Hard start after grid heaters disconnect

[Alexio Auditore]

So 2 days ago, I disconnected my grid heaters after testing ac noise. Which was .034 after using them all winter. Now the wait to start comes on like normal, I turn truck over it's barely stars and then dies.so I turn it over again,  get it to idle, and its puffying out white and blue smoke like a train from exhaust.  

 

Temperature was 36 at 7am when I started it.

I disconnected grid heaters at battery like it was suggested so as to not throw codes.

 

I feel like I should just reconnect the grids back up, i haven't replaced a alternator yet since i have had the truck for 6years. When i use them truck fires up first crank with just a haze of blue till it warms up.

[Mopar1973Man]

5 minutes ago, Alexio Auditore said:

So 2 days ago, I disconnected my grid heaters after testing ac noise. Which was .034 after using them all winter. Now the wait to start comes on like normal, I turn truck over it's barely stars and then dies.so I turn it over again,  get it to idle, and its puffying out white and blue smoke like a train from exhaust.

 

Signs of low compression. I would do a compression test. Another is slow starter which can create the same problem.

 

5 minutes ago, Alexio Auditore said:

Temperature was 36 at 7am when I started it.

 

I pulled my grid heater in the middle of winter and been starting with average temperatures in 20's no issues. 

Edited April 13, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[dripley]

I replaced starter this winter for that very reason. It as getting slow and difficult to start. Even then I still see blue smoke on start up from the mid 30's on down.

[Alexio Auditore]

What about with grids connected and start up on first crank? I mean it fires right up no problem everytime.

A couple years ago I replaced the contacts in starter because they were badly worn and caused my starter to stick on till I disconnected the batteries. It made a huge difference in how it started too

[JAG1]

Blue smoke at start is normal till it begins to warm up is what a Cummins rep told me. The white smoke happens to me when its below 30* or so but goes away in about 20-30 seconds. Thats on my 01 with 204k on the clock. There is a bit of a hard start on colder mornings where I have to let it crank for a second longer. I know if I used the grids it would start easier and probably not see white smoke.

 

My worry is more the injectors since I bought mine a year ago and never knowing whats been done to it. Makes you wonder 

Edited April 13, 2018 by JAG1

[Ben]

My little truck had a grid heater delete and would do this when cold. 

 

Summer/warmer weather there was no issue. 

 

I plugged it in. Problem solved. I would take off when coolant temp read 100 degrees or better. 

 

It was still a little smokey until fully warmed up but waaaaaay better and would start. 

Edited April 13, 2018 by Ben

[notlimah]

Yea sounds normal to me. My truck will do the same thing. Some trucks just don't like to start in the cold as easy as others do. For instance..

 

If I leave everything normal in the morning, grids turn on, WTS goes out, fires right up, no to very minimal smoke.

If I turn on the MPG switch, WTS goes out after a second, fires right up but with little hiccup and some smoke. Usually the coler it is that I do this, the more pronounced this is. Just a weather thing.

[Hawkez]

If you disconnect the grids at the batteries, does the WTS light still come on?

[Tractorman]

12 hours ago, Alexio Auditore said:

I disconnected grid heaters at battery like it was suggested so as to not throw codes

 

The only benefit to this method is that no codes will be set, but as you see, you don't get to use the grids when you want them or need them. 

 

I chose to wire in a momentary switch and mount it on the steering column.  The switch supplies 12 volts to the air intake manifold heater control solenoids so that I get to choose when to use the grid heaters.  Yes, codes P0380 and P0382 Intake Air Heater Relay #1 & #2 Control Circuit are set, but the check engine light stays off.  To me the benefit of being able to have control over the grid heaters far outweighs having two codes permanently set.  The momentary switch has been operational since the truck was new.

 

- John

Edited April 14, 2018 by Tractorman
correction regarding switch control

[dripley]

27 minutes ago, Hawkez said:

If you disconnect the grids at the batteries, does the WTS light still come on?

Yes. How long, I never paid attention. I am just in and fire it off. Really cold, I plug it in for a little while.

[Alexio Auditore]

1 hour ago, Hawkez said:

If you disconnect the grids at the batteries, does the WTS light still come on?

Yes, I believe it's because its controlled by the ECM which tells it to turn on. So it stays on as long as it would if connected, but all depends on the temperature outside. So this morning it was on as long as it normally is at 36 degrees. 

 

Can't you put a switch where it connects to the battery? Then your not splicing into electrical lines that way right? (I'm electronically retarded so don't mind the stupid questions)

 

Mine smokes for only a minute, once its warm, there is no haze either. 

 

If it was compression issues like mopar1973man said I could be, wouldn't it smoke all the time? And have other symptoms with it too?

[Hawkez]

Interesting...I unhooked mine and the WTS no longer comes on.  If I reconnect them, the like works as normal.

[Alexio Auditore]

9 minutes ago, Hawkez said:

Interesting...I unhooked mine and the WTS no longer comes on.  If I reconnect them, the like works as normal.

Maybe I'm wrong?  Is yours disconnected at battery or elsewhere?

[dripley]

I just went and turned mine on and the WTS light came on for 2 seconds and then back off. Just like it would do on a warm day like today. Mine is disconnected at the battery.

[Alexio Auditore]

Is it cold where your at?

Also, after its warm, it turns on and off like it would on a warm day. 

[dripley]

It's 70* out my today. I am thinking mine does it this even cold. But hopefully I will have to wait until next winter to find out. Had my fill of winter.

Some fo winter starts this year were tough with out plugging it in for 30 minutes or so due starter being old. Just would not spin the engine fast enough. How old is your starter?

[Hawkez]

50 minutes ago, Alexio Auditore said:

Maybe I'm wrong?  Is yours disconnected at battery or elsewhere?

Disconnected at the battery

[Alexio Auditore]

1 hour ago, dripley said:

 Had my fill of winter.. How old is your starter?

Same here. It's only 45 degrees or so today. I'd say starter is stock. I've never replaced it. Just did the contacts inside a couple years ago, and man it made a difference. Batteries are maybe 3 years old too.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Alexio Auditore

[dripley]

Mine had gotten slow and the engine hard to start. The faster it spins the easier it will start.

[Dieselfuture]

5 hours ago, Tractorman said:

The switch grounds the air intake manifold heater control solenoids so that I get to choose when to use the grid heaters

Could you remind me again if you spliced in ground wires for relays triggers or disconnected them on the body somewhere