If you spend any time on Cummins forums, you've seen the same conversation come up over and over: "Should I delete the grid heater on my 6.7?" And you've also seen it answered every which way — by guys who clearly haven't looked under their own hood, by guys with strong opinions and weak evidence, by guys who think every "delete" is the same kind of thing. It's not. The grid heater on a 6.7 Cummins is a specific component with a specific purpose, a specific failure mode, and a specific case for removing it — and it has nothing to do with EGR, DPF, or any of the emissions hardware the diesel internet conflates it with.

This is the straight story. What the grid heater actually is, why some owners delete it, what the trade-offs are, and how to decide whether it's the right move for your truck. Want it bundled with the rest of your build? Send us your truck.

What is the grid heater on a 6.7 Cummins?

The intake grid heater on a 6.7 Cummins is a heating element that sits in the intake tract just before the air enters the cylinder head. Its job is to warm the incoming intake charge during cold starts, helping the engine fire cleanly and reduce white-smoke / hard-start issues in cold weather. Wired through a relay and controlled by the ECM based on engine and ambient temperature, the grid heater cycles on for a few seconds during a cold start and then turns off once the engine is running.

It's a cold-start aid. That's its entire job. It is not:

• An emissions component. It doesn't affect what comes out of the tailpipe under normal operation.
• An EGR system. Despite some online confusion, the grid heater has nothing to do with exhaust gas recirculation.
• A glow plug. Common-rail diesels don't use glow plugs; the grid heater serves a similar cold-start function but works differently.
• Active under normal driving. Once the engine is up to temperature, the grid heater is essentially off and not affecting how the truck runs.

That distinction matters because most "delete" topics in diesel come loaded with emissions baggage. The grid heater conversation isn't that — it's a reliability conversation about a component that can fail in a particularly bad way.

Why do owners delete the grid heater?

There's one main reason owners pull the grid heater, and it's not "to make more power" — it's because of a known, scary failure mode.

The bolt-loss failure

The grid heater is held in place by an electrical post — a stud that connects the heater element to its power feed. Over time and heat cycles, the stud or its retaining hardware can loosen. If it loosens enough, it can come free. If it comes free, it gets sucked through the intake into the cylinder head — and from there into the cylinders, into the turbo, or both. The result, in the worst-case scenario, is catastrophic engine damage from a foreign object hitting moving parts inside the engine.

This isn't theoretical. It's a documented failure mode that has cost 6.7 Cummins owners full engine rebuilds. The probability per truck is low — most grid heaters stay in place — but the consequence is severe enough that it gets attention.

Other (smaller) reasons

Beyond the bolt-loss story, owners cite a few smaller reasons:

• Slightly improved airflow — removing the heating element from the intake tract opens up a small amount of additional flow area.
• Simpler intake routing for builds that are reworking the air side.
• Eliminating a future failure point on a high-mile truck.
• Aesthetic preferences for builders who want the cleanest intake layout possible.

The airflow argument is real but small — single-digit percentage at best, not a transformative gain. The simpler-routing argument matters mainly on builds with aggressive intake modifications. The eliminating-future-failure argument is the real one for most owners.

What you give up

Pulling the grid heater isn't free. You give up the cold-start aid the heater was providing. The practical implications:

• Harder starts in cold weather. How much harder depends on how cold "cold" is for you. Mild winters with temperatures rarely below freezing? Barely noticeable. Brutal winters with overnight temperatures in the negative double digits? Meaningfully harder cold starts, more cranking, and potentially more white smoke for the first few minutes.
• Increased white smoke at startup. The grid heater specifically helps the first combustion events be cleaner. Without it, the truck may emit more white smoke (unburned fuel) until the engine warms up.
• Marginally more wear on the starter and battery from extended cranking in cold weather.
• Some loss of plug-in compatibility — block heaters and other cold-start aids still work, but the integrated grid heater system is gone.

If you live in a mild climate or a garaged-truck situation, you probably won't notice the loss. If you live in a cold climate and your truck sits outside, the trade-off becomes more real.

