427AC

I have a 1999 that sits outside. Lately I have plugged it in to keep in warm. Temp has dropped to the teens. It is still hard to start in the morning. I have to cycle the grid heater about three times before it will start. How can I check The engine heater circuit to make sure it is operating properly. I have a Superchips power Programer set at the second level. Could this be the problem?

pmtg

does the outlet you use to plug in have power to it? maybe a switch needs to be turned on in order for you to use the outlet. i figured this would be the easiest thing to check first. i can't help you out any more than that.

good luck, Pat

torquefan

Check the block heater with an ohmmeter between the prongs. They usually have somewhere around 19 ohms. Between either prong and the ground pin should be open circuit. Give the cord a good wiggle as you are testing. If the wires break, it is usually right close to the plug.

Hemi Cat

You could use a test light or a volt meter on the heater terms on the top of the int man. If ok, remove the feed wires and put one end of test light or volt meter on the pos term of batt and the other end on the heater term. Test light will light or volt meter will read batt volts if it is good. The left batt feeds the heater sols and gets corroded at the batt.

427AC

well I braved the cold with my trusty multi meter and discovered that here seems to be a short in the lead wire. How hard is this to replace? And where is this heater located?

Hemi Cat

Should be 2- 8 guage wires (might be 10 guage)running from the drivers side batt down to the fenderwell to two solinoids. I think there is a fuseable link in there too. Make sure full batt volts are at the sols. Follow the 8 guage wires to the int man where there are 2 stud terms. Your heaters are in there. If the fuseable link wire is bad get it a auto parts store. I've seen 2 ways to identify fuseable link wire. 1 - fuseable link wire for ___ga wire, 2 - the guage of the fuseable link wire, in this case you go 2 guage sizes higher in number for the wire you want to protect. example; to protect a 10 guage wire use 12 guage fuseable link wire. You only need a short piece spliced in for protection.
I've seen a lot of trouble with the connection at the battery. Make sure that is good before you cut and splice.

jrs_dodge_diesel

Hemi Cat - I think he is refering to the block heater, not the grid heaters.

427AC - Your block heater cord goes along the passenger side to the side of the block towards the front. There is your heater. Usually the cord is the culprit but occasionally it is the heater element itself. The heater element is simple, like a a heat coil on an electric stove. The cord is about 15 bucks from Cummins. Not sure on the block heater. The heater screws into the block so removal and install is straight foward, just a little hard to get to.

427AC

Thank you for all the advice. Let me clarify. I am refering the block heater. The grid heater is working fine. I am refering to the one that is plugged in with the cord on the passenger side of the bumper. Does this cord heat the block or does it control the fuel heater on the filter housing? Thanks guys

jrs_dodge_diesel

No, the block heater is like the element on an electric stove. Only smaller as it has to fit in the block. It runs at 750 watts which equals 6 amps of A/C power. The block heater is in the coolant stream. When you plug it in it heats the water around it, heat rises as we all know so the warm coolant goes up to create natural circulation within the blockso you have a nice warm engine when you hop in the truck.

The block heater is two pieces, the cord and the heater. the heater screws into the block. It has a socket on the end for the cord to fit into. The cord screws into the heater. It DOES NOT matter which way the cord goes into the heater. It will work either way (there are only two ways to put in in). Most of the time the cord goes bad. Pull it out and do a continuity check. Make sure the lines are good. If the cord is good then it may be the block heater. do a resistance check on it. Should be about 18 ohms. Remember you may have a bad extension cord too.

CJ

This happened to me last month. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out if the truck has a problem or if my pump house had a problem. Tried a new extension cord and walla.
CJ

Dieseldude4x4

I don't think the heater screws into the block, the one I changed out on my sons 94 has like a little strongback that goes in and holds the heater element against the block with a little allen head screw. It also has a little rubber seal on it if I remember right. To change the heater itself, you need to drain the coolant system. The 110 volt cord threads onto the heater element with like a brass nut. That connection can corrode and will not make contact some times.

When you plug it in, you should hear a little hissing sound within about five or eight seconds or so. If not, it most likely is not working.

Rain Man

My truck is a 1999 and the block heater went bad last winter. The dealer changed it out on warranty. It is located to the left of the oil filter . You will see the cord running up to it and it will have an aluminum knurled ring that screws it in to the heater. The heater just screws into the side of the block. Mine was fried and needed to be replaced, not the cord. The cord would be easy to check out with an ohm meter by unscrewing the plug from the heater on the block and then checking from the heater plug to the power end of the cord. If the heater is bad then some antifreeze would have to be drained to allow for the removal and replacement. This is per the service manual.

tenmile

Not to start a war here but....

If you're seriously having issues starting your truck in the teens and cycling the grid heater 3 times before you start it, you might want to be checking other things. I regularly leave my '99 unplugged (it's always outside) and for example last night- was 3 degrees. Was unplugged, came outside, the grid heater cycled for about 15 seconds then fired right up. From dead cold, 3 degrees. That's the same for all of our buses, etc. as well. Might want to be checking into other things if you're having that many issues.

Tazman

I'm with tenmile,

Mine braves the outside all year.

Rarely plugged in (-20c or colder and then only timed for 3 hrs) and grids never "cycled", just the initial run through.

Rolls twice, maybe three times over and it's pray for oil pressure

CaptainDD

Plug in when it gets 10 degrees or colder you engine will last longer. Also put a silicon pad on your oil pan. To check out the heater plug it in when it is dark out then unplug it you will see a spark. No spark no work.