Pre-heat issues?

[Dieseldan723]

New to the Cummins after having 4 Duramax trucks. I really like this new truck! On my Duramax the glow plugs would pre-heat when it was cold. If the outside temp was warm it would NEVER pre-heat. For the first year of my RAM I don't remember it pre-heating very often.

I had to let the truck sit over this past winter and I only drove it about every 6 weeks. Of course over the winter the temps were colder and it made sense to me that there was some pre-heat time before starting, and it started every time after 5-10 seconds of pre-heating.

I just picked up my truck from Oregon and drove it to Tennessee this week. Every day it would take 5-10 seconds to pre-heat, even with outside temps in the 70's and 80's! I think I read that the Cummins does not have glow plugs so I don't understand what it's doing. It never did this my first summer in Oregon and temps were in the 50's and 60's. Did my batteries take a beating over this past winter when I let it sit for about 6 months only driving it occasionally (about every 5-6 weeks)?

Any insights or education on this subject is much appreciated!

TIA.

 

[DammitDave]

Your truck has a intake heater, that warms the air right before it goes into the engine.

 

[Will_T]

I don't understand what it's doing. It never did this my first summer in Oregon and temps were in the 50's and 60's. D

Good luck with understanding. I had my grid heater relay disconnected for a couple of months this winter waiting for the recall check to be done. But before that and since reconnecting, mine preheats without any obvious pattern. I have come out to start the truck in the morning when it is 65 degrees and it will preheat for 15 or 20 seconds before starting. But sometimes first thing in the morning when it is 35 or 40 degrees, it starts immediately without a preheat countdown.

 

[Dieseldan723]

Good luck with understanding. I had my grid heater relay disconnected for a couple of months this winter waiting for the recall check to be done. But before that and since reconnecting, mine preheats without any obvious pattern. I have come out to start the truck in the morning when it is 65 degrees and it will preheat for 15 or 20 seconds before starting. But sometimes first thing in the morning when it is 35 or 40 degrees, it starts immediately without a preheat countdown.

OK, so I am not going crazy. I wondered if it has something to do with weak batteries and that was why it was taking so long.

Thank you!

 

[Brewbud]

Mine is all over the place. If it got cold overnight it will want to preheat even if it is 70 degrees when I go to start it. I always bypass the preheat.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

If its damp i find mine will try to preheat not just when its cold, just press the start button a second time it will skip the preheat

 

[Dieseldan723]

Good info, thank you!