How the delete actually works

"Deleting" the grid heater isn't usually a literal removal — it's a replacement of the heater section of the intake with a non-heater piece. There are two common approaches:

The spacer / block-off plate

A simple aftermarket spacer that replaces the heater section of the intake with a non-heating piece of the same shape. The electrical post is gone, the heating element is gone, the rest of the intake bolts up normally. Quick install, modest cost, addresses the failure mode directly. Several aftermarket builders make these for the 6.7 Cummins.

The full intake upgrade

Some builders combine a grid heater delete with a broader intake upgrade — a complete redesign of the air path that delivers improved flow alongside the heater removal. The cost is higher; the gains are correspondingly larger; the install is more involved.

What you DON'T do

Don't just unbolt the heater and run open holes in the intake. Don't try to "delete" by disconnecting electrical and leaving the hardware in place (the bolt-loss failure mode still exists). Do it properly with a quality replacement piece or skip it entirely.

The install

A grid heater delete install is reasonably approachable for an experienced DIYer:

• Disconnect the battery (electrical connections to the heater).
• Remove the intake horn and any related components to access the heater section.
• Disconnect the heater electrical post.
• Remove the heater section (or the section the replacement plate goes in place of).
• Install the replacement spacer with fresh gaskets and proper torque.
• Reassemble everything, reconnect battery.
• Verify no leaks at startup. Watch for any check engine codes; some owners need to address ECM-side messaging if the system expects the heater.

The job is a couple of hours for an experienced wrencher in a driveway. Drop it off if you'd rather have us do it.

Should you delete the grid heater?

This is the question. Honest framework:

It's not a "do this on every truck" mod. It's a calculated reliability decision based on your climate, mileage, and use case. Ask us if you're not sure and we'll walk you through the right call for your specific truck.

What the grid heater delete is NOT

Let's be very clear about this so the internet stops being confused about it:

• It is NOT an EGR delete. EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) is a separate emissions system that recirculates exhaust gas back into the intake. Deleting EGR has emissions implications that the grid heater delete does not.
• It is NOT a DPF delete. The Diesel Particulate Filter is part of the exhaust system, downstream of the engine. Grid heater delete has nothing to do with it.
• It is NOT a DEF / SCR delete. Diesel Exhaust Fluid and Selective Catalytic Reduction are emissions systems unrelated to the grid heater.
• It is NOT a tune. Removing the grid heater hardware doesn't change ECU calibration. (Some installations do require ECM updates to suppress error codes; that's different from a power-adding tune.)
• It is NOT going to make significant power. The grid heater isn't restricting your airflow in any meaningful way during normal operation. Don't delete it for performance.

The grid heater delete is a reliability decision specifically about preventing the bolt-loss failure mode. Treat it as that and the decision is straightforward.

The legality conversation

Because the grid heater is a cold-start aid rather than an emissions device, the legal landscape is different from EGR or DPF deletes. The grid heater isn't certified as emissions hardware in the same way DPF, EGR, and SCR are. That said, modifications to OEM intake hardware can carry their own regulatory considerations depending on your state. The honest answer: the grid heater delete is generally less regulatory-fraught than emissions-system deletes, but laws vary and they change. Check your local rules.

The full diesel cold-start picture

If you're deleting the grid heater and you live in cold country, you have other tools to help with cold starts:

• Block heater. Engine block heaters plug into wall power overnight and pre-warm the coolant. Massively effective and doesn't depend on the grid heater. If you don't already have one in cold climates, install one regardless of the grid heater decision.
• Quality fuel additive or winter blend diesel. Winterized fuel and additives prevent gelling and improve cold-start behavior.
• Healthy batteries. Cold-start cranking demands a lot of current; a tired battery makes a cold start much worse.
• Quality engine oil. Use the proper-viscosity oil for your climate; 15W-40 is great in summer but harsh in real winter.
• Garage when possible. Even an unheated garage drops cold-start stress significantly.

None of these compensate fully for the grid heater in brutal conditions, but they each contribute. Combine them and you can run a deleted grid heater in colder climates than you'd otherwise consider.

