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Grid Heater FIX!

37261 Views 205 Replies 52 Participants Last post by 5.7 Hemi, 1 mo ago

TiBoneFramer

Discussion Starter · Sep 26, 2020

1) Do what I did and unplug the solenoid from the battery. If the truck won’t start, grab a 10mm and hook it up. Use the grid heater to save yourself then unplug when you get where you need to be (could you just hold the cable on the terminal or is that asking to die??)

2) Do what I’m going to do when Banks releases their new monster ram intake horn for EGR trucks an put a throttle valve grid heater on instead! I’m tuned so no issue getting that adjusted on my end.
then I get my airflow, a cooler looking engine, a grid heater, and no bolt!

Out of respect, this thread is not complete nor accurate until the P2609 man himself electrojake gives it his blessing.

Reactions: 5

121 - 140 of 206 Posts

Don82146

· #121 · Dec 18, 2021

Workingcummins15 said:
I have a 15 6.7 ram. It started randomly loosing boost, then randomly coming back. I replaced the map sensor, #2 nox sensor cause it threw a code, and now I have the grid heater voltage to high code. I'm not a master mechanic, but doesn't seem that would effect my boost, or am I wrong? At first start up in the morning, letting the heater cycle or not, the voltage fluctuates from 13-14, give or take, reading the factory voltage gauge. And obviously the lights dim, then bright as the fluctuation happens. Is that normal? Or bad solenoid? My boost loss has dramatically improved, but still a short-term loss here and there. Noteworthy maybe, once it's at full operation temp, as on 15-20 mile drive, I have no boost issues

Turbo actuator maybe sticking causing the boost fluctuation??????? Just a wild guess on my part; maybe more knowledgeable guys will chime in here.

coltbean

· #122 · Dec 18, 2021

Is there a way to change the temp setpoint at which the grid heater comes on? Maybe AlfaObd?

Sent from my SM-A526U using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

POB

· #123 · Dec 18, 2021 (Edited)

coltbean said:
Is there a way to change the temp setpoint at which the grid heater comes on? Maybe AlfaObd?

Sent from my SM-A526U using Tapatalk

Or how hot it gets when it does come on or is that the original question. Say it get a thousand degrees, have it set to turn off at 500. I know this is what EJ was working on but if it could be controlled through AlfaObd would be the cats meow.

1013470

· #124 · Jan 14, 2022

Mopar71 said:
hi. i hope you got your remote start to work. so far mine is working fine. also if I didn't tell it right. my grid heater relay is still hooked up, so the pcm can still control it. I just hooked the big wire from the relay to the grid heater. so when its cold enough the relay will still come on but no power is going to the grid heater. i could be wrong but i think the pcm is just looking for a current drop on the relay coil when it is commanded on. my old 2010 was also grid heater deleted and everything was working fine and one morning I started the truck and a few seconded latter the engine light came on. I also noticed i didn't hear the grid heater come on. I looked it over and found one of the relay coil wires came lose. tightened the wire then cleared the code. the truck was back to running like it should.

Going back to the grid heater - I disco'd the lead from the battery to the grid heater relay (as opposed to Mopar71 disconnecting the lead from relay to the grid heater) about three months ago. Remote start continues to operate normally and no codes have been thrown. Mornings around my local area have been in the high teens several times in the past two weeks. Whether or not the block heater is plugged in appears to make no difference. Just an FYI.

Reactions: 5

Electrojake

· #125 · Jan 14, 2022

Bob Lilley said:
2017 3500 Laramie Package 2FH, DRW, 68RFE, 3.42 rear, stock

A 2017 dually with 3.42:1 diff gears?

I had no idea that was even possible.
-Ej-

Reactions: 1

Jimmy N.

· #126 · Jan 14, 2022

Electrojake said:
A 2017 dually with 3.42:1 diff gears?
I had no idea that was even possible.
-Ej-

Unfortunately, it is. Or at least was.

Reactions: 1

Electrojake

· #127 · Jan 14, 2022

My little (light) SRW shortbed hardly sees 6th gear on long highway runs with 3.42's so I was figuring a big dually would certainly have 4.10's or so.

Jimmy N.

· #128 · Jan 14, 2022

Electrojake said:
My little (light) SRW shortbed hardly sees 6th gear on long highway runs with 3.42's so I was figuring a big dually would certainly have 4.10's or so.

Well, the shorter DRW tires help a bit, but I sure wouldn't want less than 3.73s. Rightfully I should have 4.10s, but I tend to drive a bit too fast for those gears.

Reactions: 1

1013470

· #129 · Jan 15, 2022

Electrojake said:
A 2017 dually with 3.42:1 diff gears?
I had no idea that was even possible.
-Ej-

It does. I never really haul or tow more than 10K regularly and the damn thing pulls like a loco with the 3.42 rear. Even with that measly ratio, I’ve never given a second thought about what I hook to the hitch or pintle. The 68RFE likes to get to top gear in a hurry and sometimes with that rear, you have to stomp it a bit to get the trans to drop a gear and TC lock. When not towing, the 3.42 delivers a consistent 19 mpg (hand calculated) if I keep the cruise on 65.

