anyone know what a typical bill would be like to have the grid heaters on our rigs fixed? my second opinion mechanic thinks its the grid heaters and not the injectors....how cool would that be?

 

This guy has a used one for $35.00 http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/pts/553532267.html Have you called Cummins to see what they want for one?

 

man, you are everywhere!

havent called, but a used one for 35 bucks, that must mean a new one doesnt cost $3700. sounds like a good deal to me.

 

What exactly is the problem? They are a very simple design. Basically just like a small starter solenoid.....power in....power out, and a signal from the ecm to turn them on. The grid heater itself is not that expensive either!

 

Dang
You would figure all these deletes being installed there would be at least one good one floatin around.

I've had mine disconnected and haven't plugged the truck in , in over a week , been in the 20s in the morns and starts just fine.
Didn't think the grid was as important to cold starting as much as glow plugs were.
Then again I bet ya'll are WAY colder up there too.

 

well, the shop called and said everything checked out ok. so I guess that means it wasnt the grid heaters after all. I am assuming that the only way to track down exactly which injector is bad is to send them all off to get tested right?

 

I believe that they call it a contribution test where they can shut off each injector and deterime which is failing if one is.

 

they can do that in house? I am assuming this means they have to take it all apart and really get in there to figure it out. which probably means a lot of hours spent on that.

 

Haha... reading this made me realize you can't just crack a line like you did pre-CR! Never occurred to me until now. What is the procedure for a DIY'er? Does it have to be done with the ECM?

 

i am assuming you mean before the common rail, you had no choice but to tear it apart?

I was just reading online that some shops have a PC based program, but that seems way to easy. frickin dodge told me it would cost the same ammount to test for a bad injector as it would to replace all 6! big fat lie or what?

 

If you meant me then I was meaning with a rotary pump you just wrapped a rag around the top of the injector to catch the diesel and then loosened the nut that holds the fuel line while it was running. Did not have to be very much leak before there is not enough pressure to open the injector. If it ran rougher then that cylinder was not the problem cylinder. Ran the same that was your problem.

 

Find a new dealer! If they don't know how to properly diagnose a bad injector, you've got bigger troubles! Betwen that and the $3700 quote to fix the grid heater........I'd be concerned......VERY concerned.

Yes the injectors can be tested in the truck. Yes it does take a diagnostic tool ( prefferably the DRBIII, but others are capable ). There are several tests involved, but they should be able to figure out which one is causing the trouble. Try to find a Cummins shop if you are out of warranty!

 

oh, sorry, didnt meant to say they wanted 3700 bucks for the grid heater. they wanted that for all six injectors installed. but they said it would cost the same to find the individual injector that was bad. THAT is what I thought was crap. and yes, I am never going back to dodge again. the mechanic working on my truck was asking some questions about it, while looking at it and one of them was, "is this an '01?"

I was under the impression that 01's were 2nd gen, and that a dodge diesel mechanic should know that.

 

You'd think so !

 

vsdude,

ian515 all ready tried Cummins. IIRC Cummins told him they can't work on 2003 and up only 2002 and older engines. I think its because they don't have the tools to talk to the Dodge software on the 2003 and newer engines.