cold weather/block heater

[Kenneth]

Okay I currently am in Rexburg Idaho attending college. The weather up here can get quite cold during the nights (20 to -20 with windchill). The other day (Thursday) I went to start my truck (it was plugged in) and it didn't start like it normally does. It took about 3 tries of turning and allowing the glow plugs to cycle with every accessory off before it finally stumbled and started. I had driven the truck the day before (Wednesday) and it came up to operating temp but it was parked at about 2 pm that day until around 8:30 pm the next night (Thursday). I have been plugging the truck in every night and leave it plugged in until I need to drive it (I don't pay for electricity).

After this happened, I drove the truck on the highway after I drove it where I needed to, to bring the operating temp up to normal and then parked it and plugged it in again. The next morning at about 7:45 am it started and ran rough for about 5 secs and smoothed out nicely and drove just fine. The next day I checked the plug and it read 25.4-25.7 ohms. I umplugged the plug at the block heater and plugged it back in and checked the ohms again with the same results.

My questions is, is the block heater working properly and the night just got too cold or is my block heater going bad?

[Warren96]

How about a fuel conditioner- Do you use one? The heater should work right away when it's plugged in all the time-Does it?

[redbird2]

The ohm readings look normal any chance the cord was plugged all the way in or the cord was unplugged? also have you checked the glow plugs to make sure they are all good? cold can bring out the worst in them.

good luck in school

[Kenneth]

Thanks for all the replys. Yes I use Power Service in the white bottle for a fuel conditioner at every tank. I started using 16 oz instead of 8 oz for every tank up here in the cold. I also replaced the stock glow plugs with bosch ones from Heath Diesel this last summer.

I did find out something interesting though. Last night I didn't plug my truck in cause I couldn't get close enough to an outlet. I parked the truck at about 1:30 am and this morning at about 10:30 am the truck fired right up with any hesitation. It had been snowing all night and I don't think the temperature got below 15 degrees. So with this scenario it kind of makes me think that maybe my extension cord got unplugged and then plugged back in or the oultet had tripped or something happened with the power source.

How do I check the glow plugs?

I am using a 50 ft 14 gauge extension cord, if this helps with the diagnostics.

Something just occured to me as I was writing this. My brother had the truck up here in Idaho back in 2002 during the winter (the truck's first winter in the snow. I'm from northern CA). He never plugged the truck in and ended up toasting the batteries. He also replaced only the driver's side glow plugs because it was too cold outside and he couldn't get to the other glow plugs without removing the turbo. So, maybe this is nothing but could there be any damage to the glow plug controller because he only replaced half of the glow plugs? I did replace all 8 this last summer, but....? This is the 3rd winter this truck has been in the cold. Back in CA we NEVER had to plug the truck in.

Who knows, maybe it was just REALLY cold that night??

Thanks again for all the replys.

[TurboDiverArt]

Okay I currently am in Rexburg Idaho attending college. The weather up here can get quite cold during the nights (20 to -20 with windchill). The other day (Thursday) I went to start my truck (it was plugged in) and it didn't start like it normally does. It took about 3 tries of turning and allowing the glow plugs to cycle with every accessory off before it finally stumbled and started. I had driven the truck the day before (Wednesday) and it came up to operating temp but it was parked at about 2 pm that day until around 8:30 pm the next night (Thursday). I have been plugging the truck in every night and leave it plugged in until I need to drive it (I don't pay for electricity).

After this happened, I drove the truck on the highway after I drove it where I needed to, to bring the operating temp up to normal and then parked it and plugged it in again. The next morning at about 7:45 am it started and ran rough for about 5 secs and smoothed out nicely and drove just fine. The next day I checked the plug and it read 25.4-25.7 ohms. I umplugged the plug at the block heater and plugged it back in and checked the ohms again with the same results.

My questions is, is the block heater working properly and the night just got too cold or is my block heater going bad?

Leave the truck plugged in for at least 4 hours and then pop the hood and feel the thermostat housing. It should be warm to the touch. If it's cold then your heater isn't doing its job. Even not being plugged in your truck should start in 20-degree weather. I've started mine in single digits and others have much colder. If you have good batteries then the truck should start after only a slightly longer cranking. It'll sound like it's dying and will smoke for a while (maybe 10-15 seconds) but it will smooth out and just be really loud until the engine warms up.

If your engine is warm after being plugged in and you are still having trouble starting I would look at your batteries. Maybe buy a cheap 1.5V trickle battery charger from Sears, they are like $25-$30. Plug that in too all night with the engine heater plugged in and see if it starts any better. Check the charger in the morning, if it’s got a fault light then the batteries are not taking a charge. If it starts great with the chargers then you have weak batteries.

Hope this helps.
Art.

[Kenneth]

Thanks for the info Art. I'll check out the thermostat in the morning. I think the batteries are fine cause the other day I couldn't get to an outlet again and it got real cold the previous night. When I went to start the truck it gave me heck. I must have tried starting it about 6 times, with each cranking about 10 sec. It puffed a lot of white smoke but eventually started and smoothed out. Anyway, I'll check the stat in the morning. Hopefully its good and someone just unplugged my chord the other night. It seems to start decent when the plug it in, so...

