Hey Marco, Can Smarty Be Programed To Stop Heater Grid Cycles?
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From: MD
i did some wot runs tonight on the way home and i didnt see any egt drop at all, if anything it may run a little hotter. also i lost 2-4 psi boost. it now spikes just over 30 and holds 24psi steady. before the install it would always spike 34 and hold 26-28psi. keep in mind i also added a cfm+ at the same time.
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From: Applegate, CA
Yes, Erik of Tri Valley Performance has... they posted the results on their website and there is a thread here on it. Basically it was good for about 6 hp; 15 tq.
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From: San Antonio
I know how you feel, I experience heater failure but not by my doing, I had some kind of short in my 03, and the heater grid stayed on after I turned the truck off. I didn't know anything till the next morning when the truck wouldn't start. I lifted the hood and everything was melted, the intake horn was warped.... dealer covered it, said I was the second one they've seen.
With how much I read on this site, somehow I missed this one.... I'll have to look into it...
With how much I read on this site, somehow I missed this one.... I'll have to look into it...
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From: SoCal
well, i installed my cfm+ tonight and took a look at the grid heater while i was in there and decided to be the guinee pig and try a little diy mod in hopes of solving this problem and still keep the heater.
what i did was pulled all the fins out and stretched them apart to make them straight. then cut all the excess off and just left enough to reach straight across the center and added a bend at the end and drilled a new hole to rebolt the two fins back into place with.
so esentially what i now had was two individual fins, each one going from a power bolt straight across to the ground bolt. i figured this would eliminate 95% of the retriction and still draw voltage so it wouldnt set a code and also even still heat the air to some degree, basically remaining functional.
well the fab work turned out really nice, i even did some gasket matching w/ a dremel. i decided to test it out before installing it and boy was i glad i did because within 3 seconds after hooking power to it the fins turned glowing red, melted and snaped apart. needless to say my project had failed but thats always how i learn things.....first hand.
that was a concern of mine that by removing so much of the fins all the voltage would be applied to a much smaller area and it would get too hot. well my concern was valid and im glad i tested it before re-installing it. so anyway i installed my grid delete instead and plan on getting a block heater cord from the dealer tomorrow, hopefully to cure any rough starts.
btw, i hooked up the heater to the battery while it was still stock and the fins didnt glow at all but they did put off a good bit of heat and would definately burn you.
SO DONT BOTHER TO TRY THIS ONE AT HOME
now if marco could disable the heater cycles in the ecm we would all be good to go.
what i did was pulled all the fins out and stretched them apart to make them straight. then cut all the excess off and just left enough to reach straight across the center and added a bend at the end and drilled a new hole to rebolt the two fins back into place with.
so esentially what i now had was two individual fins, each one going from a power bolt straight across to the ground bolt. i figured this would eliminate 95% of the retriction and still draw voltage so it wouldnt set a code and also even still heat the air to some degree, basically remaining functional.
well the fab work turned out really nice, i even did some gasket matching w/ a dremel. i decided to test it out before installing it and boy was i glad i did because within 3 seconds after hooking power to it the fins turned glowing red, melted and snaped apart. needless to say my project had failed but thats always how i learn things.....first hand.
that was a concern of mine that by removing so much of the fins all the voltage would be applied to a much smaller area and it would get too hot. well my concern was valid and im glad i tested it before re-installing it. so anyway i installed my grid delete instead and plan on getting a block heater cord from the dealer tomorrow, hopefully to cure any rough starts.
btw, i hooked up the heater to the battery while it was still stock and the fins didnt glow at all but they did put off a good bit of heat and would definately burn you.
SO DONT BOTHER TO TRY THIS ONE AT HOME
now if marco could disable the heater cycles in the ecm we would all be good to go.
You got gonads, just going for it. You have my respect.
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From: Phoenix, AZ
i did some wot runs tonight on the way home and i didnt see any egt drop at all, if anything it may run a little hotter. also i lost 2-4 psi boost. it now spikes just over 30 and holds 24psi steady. before the install it would always spike 34 and hold 26-28psi. keep in mind i also added a cfm+ at the same time.
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From: Applegate, CA
That low/mid hp increase is very much felt as well.
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From: MD
no i dont plan on pulling it back apart anytime soon, but im gonna drive it some more tomorrow just to double check and i will report back.
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From: Tomball, Texas
I would try something like this in replacing the heater grid. Finding a place to mount it could be a problem though.
click here
MikeyB
click here
MikeyB
Last edited by madhat; Jan 27, 2008 at 03:24 PM. Reason: click here
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From: MD
thats interesting, but from what i saw last night i would be concerned about a meltdown. it literally took 3 seconds for that metal to get so glowing hot i couldnt look at it because it actually bothered my eyes, then it melted. i wouldnt have beleived it if i hadnt been the one to do it. my friends in the shop were also VERY surprised.
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From: Florida
thats interesting, but from what i saw last night i would be concerned about a meltdown. it literally took 3 seconds for that metal to get so glowing hot i couldnt look at it because it actually bothered my eyes, then it melted. i wouldnt have beleived it if i hadnt been the one to do it. my friends in the shop were also VERY surprised.
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From: MD
PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!
the block heater works wonders
i got the cord from the dealer for $30 and pluged it in last night. this morning the overhead read 24 deg, i turned the key and to my surprise the "wait to start" light didnt even come on 
i started it up and she purred like a kitten, not even a puff of smoke. it also warmed up to operating temp while driving in less than half the normal time
best $30 i have ever spent!
the block heater works wonders
i got the cord from the dealer for $30 and pluged it in last night. this morning the overhead read 24 deg, i turned the key and to my surprise the "wait to start" light didnt even come on i started it up and she purred like a kitten, not even a puff of smoke. it also warmed up to operating temp while driving in less than half the normal time best $30 i have ever spent!
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From: Utah
whats the code number it shows/gives??? when you disconnect the power??seems like the way to do it would be to fool the ECM return signal..then you could unplug the big power wires and just put a resistor on the return signal for the ECM...witch should only have a 0-5volt reference right???
I love the block heater!!! I dont know why people dont use them...warm air right when you turn the heater blower on is the BEST...plus I kinda feel bad when I fire the truck up in the single digts and it rough idles and smokes for a second or two..and runs LOUD till it warms up.....block heaters rule IMHO..
I love the block heater!!! I dont know why people dont use them...warm air right when you turn the heater blower on is the BEST...plus I kinda feel bad when I fire the truck up in the single digts and it rough idles and smokes for a second or two..and runs LOUD till it warms up.....block heaters rule IMHO..
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From: Twin Falls, Idaho
whats the code number it shows/gives??? when you disconnect the power??seems like the way to do it would be to fool the ECM return signal..then you could unplug the big power wires and just put a resistor on the return signal for the ECM...witch should only have a 0-5volt reference right???
I love the block heater!!! I dont know why people dont use them...warm air right when you turn the heater blower on is the BEST...plus I kinda feel bad when I fire the truck up in the single digts and it rough idles and smokes for a second or two..and runs LOUD till it warms up.....block heaters rule IMHO..
I love the block heater!!! I dont know why people dont use them...warm air right when you turn the heater blower on is the BEST...plus I kinda feel bad when I fire the truck up in the single digts and it rough idles and smokes for a second or two..and runs LOUD till it warms up.....block heaters rule IMHO..
