Fuel Heater Short

[Diesel Junkie]

I'm back again. Good news,bad news as usual. The advice about waxin my plastic lens worked like a charm. Thanks again.
The bad news. Truck quit as I was heading down the road today. Just died. Figured it had to be the CPS I've heard so much about. Not So. Got towed into the Ford Dealership, 1mile down the road ($71),waited 2 hours for a mechanic to look at it. Turned out the fuel heater in the filter can had shorted and blown the main fuse. Total learning experience, One Hundred and ninety four dollars. That did not include labor for installing the fuel heater. I bought it for ($65) and will install it myself hopefully saving the two and a half hour labor charge. The mechanic say the whole job shouldn"t take more than a half hour even being done by a dummy like me.
Great Day

 

[95_stroker]

Fuel heater shorting out is a very common mishap with our rigs, most folks just unplug it and run without. I live in a much colder climate than you do and mine has been unplugged since I bought the truck, havent had fuel gelling problems yet.

 

[Doggy Daddy]

Have a look at the fitting where the wires connect inside and outside the filter housing. If the heater has been drawing a lot of current over a long time it may have melted the plastic enough to have a slight fuel leak. DON'T FORGET THAT THE STANDPIPE HAS LEFTHAND THREADS! In this case it is righty-loosey. A 7/8" crow's foot is a good way to remove it although it can be done with extra long bent end needle nose pliers. While the heater is out clean all the crap (if any) out of the bottom of the housing and see if it is pitted. If so a lot of guys have repaired it with J-B Weld or Marine Tex, although if the heater fitting is leaking you might have to but the whole thing to get that.

That fuse is a gigantic sized 30 Amp unit; if you are standing next to the truck it is the one farest away from you in the underhood power box. You might consider carrying one as a spare.

 

[Diesel Junkie]

Thanks guys, so far everything but my wallet has recovered. An expensive lesson but those are the ones you remember. Thanks Again

 

[94f450sd]

if you havent put the new heater in yet bring it back and get your money back.you dont need it.i dont have it in mine,as a matter of fact i dont even have the fuel filter bowl or fuel pump anymore .its been down in the 20s and 30s here at night and mine fires right up without a problem