I just bought my first Cummins and i'm super excited. 98.5 24v with 280,000 miles on it. first few days it was in the 60's outside and started great but as soon as it got into the 40's at night it refuses to start. When I turn the key to on the "wait to start" light doesn't come on at all for about 10 seconds, then it finally clicks on for a second and off. Does this mean my intake heater is bad?? I'm just got my wire for the big 3/0 upgrade and two interstate batteries but haven't had the time to install yet so could just be a power issue maybe? I feel like i'm learning from scratch coming from a 360 v8 lol.

 

Congrats on your first Cummins! I wouldn't condemn the grid heater itself just yet. If the wait to start light isn't coming on for ten seconds i would first clean all your connections on the heater and the relay that controls it. Just follow the cable from the heater to find the relay. it will probably look like a small starter solenoid near one of the batteries. Clean all that first then try it.

 

Thanks for the quick response! I'll give that a try and be back with an update.

 

Try it but you shouldn't need the grid heater to start her at 40.

One thing does kind of stick out though, you talk about a big battery cable upgrade and new batteries, if your old stuff is questionable, it could be as simple as the starter is not whipping it over fast enough to light the fuel.

Get your cables and batteries in and make sure it spins her like no tomorrow before you freak too much.

 

This post above :-)

Shouldn't need grids at most cold temps; there are there mostly for emissions purposes.

Make sure you're getting full voltage, and test your amp load when cranking.

One last thing you may want to check - if you've done any fuel system maintenance - you may have some accumulated air in the system...assuming you've worked on the fuel system recently.

Regardless, may want to check for air leaks between the tank & the fuel filter/separator; they have a nasty habit of throwing themselves around a bit more when the temps drop.

 

Cables and batteries done as well as cleaned the relays up for the heater and so far it starts right up, definitely has made a difference. I was about to start on the fuel system next actually. Got a new filter, i'm going to install a fuel pressure gauge, and thought about maybe going ahead with a Fass DRP pump just because the other looks old as dirt. Though it seems to be working fine at the moment. Any suggestions on that?

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Also, although some general stuff is the same, you have a 2nd gen truck and you should post most problems there, good luck...Mark