• Welcome to The Truck Stop! We see you haven't REGISTERED yet.

    Your truck knowledge is missing!
    • Registration is FREE , all we need is your birthday and email. (We don't share ANY data with ANYONE)
    • We have tons of knowledge here for your diesel truck!
    • Post your own topics and reply to existing threads to help others out!
    • NO ADS! The site is fully functional and ad free!
    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

    Problems registering? Click here to contact us!

    Already registered, but need a PASSWORD RESET? CLICK HERE TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD!

Low voltage??

HighSierra86

HighSierra86

Active Member
Messages
765
Reaction score
45
Location
Northwest CT
So I had a viper remote starter installed in my 06' LBZ (only because it was a christmas present) and now Ive got all sorts of problems. After the initial start in the morning, the system will shut down the truck after about 5sec due to what it considers "low voltage"

Now ever since i have owned the truck, in cold weather the alternator will not kick on for quite a while. Say maybe 5 min or so. Raising the RPMs will show no change. The voltage will stay at right around 12v and lights will be dim. After the truck runs for a while the alternator will turn on (just like it was on a switch) and my volts will be at normal operational numbers around 14v. This is only with the initial cold start in the morning.

Now I called the dealer and they told me that it is perfectly normal especially in the cold weather we have been having here. The guy who installed the starter is telling me that I have a bad alternator or that it is on its way out.

Im not sure what to believe. I dont want to go and get pissed at anyone until ive got all the info I can. So what do you guys think? Those conditions sound normal for these trucks??
 
That would be normal. Your intake air heater is drawing all that power. It takes mine a few minutes and longer on colder days to come up to normal operation voltage.
 
Last edited:
Cold weather = Fuel heater on, intake heater on, glow plug battery drain...

Test your batteries.

Then look at the connections for the batteries and grounds. Including the +12v at the alternator and main bus/fusebox. If in doubt add another body to frame and frame to engine ground strap. Kinda like the big three that gets added for serious sound systems.

This could give the alarm or other brain box enough voltage to stay running.
 
CtChevy427 said:
That would be normal. Your intake air heater is drawing all that power. It takes mine a few minutes and longer on colder days to come up to normal operation voltage.
Click to expand...

That sounds exactly like what it is right there. The intake air heater draws a tremendous amount of power after start up, especially during the winter months.
 
Yep, it's the Grid Heater.

I have Upgraded Batteries, and it even Pulls Power out of them.

I've found Bigger and Better Batteries now, so I might Upgrade once again.
 
Yep, the CUMMINS has the grid heaters and I remember below 40 degrees out the volt meter would read right down to about 11 for the first few minutes they ran. Every winter we would get people coming in complaining of low voltage yet they had no warning lights for the alternator. DODGE's fix was to reprogram the cluster so it would read right at 13 instead of 11 volts to make people think they were charging more than they were.
 
your grid heater uses more amperage than your glow plugs... its over rated imo.. and VERY restrictive.... i removed mine last year and have not looked back since!
 
It heats the intake air in an attempt to warm the engine faster. Its got something to do with the fueling/timing of the engine as it first cranks and gets air readings to determine the quantity, quality, humidity and overall density of the air its inhaling.

I'm curious to know if its really even needed since fireman removed his and hasn't had a problem or any CEL from the lack of wires there.
 
Yea I know Mike sells the delete spacers for the Grid Heaters.
 
Oh, so you need to put something in it's Spot?

You can't just take it Out and put everything back together and be good to go?
 
I'm surprised the missing grid heater doesn't throw a low IAT code. I know if you give it too much throttle at below zero ambient it will throw that code. P087 IIRC.
 
btfarm said:
I'm surprised the missing grid heater doesn't throw a low IAT code. I know if you give it too much throttle at below zero ambient it will throw that code. P087 IIRC.
Click to expand...

It will. You have to adjust via EFILive.
 
btfarm said:
I'm surprised the missing grid heater doesn't throw a low IAT code. I know if you give it too much throttle at below zero ambient it will throw that code. P087 IIRC.
Click to expand...

Thats not an IAT code though. Thats a fuel starvation code because its gotten thick and starting to gel. I got this a few times with my 04.5 LLY but that was a 1093, low rail pressure, fuel starvation code. Us with LBZ's, the 1087 is the same as the 1093, fuel starvation because or low rail pressure. Its usually in the filter where the gelling starts so it just cant suck it through quick enough to sustain the demand for the rail, especially with a tune on it.

I learned my lesson.

1) use additives in the winter
2) Dont stab it when its below 10 degrees.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top