I let the magic smoke out of my heater grids!

[Begle1]

How is the truck supposed to react when you start it without the IAT (??) sender plugged in on the side of the "manifold"?

The other day I started the truck without the thing plugged in, and I noticed the "Wait to Start" light flashing a steady ON-OFF pattern. I figured that was some sort of fault signal.

Today I started the truck without the thing plugged in, and after a few seconds I smelled some magic smoke. I turned the ignition off real quick; turned out the only thing letting out the smoke was the little rubber cap on the terminal on the intake.

So are the heater grids supposed to leave themselves on when the sender is unplugged? Or are they supposed to do the blinky-blinky? Why the blinky-blinky one day and the burn-everything the other?

I wonder what happens when I burn out the heater grids and debris falls into my "manifold"...

[Ace]

I suppose the brain box would always think it's cold outside. Or, inside the intake manifold.

What do you need grid heaters for in Phoenix, anyway?

[Begle1]

I'm planning on removing them shortly.

[Richie O]

I have started mine at near zero degrees f. with out letting the heaters cycle and it started right up. She smoked and farted but fired right up. My 97 1 ton needs to be plugged in or it wont hardly go. That thing smokes when its cold out.

[Begle1]

The only reason I still have them is because I haven't fabricated a new crossover yet.

[beerboy81]

i've heard some pple actually just remove the grids and put everything back together.. what does that do?? hurt anything??

[Begle1]

Doesn't hurt anything at all provided you're above freezing or so.

They do cut down on noise and smoke when it's cold, but noise and smoke don't hurt anything. Cold fuel spraying down the cylinder walls on a regular basis probably cuts into engine longevity, though.

[Ace]

Grid heaters, cold fuel? Huh?

[beerboy81]

then, sorry, but i dont understand what the point is to remove em??? lol

mine's currently DEAD at the moment, still investigating if its the grid or in the wiring somewhere

if it was an improvement in performance wise, heck i would toss em.. and maybe just throw em back in durin the winters..