Fuel heater busted AGAIN!

marchesani73 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:13 pm **Posts:** 5

I don't know if you remember me, but 3 months ago the wiring into my fuel heater started smoldering and smoking. I replaced the fuel/water separator and went on with my life. Now it went bad again, cracked and is leaking fuel.
About one month ago I started my CRD, it started and then quit in 5-10 seconds. I primed it and it was fine. 2 days ago the same thing ocurred. Yesterday, the same thing but then I was losing power going up hill on my way to work. After work, everything was fine except for the malfunction indicator light that came on. Autozone checked the code and it said large fuel loss. Later on that day, the light went off and my CRD drove fine. Today it started fine. No need to prime it and no loss in power.
So I decided to change the fuel filter tonight. When priming the system after installing the filter, We noticed fuel coming out of the plug going into the fuel heater. This was the same plug that caught fire 3 months ago (on a different fuel heater unit of course). We pulled the plug off and noticed the connector was a little burnt on the inside.
So, I guess we found the leak in the system which could have contributed to the power loss and the loss of prime. But what now? The design of this part obviously sucks. I love driving my Jeep but this is ridiculus. I only bought the darn thing in June and have already burnt up the heater twice.
I disconnected the wiring and removed the fuse and relay. I drove it home from my cousins house, maybe 4 miles. It did fine but how long will that last?
I will be calling Chrysler in the morning and see what they are prepared to do about this. I was in the process of reporting the situation to the National Highway and Safety people back in September but I got kicked off line and never went back to do it again. I wish I would have now.
Any thoughts?

CHessMaster · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:20 am

I'm on my 3rd (and last, since it's out of warranty) fuel heater/filter unit.

I removed the fuel heater fuse from the underhood junction block and put it in the glove box immediately after this one was replaced. I left all the wiring under the hood undisturbed (well, except for that little SEGR thingy :lol:

) . Haven't had any problems this time around so far (4000 miles).

If you do this though, you need to run a winter blend diesel and/or use some anti-gel additive, or add up to 10% kerosene to the #2 fuel in the cold times of the year (below ~20F).

After this discussion, we could start a new one on SLD and USLD lubricity if we want to!

.

UFO · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:02 am

I plan to replace my filter with a Racor unit.

gmctd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:13 am

What's your geographical location, and what range of local ambient temps in the last three months?

At the other end of the stick, we've got over 53kmi on ours, and the fuel filter puck and connector are pristine, as new, no leaks with a recently-installed 9psi lift pump

I think we need more input

~8.5psi @ 55degF

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

UFO wrote:

I plan to replace my filter with a Racor unit.

Ditto.

Uffe · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:48 am

UFO wrote:

I plan to replace my filter with a Racor unit.

This racor unit, is that what we get in europe? Maybe we can find some part numbers for you, to ask for at your Jeep dealer?

I have no clue if that would be good, but I'd like to be helpful!

alclubb · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:54 am

This may be a stupid question, but is the fuel heater the same thing as the engine block heater?

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:09 am

alclubb wrote:

This may be a stupid question, but is the fuel heater the same thing as the engine block heater?

No stupid questions

No the fuel filter is in the plastic "puck" on top of the fuel filter and warms the fuel. The Block heater is mounted on/in the engine and and aids in cold weather operation :lol:

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:54 am

Mine went about 25K and two winters without failure. I did unplug it this summer and I have had no start or fuel problems so far this winter with temps to the low 20's.

Uffe, your heater is either a Racor or a Standyne if it is earlier than 2005. The one problem we never figured out on that is the temp probe I think. We also counld not find a domestic, exact cross reference for the part numbers. I believe you also have an earlier injector pump and an in-tank lift pump so there are a lot of differences between the pre-2005 and post. Any information you can provide on the parts numbers, including the lift pump in the tank, would likely be helpful.

dgeist · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:28 am

Threeweight wrote:

UFO wrote:

I plan to replace my filter with a Racor unit.

Ditto.

Mine's been behaving recently, but it's starting to be a little leaky. If it goes, then ditto the ditto.

