truck mayday

[JApplegate]

i have seem to come across a problem. my truck's grid heater won't shut off. it's stuck on the coolest setting. the amp gaudge read right about the first line. when the truck is all warmed up it is still on...



first how do i turn them off or unplug them?? i unpluged the intake temp senor and they still turn on.



second any thoughts of what it might be??? short? the left blinker dashboard light is on when i turn my lights on. it's dim but on. . does that have something to do with it??



HELP!! thanks guys!

 

[Philip]

Unhook the small wire going to the grid heater relay (both relays). This is the wire that turns it on. Then use a OHM meter and find the stuck relay and replace it.



Dodge doesn't stock these anymore. I'll try to find the thread with the replacement info.



Here is the thread with all the info.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58510&page=1&pp=15&highlight=glow+plugs





Check your dash ground for the other problem. They are located on the metal support behind the OD/cargo light plate. It takes a 5/16's wrench to remove the screw.

 

[JLEONARD]

To short out (fake out) the grid heaters remove the plug to the temp sensor and "jump" the two connectors on the plug from the truck.

That's how I disabled mine.

Jay

 

[TSuter]

I caqn't answer the grid heater problem, but for the indicator light when mine did it, it was because of a burnt out luight bulb. Changed the bulb and all was well.



Tom

 

[JApplegate]

alright i think i have figured it out... i think my altinator is going. . it's only putting out 12 volts. do u think this is the problem??

 

[dpuckett]

Is it the alternator, or the voltage regulator in the PCM?



DItto on the bulb. Also, are you sure the heaters are staying on, and it isnt just a charging problem?



Daniel

 

[JApplegate]

the heaters can't turn on... i got the temp unpluged and jumped... and when it was running i checked the wire going into the heater. . there was no voltage going through it. i think the heating up faster has to do with a dirty system... . the radiator looked pretty crappy inside when i looked in.

we have voltage regulators??. . i thought they where one wire alternators. well the alternator is only putting out 12 volts. i checked that on the alternator itself.

 

[Philip]

Our alt's are 2 wire. The 18ga Dark green wire goes to the PCM to control the alt output. The 16ga Dark green with a orange stripe goes to the automatic shut down relay.



Do you have a tach installed. The PCM has to see engine RPM for it to turn on the alt. No RPM signal from the crank sensor and the alt will not charge. Air gap on the crank sensor is . 050" or so.

 

[JApplegate]

ok i just got a rebuilt one... 184$... eww. . haven't gotten to putting on... i'm not looking forward to it. i hope it's not the pcm... where is the pcm?

 

[Philip]

The PCM is behind the battery.

 

[dpuckett]

Alternator R&R is one of the easier R&Rs on the CTD Ram. Just unplug the connectors a little downstream from the alternator and AC compressor, and swap the connecting nuts from the old to the new on the bench. The rest is self explanatory -remove belt, loosen bracket bolts, and take off the alternator.



DP

 

[JLEONARD]

And also a real good time to replace the serpentine belt.



edit:

And... while the belt is off, give the water pump a spin or two and listen to the bearing.

 

[JApplegate]

ok so i need to replace the auto tensonor on the belt. and it wasn't the grid heater, it was my alternator... and my computer... but i had given up on it. i gave it to the local shop. he wanted to shot me. after a couple hours he gave up and replaced the alternator. ran some checks and relized that now he was getting power out of the alternator and the computer wasn't allowing to work, so he priced a computer... 600$!! so he went to plain B. . he put a voltage regulator on it. luckly one of he's buddies told him you could do this some time ago. so instead of a 600$ computer i got a 72$ regulator. it's all good now except that the check engine light is on now... also most alternators need a positive power source to them to start them charging... . not ours... ours needs a negitive power source. this is what gave him so much trouble. so now i'm an expert on the charging system on CTD. . lol cost me 400$ with taxes and all parts. it was a great deal. saved me a headach and i helped him do most of the work. . lol

crank sensor... were is that??? never checked that. . is there any other symptoms??

 

[Philip]

crank sensor... were is that??? never checked that

It is mounted at the 11:00 position on the crank balancer. If the computer doesn't see a signal from it. The charging system will not work.

 

[Steve Graham]

crank sensor

It is mounted at the 11:00 position on the crank balancer. If the computer doesn't see a signal from it. The charging system will not work.

Negative. That is the tachometer sending unit. 1st gens don't have crank sensors.



Steve

 

[Philip]

Steve you right it is a tach sending not a crank sensor.



If the PCM does not see engine RPM the charging system will not work.

 

[PToombs]

Balancer sensor! :-laf TOmato-tomAto!