Since I have a "cold start" issue unless I plug my truck in every night, I'm in the process of repairing .... or attempting to repair my grid heaters.

I now realize that someone jiggered up my wire on my grid heater and it's supposed to look like the pic of my former cummins dodge.


Can I fabricate a wire of the same gauge and length and install, or is the wire special to the grid heaters ????

Thought I would buy a wire of the same gauge shorten it, and add new copper ends to it... Torching them & lead soldering the ends

Nearest cummins supplier is in Newark.

BTW,

This is from the sticky, and looks like a good start to maintenance.
http://dens-site.net/Dodge_CTD/Grid_Heater_Relays/

TIA

 

As far as i know there is nothing special about it. Its a ground so it should be fine with plain old wire

 

Just as lil dennis said, it's a simple ground wire. Match the gauge and length of the stocker as you mentioned with the proper terminals on either end and ground it.

In the first picture, is it just me or is the terminal is soldered to the intake elbow rather than under the bolt?

 

It is soldered to an eyelet connector which is under the bolt, hard to see though.

 

Oh, I see it now.

 

If you replace the two intake gastkets you can do away with the ground wire. The new gastkets are conductive while the old ones weren't. The heater grid is grounded to the housing.

 

Where can I order them ?


Sounds like a good idea.


BTW,

I found out what the P.O. had done.

The terminal (top) broke off of the bolt post, and instead of replacing the wire with a new one, he took a #12 wire from a romex cable (used in houses world wide), cut a short section of it, wrapped one end around the broken end of the wire just below the sheared hoop, and wrapped the upper end around the bolt and tightened it down.

Couldn't figure out what it was until I actually removed it..

 

Dealership or Cummins should have them.

 

id go into napa and make one

 

Made one today.


Here's the P.O's attempt at fixing the wire:


And my new wire which I made from a piece of 4 gauge and a new copper end from Advanced.

I burred the inside, filled it full of flux, added solder, and made a new wire.


Cost me $8.00


I spent about an hour, following the sticky with reference to "rebuilding or maintaining" my grid heater solenoids. Well worth the time.

I cleaned the internals, and checked for proper function by using a test lead and a couple of wires off of my battery. Each solenoid works like new. Now all i need is a really cold day, and I can see if I'm working or not.

Darn warm weather. I need to make some money....


Please let it snow..... PLEASE !


T.

 

Great job, T!

 

new wire looks purty!