What's new
By:
Filters

'25 RAM/Cummins ZF transmission

CarterKraft said:
Probably not enough clamp load.

We also ran into an issue where the plating used now is actually electrically isolating not conducting....
CAT put out a bulletin, I'll share.
Click to expand...
I think zinc-dichromate is the offending coating, it looks like galvanizing but cleaner.


1721919214887.png

1721919242172.png
 
AKnate said:
Why would hardness grade affect conductivity?
Click to expand...
Hardness is only an indication of alloy. Whatever the cheap stud is made out of has to much resistance and gets hot. The grade 8 bolt out of our bolt bin doesn’t. I don’t care about the torque spec in this instance. I just care that it conducts electricity properly without turning an alternator into a sparkler/smoke machine.
 
CarterKraft said:
Probably a case to case basis, my 7.3 didn't have the air intake heater for 15 years, wasn't a problem for me.

Cranky cold start in Taos one year though but it did start.
Click to expand...
Thats just an emissions device used once started in certain conditions
 
CarterKraft said:
I think zinc-dichromate is the offending coating, it looks like galvanizing but cleaner.
Click to expand...

I was going to guess galvanized had something to do with it. The studs we had burn in half look just like the middle of the 3 in that picture. Some bean counter probably got a bonus for switching to some trash bolt

I know I spun us out into the weeds on a derail. But the grid heater thing is Cummins original post related.
 
JR4X said:
I was going to guess galvanized had something to do with it. The studs we had burn in half look just like the middle of the 3 in that picture. Some bean counter probably got a bonus for switching to some trash bolt

I know I spun us out into the weeds on a derail. But the grid heater thing is Cummins original post related.
Click to expand...
I don't Cummins and since it's my thread IDGAF where we go:stirthepot:
:flipoff2:
 
JR4X said:
Hardness is only an indication of alloy. Whatever the cheap stud is made out of has to much resistance and gets hot. The grade 8 bolt out of our bolt bin doesn’t. I don’t care about the torque spec in this instance. I just care that it conducts electricity properly without turning an alternator into a sparkler/smoke machine.
Click to expand...
10-4

Was mostly trying to understand so I could remember it and why.
20 years down the road i maybe will deal with the same.
"Huh, I remember back in '24 a guy the same trouble" 😁
 
CarterKraft said:
I don't Cummins and since it's my thread IDGAF where we go:stirthepot:
:flipoff2:
Click to expand...
I do find it ironic that a Cummins engine always seems to have a killer something. There was “killer dowel pin” in P-Pump engines that was a real thing. Now we see with the current common rail with what’s being affectionately called KGHB or “killer grid heater bolt”.

I don’t Cummins because of transmission issues and I just like the truck itself better with the superduty platform.
 
I was thinking the same thing. Let’s design an engine that will also have the potential to be destroyed with a .35 cent fastener
 
Texas97 said:
i have heard about this and i worry about mine sometimes, though i dont use the grid heater often at all.



:laughing:

that bolt is worrisome. Banks makes a replacement intake that deletes that heater and that problem. i have thought about doing it about a year ago, and now i may just go ahead and make it happen. 213,000 miles.

what were the symtoms when your friend's let go? any warning?
Click to expand...

cj3a said:
Just great. Is the Banks heater and intake worth it then?
Click to expand...

I put the Banks intake elbow on my '15 to get rid of the killer grid heater bolt. Mine wasn't loose or anything yet. 133k at the time it was done. Mine isn't deleted and didn't really notice any mileage difference. It has to be better though. My grid heater was about 40% plugged from soot.
 
AKnate said:
10-4

Was mostly trying to understand so I could remember it and why.
20 years down the road i maybe will deal with the same.
"Huh, I remember back in '24 a guy the same trouble" 😁
Click to expand...
A quick run down. Dad’s tractor is a 15 liter Detroit with a big 24 volt alt. The original alternator just went out like they do. Stopped charging, no flame out no stud issue. It was on the new and reman replacement alt that we had an issue.

The first replacement burned that charge stud in two and let the big cable that goes directly to the batteries fall down, luckily not touching anything. We just exchanged it as a warranty and stuck another one on. That one failed us on the side of I-40 east of Memphis Tennessee at like 1:00 am Sunday morning. That’s 20 hours from home. I was following the semi in my pickup and thankfully (I thought) I found a 24 hour truck parts house 40 miles away. I round tripped it while dad removed the new bad alternator in the dark on the side of the road. I got back and we installed the reman that cost me $900 instead the $700 it would have been at home from the sketchiest place I’ve ever been in the middle of the night.

We made it from Memphis to Amarillo and it did it again. 3rd alternator, burned that galvanized stud clean in two. Now dad’s pissed and it’s daylight. We stopped in a rest area and took apart the alternator that came off the truck a few hours ago and realized that the back panel is just a cover and all that is happening is that stud is burning in two. We pulled the cover off the back of the one on the truck and using a pair of needle nose vice grips clamped the charge wire directly onto the copper strap that goes to the stud on the inside of the alt. Zip tied it to a bunch of stuff so nothing could move and arc out on anything. The vice grip fix got us all the way home with no other charging issues. To permanently fix it we took those two same alternators, put a new bulkhead post isolator in them and a grade 8 bolt as the stud. Put one on the truck and one in the truck so we have a road side spare.

The one on the truck has been in there for 3 or 4 years now. We have infrared temp guns all over the place and I have checked that stud when we were checking something else and it doesn’t get hot now. There is something majorly inadequate about the reman kit stud the kit comes with. It’s not good enough for the amperage the alt puts out and the truck uses.
 
Last edited:
Thats pretty interesting and something id have never considered.
 
Wades_76_cj7 said:
I put the Banks intake elbow on my '15 to get rid of the killer grid heater bolt. Mine wasn't loose or anything yet. 133k at the time it was done. Mine isn't deleted and didn't really notice any mileage difference. It has to be better though. My grid heater was about 40% plugged from soot.
Click to expand...

so you saw no difference in mileage or butt dyno? just curious as to what anyone has felt/seen from doing it.
 
It might have gained a little mileage but i don't drive that truck very often unless it's towing so hard to really get a constant control # for baseline. so many factors when towing. speed, wind, weight. etc.
 
Wades_76_cj7 said:
I put the Banks intake elbow on my '15 to get rid of the killer grid heater bolt. Mine wasn't loose or anything yet. 133k at the time it was done. Mine isn't deleted and didn't really notice any mileage difference. It has to be better though. My grid heater was about 40% plugged from soot.
Click to expand...
Mine is a 2016 with a manual only has 26,000 miles but it’s only towing or long trips.
 
CarterKraft said:
Not sure what year we're even talking about but maybe this other options?
us.bddiesel.com

KILLER GRID HEATER UPGRADE | DODGE/RAM 6.7L CUMMINS 2500/3500 | 1041520

The Killer Grid Heater Upgrade Kit is purpose-built to address a major flaw in the 6.7L Cummins engine that can result in total engine destruction.
us.bddiesel.com us.bddiesel.com

1721910531933.png
Click to expand...
I put these in my Ram 5500 service trucks. Still need to do my pickup. The banks kit is way too expensive, the intake upgrade is pointless to me, I need to prevent a bolt from falling in, not increase air flow and end up with a shittier heater. I had the relays b+ disabled to the relay for years and they always start fine. Only gets into mid 20’s a few times a year here. I almost gutted the heater out of the intakes before I saw BD’s kit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh