[dieselcruiserhead]

I acquired a Dodge heater grid off an '04. Looks like there are two grids in it, one that has some resistance as far as I can tell and one that is straight up.

Like most of us I grabbed the heater grid only and the 6BT plate which I plan to chop. It is very cold here in Northern Utah as well so the cold start is mandatory.

I'm wondering how to best wire it up. Again it uses two fat wires to it, so my guess is it is a two-stage glow cycle and looks like it grounds through the block like everything else... I was thinking two buttons with the two fat wires to some high amp (like 75 amp) relays under hood. One button for slightly cool mornings if required, and the second (push both) for the really cold mornings 10F and below (it is -5F often in the morning here)... At about 15-10F it starts having some serious trouble but actually will often start. I had nothing other than major damage from using ether, for what its worth, blown head gasket even with very mild/controlled ether use...

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Or source a OEM glow cycle system? It would be nice to not use it what so ever most of the warmer months and when the engine is warm... So this is why I was thinking push button...

 

[BobS]

Rough Draft of the Basic Push Button Circuit

The #8 wire size may be a bit small. See attached circuit:

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

So what I'm seeing is glow them at the same time and that is the best way to do it? Thanks Bob... Andre

 

[LincTex]

Mine are wired exactly like the diagram BobS posted. I thought about splitting them like you were thinking, but then couldn't really come up with a good reason to.

I used the factory Dodge wire, which is definitely bigger than 8 gauge. I am almost certain it is 4 gauge, and I honestly wouldn't use less than 4 guage (since these are not something you want a lot of voltage drop trough)

I didn't re-use the dodge factory fusible links (I still have them) because they weren't long enough to get to a power source and I didn't want to splice them. I also have a two battery set-up.

 

[mastermoparman]

intersting. how cold dose it have to be before you actualy have to use a grid heater. here in western wa it hardly ever gets below 0F.
any one got a pict of a grid heater?

 

[kbailey]

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=313&d=1171434149

 

[Steelhorse]

have you tried this yet, andre? i'm curious on the direction you took...

 

[steve]

The #8 wire size may be a bit small. See attached circuit:

you mit wanna add overcurrent pertection before the coil for the control circuit

 

[tacoma]

The factory Dodge manual lists the cycle times at X temps... I'm pretty sure we could just count off, and avoid extra wiring.

Andre, do you have that manual? I could get the relevant pages scanned.

 

[mastermoparman]

it seems to me that that would cause restriction in the intake. wouldnt it? cause some lost power?

 

[LincTex]

it seems to me that that would cause restriction in the intake. wouldnt it? cause some lost power?

On the 6BT there is a little bit restriction, I doubt it would be an issue on the 4BT. It doesn't affect power, but just slightly affects mileage.

 

[Steelhorse]

On the 6BT there is a little bit restriction, I doubt it would be an issue on the 4BT. It doesn't affect power, but just slightly affects mileage.

due to the raise in intake temps? it heats it up THAT much?

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

The factory Dodge manual lists the cycle times at X temps... I'm pretty sure we could just count off, and avoid extra wiring.

Andre, do you have that manual? I could get the relevant pages scanned.

what pages is it on? I have not run it, I'm still an easy 6 months out on my project unfortunately

 

[LincTex]

due to the raise in intake temps? it heats it up THAT much?

No, because it is in the air stream, NOT because of heat.
It is only used to get started and for warm-up, not while running.

 

[Steelhorse]

No, because it is in the air stream, NOT because of heat.
It is only used to get started and for warm-up, not while running.

haha, ok...that's what i was hoping you'd say. i didn't think it would effect start up fuel consumption that drastically!

But why only on the 6bt? Same intake design. Amount of air being drawn in over the surface area?

(not that it would be that noticable anyways, I'm sure - 1 mpg maybe?)

 

[LincTex]

But why only on the 6bt? Same intake design. Amount of air being drawn in over the surface area?

Duh....anything in the air stream is a restriction. A 6BT is a bit larger than a 4bt and flows more air.... and would suffer from a restriction sooner. It isn't a huge restriction to begin with.

 

[Steelhorse]

Duh....anything in the air stream is a restriction. A 6BT is a bit larger than a 4bt and flows more air.... and would suffer from a restriction sooner. It isn't a huge restriction to begin with.

So then, being the same amount of restriction, it effects the 4bt the same as the 6bt with the effects being slightly larger due to size ratio...ie...it effects the fuel efficiency of the 4bt as well...


...duh.

 

[LincTex]

it effects the fuel efficiency of the 4bt as well...

But only with the 4BT at 50% higher RPM, since the 6BT is 50% larger.

A Ford 300 six engine has trouble breathing through its factory 1-bbl Carter YF carb.
Take the same carb and bolt it on a Ford 200 six and power goes way up with the bigger YF carb. The Ford 300 six is 50% larger than the 200. What was a restriction on the bigger engine..... isn't a restriction on the smaller one.

Get it?

Same with turbos....the 6BT bombers get rid of their "little" turbos, and the 4BT engines love having a much larger turbo. What was too small for the big motor is fine on the smaller one.

 

[F350JOHN]

Contrary to popular belief, spawned from the actual necessity of glow-plugs in the indirect-injection Ford/Internationals, and some others, the grid-heaters on a Cummins do absolutely nothing to aid in cold-weather starting.

Their sole purpose is to reduce cold-start emissions.

What little heat they might provide to the intake air is quickly over-ridden by the vast amount of current-draw on the battery(s), at a time when they need current the most.

This quote is by BullHauler at the cummins-conversion website.
After thinking about it, and reading some of the Cummins manuals I tend to agree.