Pairing the grid heater delete with other 6.7 work

If you're doing a grid heater delete, it's the natural moment to address other items in the intake area. The high-value pairings:

• A Banks Monster Ram or similar intake elbow upgrade — see our Banks Power guide. The intake is already apart; address the elbow now.
• S&B cold air intake if you haven't already — see the S&B intake guide.
• Fresh gaskets across the intake path — never reuse intake gaskets if you can avoid it.
• Inspect the turbo inlet and outlet while you're in there.
• If you're on a 2019+ Cummins, the Hamilton flat-tappet conversion belongs on your radar — see our Hamilton Cams guide.

Most owners doing a grid heater delete do it as part of a broader intake-side update. Plan the work accordingly and save labor.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 6.7 Cummins grid heater?

An electric heating element in the intake tract that warms incoming air during cold starts. It's a cold-start aid, not an emissions component.

Why do owners delete the grid heater?

Primarily to eliminate a known catastrophic failure mode — the heater's electrical post can come loose and get sucked into the engine, causing major damage.

Will deleting the grid heater make my truck faster?

No — not meaningfully. There's a small airflow improvement, but it's not a performance mod. If you're chasing power, look at intake upgrades, turbos, and tuning instead.

Will my truck start in winter without the grid heater?

Yes, generally, in temperate climates. In cold climates with overnight temperatures below freezing, expect harder cold starts and more white smoke until the engine warms up. A block heater compensates for most of the lost grid-heater benefit.

Is the grid heater delete legal?

The grid heater is a cold-start aid rather than certified emissions hardware, which makes it less regulatory-loaded than DPF or EGR deletes. State laws vary; check your local rules. We're not emissions lawyers and can't make legal calls for you.

What's the best 6.7 Cummins grid heater delete kit?

Several quality builders make spacer / replacement plates for the 6.7 grid heater. The specific best pick depends on the year and the rest of your build. Ask us and we'll match it to your truck.

Will the grid heater delete throw a check engine light?

Often, yes — the ECM expects the grid heater system to be functional. Some delete kits include or recommend tune modifications to suppress the related codes. Plan around this when you scope the install.

Should I also delete the EGR while I'm at it?

Different conversation entirely. EGR delete carries emissions implications that grid heater delete does not. We're not advising on emissions hardware modifications in this article — that's a separate decision with its own legal, mechanical, and ethical considerations.

How long does the grid heater delete install take?

A couple of hours for an experienced wrencher in a driveway. Combine with other intake-side work to save labor.

Will my Cummins grid heater fail on me?

The failure odds per truck are low, but they go up with mileage, heat cycles, and time. Most trucks never have a problem; some do. The high-mileage tow-rig owner is in a different probability bucket than the 30,000-mile garaged daily.

Can I delete the grid heater myself, or should a shop do it?

An experienced DIYer with hand tools and patience can absolutely handle the install. If the rest of the intake side is staying stock, it's a couple-hour job. If you're combining it with broader intake upgrades or you want it bundled with other work, a shop visit makes sense.

Does deleting the grid heater affect resale value?

Probably not in the diesel-enthusiast market, where the delete is a known reliability move and many buyers see it as a positive. For broader resale to non-enthusiast buyers, the practical impact is minimal — most never notice the change.

One reliability decision, made the right way

The grid heater delete on a 6.7 Cummins is a specific reliability decision about a specific failure mode. It's not a power mod. It's not an emissions mod. It's a calculated call about whether you want to keep a cold-start aid you might use a few times a year, or eliminate a low-probability but high-consequence failure mode. Either decision is defensible. The wrong move is doing it because someone on a forum told you to without understanding why.

Shop the full Cummins parts selection at DNR Customs, see our Banks Power guide for related intake upgrades and our 6.7 Cummins first 5 upgrades roadmap for the broader build picture, and when you're ready to spec the right grid heater delete (or decide it's not the right call for your truck) — and bundle the install with whatever else the truck needs — request a quote. We'll get you set up right the first time, every time.