Should the intake heater cycle on when the truck has sat idle all day at work [12hrs] and outside air temp is 80. I have noticed that the wait to start light goes out when the other idiot lights go out ,no more being the last one when the motor is cold. I have no idea how the heater works, what tells it to heat, water temp sensor, AIT sensor.

 

Yes, it always come on, but significantly shorter time when it's warm. Sometimes mine goes out before the other idiot lights.

Chris

 

If I remember correctly, it cycles when outside air temp is 53 degrees inside the manifold. By cycling, I mean hearing the thump from the right front of engine compartment, not the light on the dash. On my 04, the light still comes on for about 15-20 seconds in 80-90 degree weather....normal operations.

 

When it warm out and engine temp is up to 190* I don't even wait for the light... If you look at you volt gauge you will know when the heater grid is ON it will drop to about 10-11 Volts. If is up high on the gauge I just start it....

Other than that I will obey the light... Cold winter days, sat for more that 15 to 20 minutes... Etc...

The heater is only there to help the diesel to fire on colder mornings...

The light also comes on every time as a self check to verify the bulb is good...

 

I never wait for the light, period. I've got a burned out relay on the grid supply so the light works but the heaters don't. I'm not gonna fix it, the truck started fine last winter sitting unplugged all day in temps as low as 15 degrees. Until it gets really cold (like in Canada or Minnesota) all the grids do is keep the white smoke to a minimum.

 

She must rattle good on a cold day huh!? I guess that's why we all have cummin's diesels!? Dam tough engines!

 

Actually it starts up just like normal until the temp gets below freezing. Below that it runs rough for about 30 seconds and makes plenty of white smoke until it smooths out. And it never has to be cranked, I hit the key and it lights off right away. I love it, couldn't do that with a Powerstroke with dead glow plugs.

 

Matter of fact your right about the power puke... I know of a friend down the road from me that lost his glow plugs and you right it won't start even if you plug in the block heater!

On DuraMax/Chevy you will find also that they will not start without the glow plugs too. We have one at the fire house and it is the worst thing to start... Smoke! THis smokes okay! White & Black!

I got to admit that I've cranked my diesel up cold without waiting for the light. (Opps!) When you got gasser and diesel you wait for a light in the gasser and can't find one or jump into the diesel and crank it up and not look for a wait to start light at all!

Like you said it does create some great white smoke! But she runs a bit rough until the cylinder temp comes up a bit.