when it hits the ground.

BTW, my grid heater did have to go to work the other morning. That thing pulls some serious juice.

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FOR SALE
Big Red" 1994 Ram 2500 Laramie SLT, 12 valve, 2WD, Auto. 140,000 miles Ranch Hand steel brush guard, Scotty Air, silencer ring put back in(wifey said so), Flowmaster muffler, chrome turn down pipe out the side, Velvet ride shackles. See Truck for Sale
MY NEW TOY
1997 Club Cab Dualie
12 valve 5 speed.

 

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On the 98 and up trucks the intake heater grid is turned off at like 18 mph so starter it up and go it lessons the on time of the heater and draw on the alternator.

 

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I have had 3 cummins, two 94's and now this 2001 and they all do that just until the truck warms up.

Sky

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2001 QuadCab,SWB,Auto, 4X4,4" Flowmaster Exhaust,... ...
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4-Sale 1994 4X4 cummins, Two tone blue and silver, all stock 105k
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Every time this happens I smile and thank god I don't have glowplugs. My buddies Flowerpoke doesn't like to start at 32 much less at 0. Does any one know what the Allumimax uses.

 

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Does anybody read their owner's manual besides me?

[This message has been edited by JyRO (edited 10-13-2000). ]

 

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Hey Jim, You should hear what that Cummins sounds like when you fire it up about zero and you have not had it plugged in for a couple of hours OMG you would think the pistons were swapping holes til it gets warm.
I have a place in Eastern Washington that gets a bit brisk in the Winter. It scared me near to death the first time. Regards Dave

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96 2500 4x4 5sp 3. 5 gears TST#6 16 cm2 Geno's Combo Gage Pac Brake Aux tank 15K 5er hitch
HF/VHF/UHF mobile KG7HD

 

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gitchesum , having to warm up the ram is the exact reason i got the heated seats #ad
#ad
, i could drive around in shorts and a t-shirt in sub zero weather , the seats get nice 'n toasty , i have to turn them off after a while , my dogs love them , they fight over who sits on the passenger side when the wife is not with me.

 

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Nice post, JyRo, not everybody can walk on water and heal the sick like you can.
All you buddies in Texas, I sure do wish I was down there about now, it'd beat going through another winter up here... one fun thing about winter, though, is you can smell the diesel fumes easier #ad
, sure does smell good ! And every time my lights dim, I rejoice that I don't have to fool with glow plugs !

 

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Originally posted by Mopar-muscle:
gitchesum , having to warm up the ram is the exact reason i got the heated seats #ad
#ad
, i could drive around in shorts and a t-shirt in sub zero weather , the seats get nice 'n toasty , i have to turn them off after a while , my dogs love them , they fight over who sits on the passenger side when the wife is not with me.

Mopar, when its sub-zero weather up there we wear shorts and t-shirts outside. #ad
#ad
#ad


My favorite thing to do is send pictures of me in shorts during the Christmas holidays to my buddies up in Iowa. Although I don't think I'll be able to do that this year. Already had to fire the furnace up.
Got down to 43 degrees, BBBUUURRR. #ad


Don't worry, we get paid back in July.

 

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My favorite thing to do is send pictures of me in shorts during the Christmas holidays to my buddies up in Iowa.

A few Christmases ago my sister and brother-in-law were up from California and we were visiting the grandparents in Walla Walla, Washington. We had a day picked to go skiing, however that day the sun came out and the temperature shot up to over 70F. We bagged the skiing idea and had a picnick on the front porch instead (that made Grams happy). Not unusual to break into the 60s in the winter in some parts of Washington but 72 in December was a record.

Vaughn

 

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Whenever I go down south in the winter those warm weather folks see the heater plug hanging off the bumper and ask what it's for. I tell them I have a battery powered truck,most of them believe me.

Vaughn,we had 62 degrees on Xmas day 1980 in Chelan,melted two feet of snow in 12 hours,it didn't even frost for the rest of the winter. Normally it never rises above 32 from Dec 1 till Mar 1.
Alaskdave,just up the road from your place,Manzama,had the record coldest temp ever recorded in the lower 48,minus 62,if I remember right.