[JTodd]

I have started my 6.5 fairly easily in temperatures as low as -15* without plugging in. Sounds like a bag of hammers for a couple minutes, but starts. This week it has gotten down to 0* over night and I have plugged in. It starts immediately and with no rattle - it acts like it is summer. If you are having problems, look to the heater, but more importantly, look to the glow plugs. 20* is not that low (engines don't feel wind chill)

[Robyn]

Another thing that really affects cold weather starting besides glow plugs is the condition of the injectors.
If you have a set of squirts that are low on pop and some of them are peeing a stream rather than a nice cone of fine mist then the cold start is gonna be rough and very smokey.

My DaHooooley has some squirts that are getting there I think and it will cough up a nasty cloud of smoke for about 15-20 seconds on a cold start (below 35)

Warm weather is a snap with hardly any smoke.

Check your plugs, if they are ok then the squirts is the next thing to look at.
Take the set to a good Pump shop and have then tested and you will most likely find they are in neeeeeeeeeeed.

Robyn

[Kenneth]

I really hope its not my injectors cause I just replaced them this last summer with stock ones from Heath Diesel. I have only put on 5-8k miles since replacement.

[TurboDiverArt]

I really hope its not my injectors cause I just replaced them this last summer with stock ones from Heath Diesel. I have only put on 5-8k miles since replacement.

That pretty much rules out your injectors being the problem.

Art.

[Kenneth]

I checked my thermostat this morning and it was warm, not too warm but warmer than it should be when it's 20 degrees outside. So my block heater should be fine if the thermostat is warm and the heater plug is reading 25.4 ohms?

More recently when I start the truck with it plugged in, the outside temp is anywhere from 0-15 degrees I see a bit of white smoke and it starts, but with a little struggle (Not too much of a struggle but it turns a few times before it starts firing), depending on how long it has been sitting. So this tells me either the fuel is in droplets like Robyn mentioned, the IP timing is off sending the fuel to the cylinder too late for efficient/proper burning, or the temperature of the cylinder is not hot enough for the fuel to ignite (bad block heater or glow plugs/controller, or just too dang cold). But would I still be getting 19 mpg on the highway if any part of the fuel system was going bad? I figure if my injection timing, injectors, or IP was going bad that I would experience lower power and my mpg would be getting worse.

My only other option if my fuel system and block heater is fine is the glow plugs. But don't I have the same probability of an injector(s) being bad as a glow plug(s) if I replaced them both from Heath Diesel at the same time?

What about a glow plug controller? How would I go about checking my glow plug controller or would I notice if it wasn't working? And how do I check my glow plugs?

I'm going to have my batteries load checked this next week just to eliminate them from being the culprit.

Right now its not too bad to start and I usually get it plugged in every night. I just want to figure this out because it's kind of embarassing when I have my truck plugged in and a duramax next to me isn't plugged in and starts as if it was 100 degrees outside.

Thanks again for all the help. BTW please correct me if any of my theories are bogus.

[TurboDiverArt]

I checked my thermostat this morning and it was warm, not too warm but warmer than it should be when it's 20 degrees outside. So my block heater should be fine if the thermostat is warm and the heater plug is reading 25.4 ohms?

More recently when I start the truck with it plugged in, the outside temp is anywhere from 0-15 degrees I see a bit of white smoke and it starts, but with a little struggle (Not too much of a struggle but it turns a few times before it starts firing), depending on how long it has been sitting. So this tells me either the fuel is in droplets like Robyn mentioned, the IP timing is off sending the fuel to the cylinder too late for efficient/proper burning, or the temperature of the cylinder is not hot enough for the fuel to ignite (bad block heater or glow plugs/controller, or just too dang cold). But would I still be getting 19 mpg on the highway if any part of the fuel system was going bad? I figure if my injection timing, injectors, or IP was going bad that I would experience lower power and my mpg would be getting worse.

My only other option if my fuel system and block heater is fine is the glow plugs. But don't I have the same probability of an injector(s) being bad as a glow plug(s) if I replaced them both from Heath Diesel at the same time?

What about a glow plug controller? How would I go about checking my glow plug controller or would I notice if it wasn't working? And how do I check my glow plugs?

I'm going to have my batteries load checked this next week just to eliminate them from being the culprit.

Right now its not too bad to start and I usually get it plugged in every night. I just want to figure this out because it's kind of embarassing when I have my truck plugged in and a duramax next to me isn't plugged in and starts as if it was 100 degrees outside.

Thanks again for all the help. BTW please correct me if any of my theories are bogus.

Yes, the actual engine temperature when plugged-in will vary dependent upon outside temperature. I think mine normally feels about 80 degrees if I had to guess, not hot, just warm.

