12 Valve Engine and Drivetrain Talk about the 12V engine and drivetrain here. This is for 1994-1998.5 engine and drivetrain discussion only.

gray haze at startup

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Old Aug 14, 2007 | 12:31 PM
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taildragger's Avatar
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From: PA
gray haze at startup

I'm gradually getting more and more gray haze when I start my truck. It's worse in cooler weather, but it has gotten fairly noticeable recently. Is this something that I should be concerned about, I don't recall it doing this last year.

As far as everything else, the truck runs fine, its a slug if I have the ac on, but thats about it, gets 20mpg with the new straight pipe.
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Old Aug 14, 2007 | 04:59 PM
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The fuel heater is not working.
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Old Aug 14, 2007 | 05:32 PM
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Yes, the fuel heater. Also it might help to set your idle to 750, and upon startup don't rev the engine but do hold the revs at 1000 for a minute.

A slug with AC on? My truck has no reaction to the AC which blows mighty frigid.
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 08:52 AM
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The fuel heater needs to be on in 50F weather? Well, I hope thats it. As for the slug with AC, I notice it while doing hard acceleration, like it feels slower getting on the highways, otherwise I don't notice it.

Thanks for the help.
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 09:27 AM
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Fuel heater has nothing to do with starting, it just there to "melt" gelling fuel particles in very cold weather so your filter doesn't clog. Not really necessary until the temps are in the single digits.
Bump up your idle or push down the pedal a little when starting.
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by infidel
Fuel heater has nothing to do with starting, it just there to "melt" gelling fuel particles in very cold weather so your filter doesn't clog. Not really necessary until the temps are in the single digits.
Bump up your idle or push down the pedal a little when starting.
Correct. Dieseldemon wrote fuel filter and I thought air grid heater, but that doesn't apply either in the summer, does it?
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Rare1
Correct. Dieseldemon wrote fuel filter and I thought air grid heater, but that doesn't apply either in the summer, does it?
I usually skip the wait to start grid heaters till temp drops below about 40F and never have a starting problem.
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 12:32 PM
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The wait to start light above 50 (or what ever the magic number is) is just an idiot light check, right? The heaters do not even come on unless the temp is low enough. I remember this on our old 92...
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by madhat
The wait to start light above 50 (or what ever the magic number is) is just an idiot light check, right? The heaters do not even come on unless the temp is low enough. I remember this on our old 92...
50F is the magic nimber and the the grids do come on for as long as the light is on.
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 02:49 PM
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Is this just for 1st gens, or all Dodge CTD's?
(O infinate infidel wisdom person...(and I mean that, too...) )
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Old Aug 15, 2007 | 06:31 PM
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From: Montana
It's true from '94 on.
On the 24 valves the heaters seem to come on more after the engine is warmed up than they do on a 12.
My understanding is that besides being a starting aid on the 24 valves the grid heaters are also designed to cut down on emissions.
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Old Aug 19, 2007 | 05:00 PM
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There is a TSB on the heater wires not being installed on some trucks that answers this problem check with Dodge and yes it will blow grey in below 50F weather.
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