GaveUpOnTV

I just got this truck, it's a 1994 regular cab in good condition with 191,000 miles. It has a problem starting cold. This morning at about 20-25 degrees I couldn't get it started at all. I've been reading this evening and I've seen advice about changing the fuel filter, and maybe going to thinner oil, like 5-40 wt.
When I tried to start it, it turned over slowly and after about 1 second it would stop and go 'click, click, click, click, click' quickly. I finally gave up and later on in the morning when it was warmer it started without much of a problem. I checked the voltage on both the batteries and they are 12.6 and 12.7, so it's charged.
I cleaned up the cables totally, so maybe it will start better tomorrow.
How does the grid heater work? I looked at the user manual that comes with the truck and it says turn the key over and wait. There is a buzzer that stops after a few seconds, but my 'old' 2005, when the grid heater turned on, I could tell and you knew that it took a lot of amperage. This truck doesn't give me a clue if the grid heater is turning on.
Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Lary Ellis (Top)

If the grid heater is working it will draw your volt gauge down and dim your dash lights.....when it is real cold I cycle mine twice and then it hits right off.

Why don't you plug in your block heater? the cord should be hanging somewhere behind the passenger headlight.

joem

sounds like your grids aren't working at all, here is a single short cycle at 17F and it fired up. I purposely didn't cycle twice just to see if the truck would start and it did

GaveUpOnTV

Nice truck! I like the single cab better than the others and it's lighter too! I had a hard time finding a 2005 single cab.
I haven't tried the block heater yet, I would think that it would take a while to warm up, wouldn't it?
I think my grid heater isn't working, I'll have to check it out, just got the truck.

joem

almost positive your grids are not working, plenty of things to check just do a search on here as there are tons of threads. Yes, I love the single cab- the tight turning is my favorite feature- I can make a U turn on the smallest logging roads

patdaly

First things first, I would just about guarantee your batteries will fail a load test. 2 good HOT batteries go a long ways to getting them lit off, mine doesn't need the grid heaters at 20 degrees, makes it nicer to start, but she lights off easily enough even with 15W40 and no GH.

patdaly

Troubleshooting info......

http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/trouble...niford_htr.htm

infidel

It sounds like your batteries are on the way out.
Just measuring the voltage won't tell you their cranking amps.

GaveUpOnTV

It started up this morning. I guess it was mainly the battery cables. One cable I don't think had been worked on for a long time because it had a nut that was rounded off, I had to use this puller arrangement to get it off. It cranked without a problem, yesterday it would crank for a second and then 'click, click, click'.
It did take about 6-7 cranks, though. And it wasn't as cold this morning as yesterday. So I'll put some thinner oil in it in a few days and replace the filter.
Even the grids seemed to work, the lights didn't dim that much, seems like my 2005 had more amperage or something. I clicked the key twice so that the 'cycle' of heating grids would go twice.
Yep, battery cables were the main thing although it did take a few attempts.
Thanks for all the suggestions and help!

blackimpala

The block heater does take a couple hours to heat the block. I have mine on a timer so it isn't on all night.

Floyd

1320

consider a starter rebuild...(larry b) I just did mine and I never imagined how fast it could crank over. Its never cranked so fast after changing the brushes and contacts.

Junior81

Same here, I set the timer for 2 hrs and it started in ~ 10 last week.

DJ Van Rooyen

even if the heater grid is working its only heating the intake air you should also have a block heater or circulation pump heater on it I live in northern Canada where its a lot colder than 20f it more like -20f here and mine starts faithfully everyday and no hassle.

johnh

i have never cycled my grid heaters twice, i never have any trouble at 25 below other than dying when it goes to the 3 cyl thing (it did it two different times). i guess it didn't high idle long enough

Junior81

It was -16 here yesterday and a windchill of -30 something. Truck started without being plugged in all day. It wasn't very happy about it though.