Brambles

Got off work this morning 25 degrees F, or -4 celcius. Hit the grid heater waited till the squiggles went out and tried to start it cranked for 15 seconds no start. let sit for 2 minutes and repeated the prodedure. Cranked it for 14 seconds and just before I was going to let the key go it fired up. Ran fine after that, not rough didn't notice any smoke but wasn't really looking. I plug it in at home but I was at work and I don't there.

I was under the assumption that cummins will start easy even in cold weather and 25 isn't that cold. Could there be something wrong.

Could there be a problem with the grid heater and the squigglies still cycle on and off normally, wouldn't they be hooked together.

I know when I plug it in and hit the grid heater the squigglies go out almost immediatly, when I don't plug it in they stay on for probably 8-10 seconds.

Any help would be appreciated

Brambles

IA_James

Try giving it a little bit of skinny pedal, I can start mine at +5 with the 15/40 in it not plugged in, and -20 with syn 5/40 not plugged in. Wasn't exploring the lower realms of Cummins starting performance, just not outside outlets until this year.

sparky3008

I normally always plug mine in the winter because it definitely runs better once started as the oil and block stay warm. Just easier on the engine and some people don't just because they think doing so shows a bad engine or something. Such as the ford dodge one saying hey I don't have to plug mine in ford must be better than dodge. No I don't HAVE to plug mine in to start but when I go down the road my engine feels like it has been running for a while and is nice and warm.

Anyway I realize at work this is probably not possible

Turn the key on wait for the light to go out, cycle the key again and let the light go out no need to wait for 2 minutes as that just allowed the engine to get cold again. Do this 2 to 3 times and on the 3rd time it may not last long, then start it should start right up...

Brambles

I'll give that a try in the morning, thanks for the tips guys

Brambles

candndelivery

I just wonder how much power it pulls to plug it in, I wonder if you would get a small inverter and hooked it to one battery if you could plug your to it for 8-10 hours at a time, just a thought

CRXsi

Might also want to check out the thread about the new TSB (Tsb 14-003-05 Hard Start / White Smoke) in this forum.

Brambles

Hitting the grid heater multiple times didn't help, pushing on the throttle didn't seem to help much either. It did start on the first try this morning but I cranked it for 15 or more seconds, probably more. You could hear it slowly catch and then fire. No smoke that I could see!!!!

Its embarrasing

Brambles

bigblock2stroke

Obvious that you have a problem.

Take it to the dealer.

You should hold the starter on for more than a quick 10 count.

Also a bad idea to try and heat your engine with an inverter powered from the stock batteries. If its that cold out, the batteries will have a hard time starting the truck when they are fully charged. Let alone draining them for 8-10hours (even if it was .5A).

Grid heaters pull over 200amps (that's why the lights dim when the grid heaters are cycling after starting, the alternator can't keep up). Starter pulls over 75 amps.

irish4u

I was just thinking, maybe a lift pump problem.

dodgefan

Need help on why my 1996 diesel is hot to start when sitting overnight. Turn the key an it runs for a second then cuts off. Sometimes it take up to 4 cranks before it runs, runs great after that. The heater grid works and last year I changed the return line and used a Goodyear brand hi pressure flue line make for gas engines. The other line looks orig. Not sure where else to start and I know all the other parts are original.

Brambles

I sure hope not, I'll go check the codes???

Brambles

No codes came up, just says DONE.

Can there be a lift pump problem and still no codes come up???

What about oil viscosity, I am just running the standard 15w40, do I really need to switch to lighter oil in the winter?? It cranks over fine, not sluggish.

Maybe I'm grasping at straws

Brambles

Childofthewind

I don't think so. That inverter would be pulling about 65A off your battery. At cold temps that would probably drain 1 batt in less than an hour. Also starting batteries that are deep discharged have rather short lifes.

J A F

I just had the same problem with mine. Turned out to be a bad injector.

runamuk

Check/ and replace your fuel filter!

Rick