Yes the truck used to smoke that badly on a cold start, with not all cylinders firing like in the video.

It seems to be getting better, there is a lot less smoke the last few days, cold start is easier and the hot smoke has almost disappeared. Weather has only gotten colder in Toronto. Will update in a few days.

 

Katoom, you nailed it! It was the grid heaters. Since the weather was extremely cold here and the truck was starting up easier, I ignored the issue till the weather warmed up a bit and I could work outside.

The grid heater cables ends at the relays were all corroded and a couple just broke off when I flexed the cables. I fabricated a couple of 8 ga cables (the originals were 6 ga but 8 ga was all I had at hand and the cables are short, at 6 in and 14 in, so volt drops will be minimal with the thinner cables). No more excessive smoke on start up.

I replaced the grid heater relays while I was in there and they were surprisingly inexpensive at $14.77 ea Cdn, which means they will be around $10 at a US Freightliner dealer. They were White Rodgers relays, Freightliner part number ESX 120 105112.

I don't know which relays Rams use but I suspect they use more expensive relays because I remember discussions from many years ago about substituting Ford inner fender mounted starter relays for the Ram grid heater relays.

 

Glad you got it fixed.