Cold start/ power draw
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 72
From: Springfield
Cold start/ power draw
Basically the title says the basics of it, my truck seems to be having issues starting when its cold out. I had to have a jump again today, while cranking by itself it really seemed to draw down the power and as soon as the cables got hooked up my voltage went from 10.5-7 up to 11.5-7 with the glowplugs lit. Does the voltage pre jump sound normal or is it possible they are drawing excess power or something else is? I just put a high torque starter on it, it has good batteries unless they fried in 2 weeks, the glow plugs are less than a year old and the heavy duty relay is on its second winter i think and I’m running T6 oil since its cold. I’m planning on putting new battery cables on this weekend if everything shows up but am at a lose with what else is going on. I see no reason it shouldn’t have started easily with my oil temp at 27degrees today. I could really use some help/ pointers of what to look at that i make be overlooking.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,633
Likes: 564
The glow plugs can stay activated for up to two minutes longer after the "wait to start" light goes out depending on temperature. You can test this by watching the battery voltage gauge on the dash. Once the relay kicks off the needle will slightly rise. Some folks (including me) have an LED light tied into the switched power side if the GPR that will show when that relay is activated and when it shuts off. I know that when the temps are that low I typically wait until the relay kicks off just so that I have as much cranking power as possible. My batteries are six years old, glow plugs and relay are 20 years old (they all work btw) and when the GPR activates I can watch the voltage drop to10.5-10.75 and when it shuts off it'll come back to 12-12.5. I do think my batteries are not as healthy as they used to be too. I would think in your case with everything being relatively new that you wouldn't have had a problem. Hope this helps
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 72
From: Springfield
I was aware of the fact the glowplugs can stay lit for up to 2 minutes and it is good to have similar numbers for my voltage when they’re on. Whenever my new cable and ends show up I’ll get them built and go from there if i have any issues still, i wasn’t too trustworthy of the end on my cable when i changed the starter. Will adding more grounds help any with power transfer, mainly where the batteries used to be grounded? I relocated the batteries and changed the series of batteries but never added back all the grounds in the engine compartment.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 515
Likes: 6
From: North East Arkansas.
The Negative leads are as big of a part of the circuit as the Positive leads. So yes. Put the ground leads back. Make sure all your connecting points are clean bare metal to metal contact. I'm chasing the same problem. I could tell when it first turned over yesterday morning it wasn't going to start. I didn't push it. Plugged in all night so I thought id charge the batteries too. To my surprise they were at 60%. An hour later, it fired up like it was 80 degrees. I hooked up a meter and read a 1 amp draw for a few seconds then drops to 170 mA. Is this too much? I don't know.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 72
From: Springfield
The grounds will be fun then. My batteries are now mounted between the transfer case and my fuel tank. I left the lead for the passenger side battery, I think I removed the drivers side. So would my best bet be to run ground cables from the body to the frame and frame to engine? Any recommendations for cable size, should I reuse the original grounds for the new to bridge everything?
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 515
Likes: 6
From: North East Arkansas.
Yep, Daisy chain all three. Frame, Body, Engine or End housing of Transmission. There is a bonding jumper from frame to bed also. Make sure that is still in place. #4 AWG. I would use the original if they are in good condition.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 72
From: Springfield
I will get grounds on everything when i redo my battery power lead. I know there’s no longer a ground from the bed to the frame but that will be easy enough to put on.
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 515
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From: North East Arkansas.
I guess my truck batteries found out I was on FTE. I install a LED light to tell me when glow plugs kicked off. went to start it up and batteries are at 20 percent according to charger. they are 1.5 years old Odyssey's. All new cables are newer than batteries. Freaking Prom Queen.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 442
From: Eastern Washington
10.5-11v while glow plugs are on is normal.
What is your static battery voltage? If under 12.4v with key off I would be suspect. Isolate and check both batteries separately.
You say 27 degrees, was that the overnight low or current ambient temp? I had 27 degrees the other morning, but oil and block were still close to 0 due to overnight low.
What is your static battery voltage? If under 12.4v with key off I would be suspect. Isolate and check both batteries separately.
You say 27 degrees, was that the overnight low or current ambient temp? I had 27 degrees the other morning, but oil and block were still close to 0 due to overnight low.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 442
From: Eastern Washington
Make sure you don't open a door, turn on a key, or interrupt the supply of voltage during the wait period as that will wake everything back up and you'll get a false reading.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 515
Likes: 6
From: North East Arkansas.
I'll double check it. Today, my batteries were 100 percent. I had the charger ready. As soon as the Glow P R kicked out I turned the charger on. Batts were at 20 percent. Having the check Monday.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Arizona
No, I am an electrician. I assumed you were also because it's usually only electricians that use the word "bonding" when talking about electrical systems
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 442
From: Eastern Washington
Wasn't me! ^^^^^