[daddywinz]

well, i've been milkin' the guys on the 2nd gen forums for awhile, but after all that, i bought an 03. whatcha gonna do? but,....it was built 07/02, titled as an 03, and a parts guy told me the rad hose was for an 04?????

anyway, the thing has two issues for now.

1) the batteries were cranking too slow and were vulnerable, if you didn't run it very long, to not being able to start it a second time. so, i stuck two 1000cca batts in it and it cranks sweet, but the voltage stays down below 12 for a minute after it's started,...then it kicks back up to 14. gas motors with a single battery bring it up right away, so what gives? normal?

2) also, as i was swapping out the batteries, i noticed the top hose was blown (i hope not for long). so, the local parts stores (4 so far) don't carry it. one that they gave me had the same diameter on each end, but mine needs the radiator end to be about 1/4" larger. one guy said the 04 shows those dimensions??

thanks for the help guys, kevin

 

[funinak]

WE need a little more specifics to help you out. Engine size, GAS or Diesel, 2nd gen or 3rd gen body, maybe even a picture.. Would REALLY help. EDIT: OK I see you posted in the Diesel section SO it IS a diesel. Sorry

 

[Red Scare]

If they were cranking slow, that means one of them was bad, maybe both. Have you replace them both?

 

[daddywinz]

yup, i replaced both, and now it cranks like crazy. however, after it starts, it lingers at or below 12volts...like it ain't gettin' full alternator charge. after a minute it comes up to 14v.

it's cold here, under freezing, is that it? is there a heater in the system, like on the intake, that stays on for just a minute?

sorry, i don't know squat (yet) about diesels.:teacher::help:

 

[daddywinz]

WE need a little more specifics to help you out. Engine size, GAS or Diesel, 2nd gen or 3rd gen body, maybe even a picture.. Would REALLY help. EDIT: OK I see you posted in the Diesel section SO it IS a diesel. Sorry

good one.

well, it's got the 3rd gen body too,...thus the 3g posting. did anything else come on an '03?

i think it's the regular 5.9, not the h.o. or the monster.

 

[Red Scare]

Sounds normal to me, I work mostly on gassers and haven't had the chance to work much on Cummins yet

 

[funinak]

good one.

well, it's got the 3rd gen body too,...thus the 3g posting. did anything else come on an '03?

i think it's the regular 5.9, not the h.o. or the monster.

Do you have any type of winterization on it? As in a block heater or oil pan warmer? If not THAT is your problem Diesel's DO NOT like the cold and have a terrible time starting when it is cold. The alternator fluctuating is normal from what I've seen. It just cycling thru the cold start system and using a BUNCH of juice doing it.

 

[spareparts79]

Sound normal to me. On a cold morning (below 20) if mine was not plugged in it will pull the gauge down when it is started and then it will return to normal, it will repeat this serveral times untill the engine starts to build heat.

Do you have a cold air dam on your truck. Mine helps alot, remember diesels dont like to run if they are cold.

 

[daddywinz]

Sound normal to me. On a cold morning (below 20) if mine was not plugged in it will pull the gauge down when it is started and then it will return to normal, it will repeat this serveral times untill the engine starts to build heat.

Do you have a cold air dam on your truck. Mine helps alot, remember diesels dont like to run if they are cold.

thanks guys, the symptoms were sure pointing to this. i just have the factory little battery blanket/sleeves on them now. when i can afford add-ons i'll put a cold start system in it,....hopefully, i'll make it through the rest of the winter without too much trouble (now that i have 2000 cold cranks available).

how much does the block heater actually help?

and, no i don't have any cold air dam?? is that like the exhaust recirc off of the mainifold, or something else?

 

[spareparts79]

Cold air dam is a cover that goes infront of the radiator and blocks cold air from entering the engine compartment. Mine has four flaps to adjust how much air is let in. Helps the engine stay at normal running temps when it is cold out side. It was -15 a few weeks ago and I had mine completly closed off and the engine still didn't quite get up to normal temps.

If the engine can't warm up it will effect your millage and power. Cummins like warm air around them and cold air inside them.

For the block heater it helps on cold nights, I only plug mine in if it is below freezing, gets warm air out of the defrost shortly after starting and warms the engine alot sooner.

You can make it through winter without plugging in, I have seen a CTD do a cold start at -10 before, runs kind of ruff untill it builds some heat though.

 

[daddywinz]

crikey, you must be in north central....i'm up in the northwest, spokane, washington. we do get down below zero sometimes, but the "norm" is to hover in the teens or singles for a few weeks a year. i start wearin' long johns in september cuz i'm a real sissy.

this year we broke all our snow records with around 7' or more of snowfall:YO:. when it hit 3' of standing wet snow on my shop, it came down:bawl:....so, i'm in the process of rebuilding right now.

 

[spareparts79]

crikey, you must be in north central....i'm up in the northwest, spokane, washington. we do get down below zero sometimes, but the "norm" is to hover in the teens or singles for a few weeks a year. i start wearin' long johns in september cuz i'm a real sissy.

this year we broke all our snow records with around 7' or more of snowfall:YO:. when it hit 3' of standing wet snow on my shop, it came down:bawl:....so, i'm in the process of rebuilding right now.

I am in NE Oregon, it was colder than normal for us. We had about a two week stretch where the high temp was around 20 and the coldest morning was -15. One day the high temp was 8.

Sux about your shop, good chance to make it bigger though.

 

[rtkota360]

The engine should have a grid heater which should explain your low voltage at cold start up.will make lights dim as well as its cycleing with the truck on.I'm in western ny and dont use my block heater at all.even when its 9 out just wait for the light to go out and it fires right up and wait couple minutes to warm up a bit.