I have to deal with an early Dodge Cummins it has only one battery under hood and not much room for a second. In cold weather it is just not enough and it is not always near a plug in for the block heater. Do I rebuild the battery box under hood for 2 batteries? Put a battery in the body or build a frame box, like a big truck has? What are your thoughts on this one guess I am looking for easy, I have done a lot of battery box stuff on equipment so have the ability just not real willing!!!!
- Thread starter JOCCO
- Start date
Find the highest cranking amp bat that will fit in the box, get the starter rebuilt and check your cables. No reason 1 bat won't start it.The grid heater pulls alot of amps, and running it 10-20 minutes after a cold start won't recharge the battery,the grid heater will cycle for 1-2 minutes after the engine is started when the temp is below 0 or in the low teens. My 92 will start below 30 without cycling the grid heater, 1 heat cycle and it starts well below zero with 268000 on the clock
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
Two would be better. But a good high cranking battery will work. I would also have the starter looked at. Make sure all connections are clean and tight.
The battery box on those trucks fits a group 31 battery, these are available up to around 1000cca so plenty to spin over that engine. Ford used two smaller shorter batteries that's why they had two. Get a good battery, good cables, and if still won't spin well get a new starter .
casecollectorsc
Well-known Member
- Location
- E central SD.
Got a 91 and 92 Dodge Cummins, pre-heat and fire up. Each has a 950 amp battery.
Donald Lehman
Well-known Member
Low compression? bad injectors? Bad starter? Bad cables? How many cold cranking amps is the battery? Weak injector pump? Is your winter fuel at least 60% kerosene?
BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
Slow cranking, or excessive cranking?
try some pure synthetic (when i say pure i mean AMSOIL or mobill 1) motor oil.
You'll be amazed how much easier the engine will spin over. Good synthetics don't thicken in the cold like conventional oils do. (no paraffins in the synthetic to solidify).
that just might help your problem believe it or not.
You'll be amazed how much easier the engine will spin over. Good synthetics don't thicken in the cold like conventional oils do. (no paraffins in the synthetic to solidify).
that just might help your problem believe it or not.
I have a 1991 Dodge with over 400K on the motor. It will always start. The key thing you need are:
1) Good cables. IF they have clamp on ends and are corroded then your not going to start it.
2) A GOOD heavy Duty battery will a good reserve. I Use a JD battery that is made to go into a JD 4455 tractor. It is listed at 950 CCA but has a 110 minute reserve. A car battery that had listed 1100 CCA but a low reserve will NOT crank a diesel pickup.
3) Good injectors and injection pump too. IF the injectors are not atomizing the fuel it will not burn as easy for cold weather start ups.
I have never had mine not start. It may hit a few times and I let the heat spread and glow plug it again an then it will hit right off.
1) Good cables. IF they have clamp on ends and are corroded then your not going to start it.
2) A GOOD heavy Duty battery will a good reserve. I Use a JD battery that is made to go into a JD 4455 tractor. It is listed at 950 CCA but has a 110 minute reserve. A car battery that had listed 1100 CCA but a low reserve will NOT crank a diesel pickup.
3) Good injectors and injection pump too. IF the injectors are not atomizing the fuel it will not burn as easy for cold weather start ups.
I have never had mine not start. It may hit a few times and I let the heat spread and glow plug it again an then it will hit right off.
MARK ROBKE
Well-known Member
JD Seller is right on about the cables and battery.You want higher reserve minutes rather than the highest cca rating.Sometimes cables start corroding inside themselves:the cable will look good,but peel back the insulation like you are soldering on a new end,and sometimes you find green stuff is inside the cable,not obvious outside.I just repaired a tractor that had bad ends,and 1 internally corroded cable.It went from no crank to spin the engine out of the frame!Mark
guido
Well-known Member
Hello jocco,
Original size battery should be adequate, as long as it is properly charged-maintained of course. Bigger and a higher CCA one would be better. CCA# is the key, NOT amp hours. Also as someone mentioned synthetic oil would help a lot on cold days cracking speed. Working cold weather starting aids are a plus. Having all the connections to the starter motor, and a good starter is a must also. But if you have a poorly running-maintained engine, all bets are off,
Guido.
Original size battery should be adequate, as long as it is properly charged-maintained of course. Bigger and a higher CCA one would be better. CCA# is the key, NOT amp hours. Also as someone mentioned synthetic oil would help a lot on cold days cracking speed. Working cold weather starting aids are a plus. Having all the connections to the starter motor, and a good starter is a must also. But if you have a poorly running-maintained engine, all bets are off,
Guido.
Mark - IN.
Well-known Member
You didn't say what year the truck is. I have a '95, '96, and '01 with Cummins all and they have dual batteries from the factory, left and right just behind the headlights. Nope, not a lot of room but if your truck is at least a '95 when the body style changed and 4x4's went to coil springs on the front axle as opposed to leaf spring, trays were available from the factory so I'd think that they can be had or found. Prior to that, I don't know. Nothing wrong with having dual batteries, gas or diesel...nice fresh copper 00 gauge. Not 0 gauge, but 00 gauge. And...your problem might even be weak cables too.
Do what you have to do, and good luck.
Mark
Do what you have to do, and good luck.
Mark
On my 98 12V, I survived last winter with one good battery, no grid heater and never plugged the truck in. The intake heater might help but its really there for emissions, industrial applications don't use it. 2 batts are definitely better, you must have a 1st gen with single battery? Some people have made a custom tray and put another battery directly beside the original.
FYI, here are typical amp draws for grid heater and starter. These two loads can easily overcome weak/faulty battery, starter or cables.
grid heater draw, 190 amps 10-30secs on before start
starter draw, 450-700 amps
FYI, here are typical amp draws for grid heater and starter. These two loads can easily overcome weak/faulty battery, starter or cables.
grid heater draw, 190 amps 10-30secs on before start
starter draw, 450-700 amps
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
Get a group 31.
If it has to turn over twice when it's warm out, check for fuel leaks, you're probably sucking air someplace.
If it has to turn over twice when it's warm out, check for fuel leaks, you're probably sucking air someplace.
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
There are 2 group 31 size batteries, they recommend the 1125 cca one.
The grid heater is for cold starting, unlike the 7.3 powerstroke. That's why it draws enough to drop the battery to 8 volts running. There were no emissions concerns prior to 98, when they went to the 24 valve.
The ve44 on the first-gen trucks really dumps the fuel to them and advances the timing for starting. Make sure your KSB (cold start timing advance) is plugged in. Its on the pump away from the engine, facing you looking over the driver's fender.
The grid heater is for cold starting, unlike the 7.3 powerstroke. That's why it draws enough to drop the battery to 8 volts running. There were no emissions concerns prior to 98, when they went to the 24 valve.
The ve44 on the first-gen trucks really dumps the fuel to them and advances the timing for starting. Make sure your KSB (cold start timing advance) is plugged in. Its on the pump away from the engine, facing you looking over the driver's fender.
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