Glow plugs & grid heater

[rodpaslow]

I find the problem is not the fuel gelling, especially with the fuel we get these days is a lot thinner and I've driven my car in -40 degree weather and no problems.

Just an update - It was -5°C this morning (about 28-29°F) and I run the grid heater for 20 seconds and start the glow plugs after having the grid heater on for 15s, and run the glow plugs 20 seconds as well (was a gas car so manual controls on both).  It starts like it was +5 or +10 ten out.  The grid heater seems to have a big affect on starting on this engine.  I'd have been turning it over for a while 30 sec or more without the grid heater.

[R.O.R-2.0]

I find the problem is not the fuel gelling, especially with the fuel we get these days is a lot thinner and I've driven my car in -40 degree weather and no problems.

Just an update - It was -5°C this morning (about 28-29°F) and I run the grid heater for 20 seconds and start the glow plugs after having the grid heater on for 15s, and run the glow plugs 20 seconds as well (was a gas car so manual controls on both).  It starts like it was +5 or +10 ten out.  The grid heater seems to have a big affect on starting on this engine.  I'd have been turning it over for a while 30 sec or more without the grid heater.

why are you burning the grid heater before the plugs?

the only time the grid heater needs to work, is when the engine is turning over, and pulling air past the grid heater..

when the engine is stationary, all the grid heater is doing, is warming up the air immediately around it..

how long does it take the grid heater to warm up?

[bajacalal]

The grid heater on my 1st gen Cummins takes about as much time as "fast" VW glowplugs. It does not run at all while cranking. I do not know why. I suppose it has to do with the fact that it draws so many amps. The thing draws as many amps as the starter on some small cars. I think you would kill a VW battery with the starter + grid + glow plugs at the same time. And it gets red hot in a matter of seconds, so I think it stays warm enough to heat the incoming air. My Cummins also has an electric fuel heater that cycles when the vehicle is started until it's warm. All these things (along with the KSB timing advance) come on when the ambient temp is below about 50F, above this there is no starting aid.

[rodpaslow]

It was much colder this morning (-10c) and I found running the grid heater before the glow plugs doesn't help a whole bunch.  I have the largest battery my MK3 can handle, so I thought I'd try both at the same time.  This worked the best at it started a bit slower than usual, cranked over a couple times and then started without too much missing.  Grid heater reduced the missing after starting to like 5 or 10 seconds. 

I will be plugging it in, in the future I just wanted to see how much of a difference it makes.  I only have half (top strip) working on this heater so with just the one, it takes a couple seconds to heat up. 

I read somewhere that below -10 in a cummins, the grid heater works for roughly 30 sec.  I think I will try it about this time and see if that helps a bit more. 

[rodpaslow]

Does a dodge truck with a grid heater have a single battery or does it use two?  I was just curious.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Does a dodge truck with a grid heater have a single battery or does it use two?  I was just curious.

pretty sure all cummins powered dodges use 2 batts..

[bugnut]

1st gen trucks (89-93)use only one battery. 2nd gen(94-current) and on use two.

Pre heating the air is good because the first crank will ingest the hot air. When I tried grid heat first and then glow plug followed by cranking it was just too much for the battery. Very slow cranking. Now I glow plug, crank and once it fires pull the cold start and turn on the grid. Without the grid the engine will not stay running when cold. Have to cycle the glow plugs a few times then start, that was before the grid heater was installed.

[R.O.R-2.0]

wow, ive never had problems with my diesel.. it has weak compression even!

started last year even with the temps down to 9*f

[rodpaslow]

Mine will not start easily, and by that I mean crank for a minute or more to get it going.  Like I say, it's relatively new engine less than 7000 mi on it, so I know compression is good as all cylinders are firing when cold and above freezing it starts first crank.  But it seem the grid heater just gives it that bit extra it needs so I'm not cranking it forever to get it going when cold.  Of course I will be plugging it in where I can from now on, I just wanted to see if it would start adequately cold with the addition of the grid, and I'm pretty happy with the results using it.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Mine will not start easily, and by that I mean crank for a minute or more to get it going.  Like I say, it's relatively new engine less than 7000 mi on it, so I know compression is good as all cylinders are firing when cold and above freezing it starts first crank.  But it seem the grid heater just gives it that bit extra it needs so I'm not cranking it forever to get it going when cold.  Of course I will be plugging it in where I can from now on, I just wanted to see if it would start adequately cold with the addition of the grid, and I'm pretty happy with the results using it.

engines that new DO NOT have awesome compression tho...

the last engine i rebuilt, took a long time, like 6 months IIRC, to get to where it would start really easy every time..

how new are your injectors? if they arent atomizing correctly, it wont start good..

does it smoke the whole time you are cranking on it? or does it only smoke right before it fires up?

i can start my car WITHOUT glow plugs, if i crank for a minute or so...

[R.O.R-2.0]

how long are the glowplugs supposed to cycle for?  I have mine set on a manual switch.

8 seconds for fast plugs, 16 seconds for slow plugs..

after a while, you get a feel for them.

alot of times, i dont use mine, just for the initial cold start..

[RabbitJockey]

Something else to note is that the plugs do not actually turn off when the light goes out, if you listen u can hear the relay click a few seconds after the light goes out

[R.O.R-2.0]

Something else to note is that the plugs do not actually turn off when the light goes out, if you listen u can hear the relay click a few seconds after the light goes out

yup, the light does not signal that the plugs do, or do not have power to them..

[rodpaslow]

The injectors in this car of mine are relatively new -like maybe 14 or 15k miles on it.  It will smoke a bit, maybe 30 seconds if below freezing outside-not as long with the grid heater on after starting.   I don't think is a problem with any fuel component as the injectors and pump were both done by Giles, performance diesel not that long ago.

[R.O.R-2.0]

The injectors in this car of mine are relatively new -like maybe 14 or 15k miles on it.  It will smoke a bit, maybe 30 seconds if below freezing outside-not as long with the grid heater on after starting.   I don't think is a problem with any fuel component as the injectors and pump were both done by Giles, performance diesel not that long ago.

so, you have new injectors AND rings?!

rings take a long time to seat, and injectors take a long time to finally settle in..

i bet in a year from now, it will be starting better than a new car, without much use of heaters..