Grid heater relays - on the truck...

Not just the part...

I know one of you could hook me up!

 

I cannot help you out with a picture , but if you are just looking for the location , they are on the inner fender sort of under the driver side batery , you will see a pair of relays attached to a metal plate that is bolted to the fender.

 

Are they spliced into the wiring harness?

I bought my truck in April and these things look BRAND NEW...

Say the previous set fried, would that indicate a problem?

How often do they go out?

 

If the relays "fried" it would depend on which side. The signal side or the high amp side to the heaters. That would be required to do some troubleshooting by us...

 

There are 2 heavy (#8) cables going to them straight from the battery, 2 similar cables leaving them, and 4 smaller wires (14 or 16 ga.) attached as well.

I've replaced a few sets on various trucks, they don't fail often, when they do it's usually just one of the relays. I've never seen both fail on a truck. They're usually not a problem for over 100 000 miles.

Another failure I've seen a couple times is the ground cable from the preheater element to one of the preheater bolts. Only certain years of truck have it, depending on the style of preheater assy., but the crimped-on eyelet on the cable can come loose at the crimp and develop enough resistance that the preheaters won't work.

 

You wouldn't be able to snap a pic for me, huh?

 

They are extremely easy to find without a picture. Just follow the heavy wires from where the grids are located, where the air horn meets the manifold. The wires go straight to the relays and are not in a loom with any others.

The most common problem I've run into with the grid system is the small trigger wires falling off the the relay. Takes about 2 seconds to fix with a pair of pliers.
When the relay itself fails I replace with a non-grounded case Ford starter relay. $10 and available at any autoparts vs the $70 relay from the dealer.

 

I know where they are...

I want to see the stock units...

Mine have been replaced...

 

The relays themselves should look IDENTICLE to this :

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...mId=1611784827

Except there will be 2 of them attached to a metal plate in the exact same fashion as that single one is attached to the metal plate.

 

I'll snap a pic tomorrow of mine...

I remember the salesman telling me that the relays were new because the previous owner removed them because of the warm climate...

Does that sound right?

Who would do that?

I'd love a pic of stockers though

 

I'll have to find my camera and get it charged up. Don't hold your breath.