Reactions: 2

Electrojake

· #130 · Jan 15, 2022

Greetings @Bob Lilley
I have a little 2016 SRW 3500 shortbed with 3.42 gears, Cummins-HO engine, Aisin trans, scale weight about 12,400 pounds.
While I can't say it pulls like a locomotive I will say that it gets 11.5 MPG consistently and very rarely sees 6th gear.

Actually it spends most of its life in 4th & 5th.
However if the ground is flat enough and my foot is heavy enough I can get eventually get it into 6th.

Thanks for the reply & nice camper!

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Reactions: 1

1013470

· #131 · Jan 15, 2022

Electrojake said:
Greetings @Bob Lilley
I have a little 2016 SRW 3500 shortbed with 3.42 gears, Cummins-HO engine, Aisin trans, scale weight about 12,400 pounds.
While I can't say it pulls like a locomotive I will say that it gets 11.5 MPG consistently and very rarely sees 6th gear.

Actually it spends most of its life in 4th & 5th.
However if the ground is flat enough and my foot is heavy enough I can get eventually get it into 6th.

Thanks for the reply & nice camper!

Thank you sir - we LOVE the truck camper. If I could talk the ol' lady into ditching a permanent residence, I'd be living in that thing. Retiring end of '22 and the plan is to chase the warm weather with the motorcycles in tow. Yeah - that MPG for me is interstate with a mild 65 setting on the cruise - empty. I don't have a good around town or "stop/start" MPG rating as the truck sees highways almost exclusively. With the camper in the bed and the trailer hooked, I get about 9-12, headwind depending, at 75 MPH. Regards.

Reactions: 1

Mopar71

· #132 · Jan 20, 2022

Bob Lilley said:
Going back to the grid heater - I disco'd the lead from the battery to the grid heater relay (as opposed to Mopar71 disconnecting the lead from relay to the grid heater) about three months ago. Remote start continues to operate normally and no codes have been thrown. Mornings around my local area have been in the high teens several times in the past two weeks. Whether or not the block heater is plugged in appears to make no difference. Just an FYI.

I forgot to plug my truck in last night and the truck remote started right up this morning in 7 degree weather. Also no codes etc.

Reactions: 3

homeguy

· #133 · Mar 11, 2022

When starting my truck the last couple of mornings, the temps where at -15C. The grid heater would come on then when the light went out about every 3 seconds the grid heater would cycle.

I didn’t waste any time disconnecting the cable on the grid heater. I just ordered a grit heater delete. I’m not taking any chances.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Reactions: 1

Electrojake

· #134 · Mar 11, 2022

homeguy said:
I didn’t waste any time disconnecting the cable on the grid heater. I just ordered a grit heater delete. I’m not taking any chances.

Excellent work @homeguy !

Welcome to my world. . .

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Reactions: 1

f69tele

· #135 · Mar 11, 2022

homeguy said:
When starting my truck the last couple of mornings, the temps where at -15C. The grid heater would come on then when the light went out about every 3 seconds the grid heater would cycle.

I didn’t waste any time disconnecting the cable on the grid heater. I just ordered a grit heater delete. I’m not taking any chances.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Where from? Does this cause problems with remote start?

Grit dog

· #136 · Mar 11, 2022

Electrojake said:
Greetings @Bob Lilley
I have a little 2016 SRW 3500 shortbed with 3.42 gears, Cummins-HO engine, Aisin trans, scale weight about 12,400 pounds.
While I can't say it pulls like a locomotive I will say that it gets 11.5 MPG consistently and very rarely sees 6th gear.

Actually it spends most of its life in 4th & 5th.
However if the ground is flat enough and my foot is heavy enough I can get eventually get it into 6th.

Thanks for the reply & nice camper!

But if you actually used your truck for more than a tent frame for the car cover and a couple trips with the camper, you know, like most of Rams customers do, it would run in 6th a lot more. Like every time you hit highway speed.

Reactions: 1

Electrojake

· #137 · Mar 11, 2022

Hey Grit... It sleeps 8 months out of the year (typically winter), but she runs in the summer.

However. . .
With diesel prices headed to $7.00 a gallon this summer (and me being a poor slob) the old girl may be sleeping all summer too!

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Highway 4x4

· #138 · Mar 11, 2022

I saw $7 a gallon diesel on Tuesday in Needles Ca. Filled up a mile away in Az for $4.77. Sams here in Glendora is $6. The truck will be sitting more till summer vacation so the grid heater is not an issue.

Reactions: 1

homeguy

· #139 · Mar 20, 2022

f69tele said:
Where from? Does this cause problems with remote start?

I’m in Alberta. No issues with the remote start

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Reactions: 1

GlennRMK

· #140 · 11 mo ago

Just curious if anyone actually has a good replacement heater setup?

I live in Montana and usually will see -20 to -35 F in the winter occasionally. Don't want to loose the heater but would love to adapt an older style heater or some other design where parts can't fall into the engine.

I saw the $1000 Banks setup and $350 BD setup but it sure looks like that coil heater could break and fall in as well.

Reactions: 1

121 - 140 of 206 Posts

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