Uffe and Cowcatcher:
Stan's writeup and pictures are quite good and the only thing missing was the Water-in-fuel sensor, which I believe either biodieseljeep or greiswig were checkinging into that one. Here's the links to all you need from Eurekaboy:
http://liberty.eurekaboy.com/racor.htm
http://liberty.eurekaboy.com/fuelpressuregauge.htm

Uffe, if you were able to source an actual OEM replacement for yours, I think it would look just like the racor. The sensors are different, though, so i don't think it would be a straight swap regardless. Therefore, it's still a big fat waranty "void-er".

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:31 am

For the moment Racor is still the best fix (although it might affect warranty on the rest of the fuel system)

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=25537&highlight=racor

Uffe · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:09 pm

That racor unit is to the eye 100% identical to what I have in my KJ.

I do have two plugs in the bottom of my fuel assembly where it seems the racor doesn't. That's the only difference of what I can tell. Not sure what the two plugs do, all I'm certain is that one of them is a water-in-fuel sensor.

UFO · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:06 pm

Uffe wrote:

That racor unit is to the eye 100% identical to what I have in my KJ.

I do have two plugs in the bottom of my fuel assembly where it seems the racor doesn't. That's the only difference of what I can tell. Not sure what the two plugs do, all I'm certain is that one of them is a water-in-fuel sensor.

The 200 series Racor that can be ordered has two plugs in the bottom. One plug is the water sensor, and the other is the fuel heater. A fuel heater in the bottom is an obvious advantage over the crap we have in the US. For one, if the fuel level in the filter should drop, common in a suction fuel system, the heater is still immersed.

alclubb · **Posted:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 2:23 pm

Quote:

No stupid questions No the fuel filter is in the plastic "puck" on top of the fuel filter and warms the fuel. The Block heater is mounted on/in the engine and and aids in cold weather operation

Thanks. This is my first diesel and I am still learning new things all the time.

Ripster · **Posted:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:34 pm

I have had the heater unplugged for almost a year, and in below zero right now, without any troubles. All
diesel is treated here and I run my own mix of cetane, cold flow improver and conditioner, always have.
Two TDI's and the Jeep, no troubles without any heating of the fuel. I also run cold weather inserts also.

bugnout · **Posted:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:53 pm

Ripster wrote:

I have had the heater unplugged for almost a year, and in below zero right now, without any troubles. All
diesel is treated here and I run my own mix of cetane, cold flow improver and conditioner, always have.
Two TDI's and the Jeep, no troubles without any heating of the fuel. I also run cold weather inserts also.

Wow, I had it unplugged most of the summer but plugged it back in around mid Nov. Maybe I'll try it without for a while.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:38 am

Going by NHTSA's recent decision, must have been all that heat from the turbo that melted it and caused it to leak. :shock:

yakers · **Posted:** Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:40 am

Ripster wrote:

. I also run cold weather inserts also.

Is that a radiator blocker or something else?

gmctd · **Posted:** Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:45 pm

retmil46 wrote:

Going by NHTSA's recent decision, must have been all that heat from the turbo that melted it and caused it to leak. :shock:

Or, sunspots - still, would be good to know why one Jeep has two successive failures, another has three, several others have one or more, while others have none at high mileage.

I noticed, while doing the Suncoast thing, that the bellhousing and other bolts were absolutely unmoveable without cheater-bar input, namely a 20" pipe extension over the breaker-bar - that contributed to the 5hr effort just to get the assembly out and down - next event the whole job was 5hrs R&R.

'Nuther words, maybe heavy-handed service plays a factor in the failures - replacing that filter is not overly convenient - has to be something similar - one guy doesn't get lucky and get two defective head modules in a row, another lucky enuff to get three defective modules consecutively.

A long-term mounted fuel vacuum guage may also tell the tale, indicating increased filter restriction and reduced fuel level

tulsa · **Posted:** Sun Dec 16, 2007 3:34 pm

Is it possible that the CRD's that have had problems with the fuel heater have similar production dates?

Lewis

Fuel heater busted AGAIN!

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