Truck died...

[SMOKNZ]

Well as luck would have it, I'm driving to work on the coldest day of the year, -15 out, -35 windchill, truck started and is running great. It all of a sudden dies while driving on the intertate. RPM's go to zero and I pull off. I tried to restart and no WTS light. I'm thinking I read about this somewhere once or twice. While I have a buddy in route to pick me up I start looking over the fuses. Sure enough Fuse 30, the big 30amper is blown. I go buy two fuses, put one in and get 5 more miles down the road and it blows again. so I swapped it out again, and it blows instantly. I then start thinking what was all on this circuit, and I rmember the fuel bowl heater. I try to unplug it, but it's bitterly cold, and won't come off. So i cut the wires going to the heater (leaving enough to solder it back on when it gets warmer)

My question is, will the truck operate fine without the fuel bowl heater, or should I make this a priority to replace. I don't have a heated garage, and I sure don't want to be playing out there with the truck for the next few days. I assume the heater is to prevent gelled fuel from clogging the filter? I hope it woeks today.

Bill

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Last summer, I did some "modifications" that involved temporary removal of the fuel filter housing. When I reinstalled it later, I guess I forgot to plug in the connector for the fuel heater. I didn't know I'd left it disconnected until a few months later when I had to replace the o-rings for the yellow drain valve. So in normal conditions, I'd have to say, no it doesn't make any difference. But the way the weather has een around here the last several days with temps dropping well below zero at night, I dunno. If there would be a time you need a heater in the fuel filter, it would have to be this time of year.

 

[95_stroker]

I live in the Rockies, havent had a fuel heater on my 7.3L for uhhhh....... years. Youll be fine without it.