glow plug controller or battery

[stevesnider]

I switched to 15-40 amsoil from there 5-30 and have had a hard time srarting this winter.
Last week after I finally got it started the check engine light came on .I went to auto zone and the GP controller was the code. I tried to start it today and I found out the battery wasn't making good connection. I played with the battery wires and got it started . truck was still showing code for the GPC I replaced it last winter along with both batteries .I gues the controller was bad .I cleaned the batteries up and replced the controller. Now there is know more codes and the truck starts better.
The ? is could a bad battery connection show up as a bad glw plug controller?
shouldn't truck start fine wth 15-40 amsoil down to 15 degrees outside?

Thanks in advance, Steve Snider

[charliepeterson]

The ? is could a bad battery connection show up as a bad glw plug controller?
shouldn't truck start fine wth 15-40 amsoil down to 15 degrees outside?


The glow plug controller needs a good tight clean battery connection to light off the GP's. These plugs draw many amps. Yes I would think a poor connection could or might set a GP controller code. Your OBD II system is much more advanced than my OBD I.

I have 15-40 weight oil in my truck also and it was starting good last week when the air temps. were much colder than 15*. Most of the time it was plugged in but I forgot one day at work and it was the longest crank I ever had. These long cranks in really cold weather with out being plugged in can and will shear off starter bolts so be carefull.

[stevesnider]

I forgot disconecting the batteries erases the codes. I just went outside a few hours after I got home and the truck had a hard time starting.
The check engine light came on again . I plugged it in I have a oil heater and block heater ,hope I can get it started tomarrow and get to the auto zone for another scan.

Thanks Charlie
Steve

[stevesnider]

I had the codes checked again and code p 380 came up it said Glow plug heater ckt A malfunction.
Please help I might need to plow tonight.

Thanks in advance , Steve

[tom.mcinerney]

Wicky--need model year to get circuit details. The glow circuit is fairly simple: The PCM checks coolent temp when you turn key to 'on' before start. Given temp, it directs the glow solenoid relay to preglow for a while, then glows after startup(and probably in crank). So you need 1.) coolent sensor and wires, 2.)PCM 3.)Battery grounds to heads 4.)power to glow relay 5.)two fused leads from relay, one to each cyl bank 6.)smaller fusible leads from these to each glow plug 7.)the glow plugs must dray current to heat.