I have a 1996 dodge 12 valve cummins. It's down in the low teens for temperature here in PA. Now I understand 12 valves are harder to start but I'll plug my truck in for like 3 hours and go out and crank it over and it start and die right away within like a second? It keeps doing it time after time. I put the battery charger on t and it fires right up within a second. Is this my battery? Timing? My battery will crank fine before I put the battery charer on it. It is low a little on the gauge meter tho. Need help!!

 

How low is your idle set? Could it be that the reason it starts and then dies is that when the grid heater cycles back on it pulls on the alternator putting a load on a engine that is not running fast enough to support this load? By having the battery charger on it the charger can support the grid heater without putting such a load on the alternator. You probably should check the battery to see if it's weak also, it's lots of fun to be stuck somewhere with a battery that is to weak to start your truck.

 

I was wondering if it was my idle. It only idles at like 500 or so when cold. How should I set my idle when it's cold or warm? Changing the idle is just the bolt right?

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And my grid heater is unplugged. Guy before me had it unplugged. Do I really need it?

 

It helps. Also, 500 is way too low; and yes, it's just a bolt and jamb nut.

 

Okay I'll do the idle and grid heater today. It was in the single digits yesterday and I ran my truck around town and then came home and shut it off and went back out like a hour or so and it did the same starting problem. Even if I pushed my pedal in it would start and die right away? My idle time or no?

 

that's odd .. engine should still have been some what warm .. almost sounds like a fuel delivery issue ... can you put a gauge on your pump to Ip line ...

 

But if I put the battery charger on it then it'll fire right up? Thinking is battery? One I put the charger on it then it fires right up like new

 

You could have some connection/ground issues with your cables. How old are they? How do they look?

 

Just looked at that today and had to replace my one battery hot cable. It was broke and corroded. Cleaned all the rest of cables while in there. Next I'm going to get my grid heater on and then I'll give an update. Hopefully it's fixed. I'm putting a steering gearbox stabilizer on to since it's a dodge haha.

 

Good idea ... i cracked the frame in my ol chevy with 37's ... wish I would have installed the box stabilizer before it happened ..... ened up in the scrap yard ... didnt know how to weld back then ....