If the temp is above 60* (I think), then the PCM won't call for the grid heaters to come on. Might have to wait until this fall to really troubleshoot when temps start dropping again. You might try an OBDII scanner with live data and see what data coming from engine concerning temps may be when engine is running. You could have a bad temp sender.

 

can moderator move this to 98-02 section please.



and im not sure it just seems like it wont start when its cold out. and im throwing both codes. so who knows.

 

Here is how a '97 works. Power is always present on one of the small wires on the solenoid when the key is on. The PCM provides the ground to the other small wire when it is needed which closes the relay and sends power to the heaters. I bypassed the PCM and have a toggle switch that controls the ground. No more dimming lights while driving, etc. Once the engine starts you really don't need the grids to heat up.

I'm pretty sure the '98 works the same way. With the key on you should have one hot wire to each relay. If you ground the other terminal the relay should close, no matter the temp.

 

well is it true that it has to be above 60 degrees for it to kick the grid heaters on? maybe thats why i am not getting signal to the wires?

 

If you are troubleshooting the relays it doesn't matter what the temp is. First check to see that you have power to the small wire. On the '97 the hot wires are gr/bk and are hot whenever the key is on. The ground wire to one is or/bk and the other ground is yl/bk. If you have power to the gr/bk you can manually ground the other terminals and see if the relays are closing. If you don't have power to the gr/bk check the fuses.

It sounds as if there is no power when the key is on. If there was, the Ford relays that are always grounded could have cooked your alternator.

 

i was having this problem before i even put the ford relays on and they are non grounded relays so they arent always on. i am not getting any signal from the little wires at all but if its above 60 degrees it shouldnt send a signal then because the grid heater isnt gona do anything

 

I will type very slowly so try to keep up.

The two small hot wires are hot whenever the key is on. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS! The PCM provides the GROUND when it determines that grid heaters are needed, which completes the circuit. That may or may not be 60 degrees, makes no difference when troubleshooting. If the key is on and you manually ground the ground terminal the relays should close. If the Ford relays are grounded through the mounting bolt and you have the hot wires connected they should close whenever the ignition is on. That is what makes me believe that there is no juice going to the relays when the key is on, therefore you have a break in the circuit somewhere. It may be a blown fuse, a broken wire, or a bad ignition switch. You may as well reinstall the stock relays because permantly grounded relays WILL NOT WORK unless you completely rewire the system.

 

ok ill type slow for your too......they are NON GROUNDED RELAYS. the stock relays are already back on it. and yeah im just trying to figure out why im not getting power. do you have a wiring diagram so i can try to figure out where that wire gets power from so i can trace it down?

and on a side note, the wait to start light does come on every time you turn the key on but only for 2-3 seconds and it out.

 

I gave you the wire colors that a '97 has. Yours may or may not be the same, but if they are not the two hot small wires will be the same color and the two ground wires will be different.

If you need a wire diagran I suggest you go to Genos and invest a few dollars in a factory service manual or CD.

If a non-grounded relay is not grounded through a mounting bolt exactly where is it grounded? In a DC system there has to be a ground to have a circuit.

The wait to start light should always come on for awhile. Even though my grid heaters are controlled by a toggle switch the PCM still keeps the light on for an extended time in the winter.

 

Fuse 9 in the fuse panel and fuse 3 in the PDC send power to the relays.