Even plugged-in it'll smoke white for a couple of seconds. It's still loud and smokes for a few seconds. When 15-degrees and not plugged-in, mine will smoke white for about 10-seconds and really make a terrible racket. Also, it's not totally a smooth idle for the first couple of seconds when it's really cold and not plugged in.

If yours when plugged-in smokes for a few seconds, is a little loud but not like a bag of hammers, idles smoothly and starts in less than a second of cranking then I think you're OK when it's cold.

Hope this helps,
Art.


Art.

[JohnC]

The glow plug lamp on the dash runs off the same wire as the glow plugs. If the light works the controller is probably fine. There are 2 fusable links, one for each bank of cylinders, just after the controller.

Pull the wires of the glow plugs you can reach and use a test light between the battery + and the glow plug. If you get a good light, the plug is probably OK.

[Kenneth]

Thanks again for all the help guys. My truck seems to be doing alright in the cold weather. With the heater plugged in the truck puts out a puff or two of white smoke and idles rough for a few seconds and then smooths out (10-20 degree weather).

[rustyk]

Also, it's important, especially in cold weather, to have the vehicle "pointed true", meaning that it's aimed so it can be gotten underway immediately. 90% of wear occurs when the engine's cold, so as soon as it runs on all cylinders, it should go; idling ("warming 'er up") is the worst thing one can do, especially with a diesel.

[TurboDiverArt]

The glow plug lamp on the dash runs off the same wire as the glow plugs. If the light works the controller is probably fine. There are 2 fusable links, one for each bank of cylinders, just after the controller.

Pull the wires of the glow plugs you can reach and use a test light between the battery + and the glow plug. If you get a good light, the plug is probably OK.

Better than just going by if the dash light comes on. If when on it pulls the motor down and your volt gauge goes south when the dash light is on, then at least some of the glows are working. My gauge dips almost to the red zone on a long after-glow cycle but rebounds above 14 when the light goes off.

Art.

[Warren96]

Welll lets see,a Duramax runs upward of 50 thousand dollars today, and my 6.5L when new fully loaded with options costed 1/2 that, how can you say that ''It's kind of embarasing to have a duramax start better"" than yours? Besides if you are just south of Paridise, California, then my minister has been lying about the weather being perfect in ''Paradise''

[Kenneth]

Okay first off, if you would have read the whole thread you would know that I am currently in Rexburg, IDAHO attending college. Yes, I am orignally from Gridley, CA and no I have never had to use the block heater there nor has my truck ever had problems starting in CA.

Second, maybe "embarassed" isn't the right word. I know they're both GM so it shouldn't bother me. But man, I am a huge Duramax fan! Although I have to agree with you, having a truck with no payments and only cost me $2,500, I cannot complain about anything. I am VERY happy with my truck. I just wish my truck had a intake air heater so my truck would start as good as the Duramax without having to plug it. Of course I also wish I had a Duramax, so...

BTW thanks guys for all the help. My truck has been doing pretty alright here in the cold. I think I just got a little paranoid that one time my truck gave me crap. So with it starting as well as it has, I think someone must have just unplugged the chord, or the outlet must have tripped or something. Anyway, all seems to be going fairly well. So thanks.

[TurboDiverArt]

Okay first off, if you would have read the whole thread you would know that I am currently in Rexburg, IDAHO attending college. Yes, I am orignally from Gridley, CA and no I have never had to use the block heater there nor has my truck ever had problems starting in CA.

Second, maybe "embarassed" isn't the right word. I know they're both GM so it shouldn't bother me. But man, I am a huge Duramax fan! Although I have to agree with you, having a truck with no payments and only cost me $2,500, I cannot complain about anything. I am VERY happy with my truck. I just wish my truck had a intake air heater so my truck would start as good as the Duramax without having to plug it. Of course I also wish I had a Duramax, so...

BTW thanks guys for all the help. My truck has been doing pretty alright here in the cold. I think I just got a little paranoid that one time my truck gave me crap. So with it starting as well as it has, I think someone must have just unplugged the chord, or the outlet must have tripped or something. Anyway, all seems to be going fairly well. So thanks.

Sorry, I don't feel like re-reading the whole thread. You truck should definitely start when cold, single digit starts without being plugged in should not be a problem. Is your wish for it to start like a Duramax because of the initial smoke and REALLY loud rattle when first started? Yeah, I wish I didn't wake the dead when starting cold and not plugged in but it does quiet down after a little warm up. If you set the parking brake and warm it up in gear it'll warm up faster and quiet down. I do it when cold every morning. Without doing that my truck will idle in park forever and never get warm, literally! If I put it in gear then it’ll warm up. At work when not plugged in I warm the truck up in gear while holding the RPM's at like 1100 RPM and the truck will get heat in about 4-5 minutes and then I drive away.

Art.

[Kenneth]

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever experimented with an air intake heater like the powerstrokes and duramax use? You would think wiring it into the system wouldn't be too hard, even if you had to turn it on manually. If there was a way to wire it into the motor so it heats up the air until the engine reaches operating temp, that would be even better.