whenever it is below 20 degrees it takes me about 5 tries to get my truck started. i turn the key and the wait to start light comes on and the volt meter ges down and comes back up i crank it and it fires then shuts off. i have to do this about 5 times before it finally starts idiling, but it misses and sputters real bad shaking the truck. my lights aren't dimming on and off so i think it's the grid heater or could it just be the oil i i'm using 15w-40 amsoil. if i leave it plugged in it fires right up so i don't think it has anything to do with any fuel problems. how can i test the grid would it be a good idea to pull the air intake horn off and see if it glows red when i turn the key.

 

A low idle will require a small amount of throttle input during cold starts. Cold starts within themself can require some throttle until the engine levels out.

If your voltage gauge is cyling back and forth that would be a general indication that the grid is working. Ohm reading on threaded cable terminal of heater to ground should be"0" if checking the heating grids.

 

if i add throttle the truck stalls and shuts off

 

do you hold the throttle open slightly (keep the rpms around 1000) for about 15-20 seconds after it starts? mine will stall if i let off the throttle imediately after it cranks.....

 

I had similar problems with a 97. The truck would start real hard if not plugged in, but if I plugged it in it would start fine. The flucuation on the voltage doesn't tell you much, mine flucuated yet wasn't working. My problem was a bad solinoid relay to the grid heater. Not very expensive to fix. You can check the voltage readings around the solinoids.

 

i found it the terminal for the relays that connects to the battery was corroded in half

 

that'll do it every time....