Intake Heater retrofit
 

I saw an intake heater on a cummins, it looked reasonably compact, I didn't get a chance to take it apart however. I'm thinking its a bunch of non-delicate heating elements (possibly coils) optomized for air flow?

Anybody consider ditching the glow plugs and going this direction?

If I was to try it, I think Id try to suspend it from the air filter cover. Use a big ass relay and control it manually.

I think its superior to the glow plug system because of the centralization and the reduced number of parts and wiring.

Big A$$ Relay
 

I used a lawnmower relay and pushbutton relay to control thr glowplugs on my 300SD been that way for 4 years, I posted it here on this board but all I got was derision from a well respected board member.

I did this with a homemade loom running to the my relay mounted between the firewalls and feed streight from the battery +ve.


Steve

Does the cummins use the heater instead of glowplugs, or as additional heating? It seems that the air would have too much time too cool between the air filter and the cylinders. Also, I would be concerned about exposing the air filter and plastic ducts to high temperatures.

Sorry to hear that...Artistic/Genius types are rarely recognized as such in their own era.;)

But thats just the sort of thing I'd do to to control my glow plugs manually when the stock relay goes south.

I was fixing the hydraulic lines on a piece of heavy equipment, but I was able to poke around the engine compartment and chat w/ a diesel mechanic briefly... anyway, from what I was able to gather, theres NO glow plugs, just a heater centered on the intake and a Largeish sticker on that intake that says USE NO ETHER/STARTING FLUID!!!

The big cummins engine started instantly and effortlessly and ran smooth from the get go.

This is a different animal....direct injection and electronic controlled injection timing. (With the latest Bosch rotary.)
It uses a heater grid and it works very well.
However, you must NEVER use staring aids squirted into the air cleaner or your'll find most of the intake system scattered across the yard !:rolleyes:


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Brings back to life... I think this would be great for those freezing mornings, when it takes 5 miles before the engine is warm enough for the heater to start warming up. Would it be possible to add a grid heated to the OM617??

-Joey

You need a block heater, not an intake heater, or buy a 603, aluminum heads give you warm air in blocks, not miles.

The larger diesels don't really need glowplugs and stuff, didn't have heated intakes commonly until recently, mostly for emissions. The heaters run/cycle during the startup and while the engine is warming up. Might even cycle during extended idling, never checked.

One big difference in the big diesels is the surface to volume ratio, the charge in the cylinder has less wall surface to the volume of compressed air so it loses less heat. The big DDs I have had were 92cid per cylinder, the CATs were a little over 1.25liters per cylinder, and direct-injection. A cold start at 10F on the CAT was about 2seconds cranking and 2minutes of lumpy idle and white smoke-screen.

this heating grid is like a big hair drier in the intake.

I have had this idea, don`t know it it would work. drill 5 holes in the intake manifold, tap them and install a glow plug. wouldn`t the additional heated air be an additional starting aid? would have to install a seperate GP relay.

Charlie

Just the manifold heater. NO glow plugs. :P It is located after the air filter.

If your car takes 5 miles to heat up in Florida, I'm not sure a manifold heater will help you.

why? My car starts up in one crank in 30 degree weather. Just get your glow plugs working correctly

I believe ForcedInduction had plans to retrofit one at one time.

I do have it installed on my W115 intake. I never needed it so I never got around to getting it working.

The Cummins only has it for emissions reasons and sub freezing starting. It only turns on below 65*F, the rest of the time the engine starts cold on its own without any aid. Try getting a 617 to do that.

Just get your glowplugs in good working order, it will be much harder to start with just an intake heater. The only time it would be of real benefit is when you have to start in sub-zero tempertures and no block heater is available.

Intake heater is a great idea... the whole idea in a CI engine is to raise the temp of the AIR. A red hot grid of nichrome wires in the airstream accomplishes this task 'more better' than a quintuplet of individual glowplugs.

Sadly, I have never seen this applied to the IDI engine...