New Style Fuel Head Failures?

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 21, 2009 6:40 pm

I just had another "old" style OEM fuel head fail. It is only about a year old (15K miles) and was run only in conjunction with a Cummins intank pump. So much for the idea that air at the top makes it fail due to overheating. I have checked periodically and the prime pump has always been rock hard, but it is not now.

Just wondering if anyone has had a 68043089-AA fail yet.

BTW, if you are wondering how I found out, I removed fuse #17 so that the presence of the lift pump would not be apparent when I brought it to the dealer for TSB 08-04305 (instrument reflash). (Never know what they might get into. Always try to avoid provoking them with ANY mods. Disconnect EHM, SEGR, reinstall OEM ECU, etc.) The Jeep would not start when the reflash was completed. The fuel head is on backorder and could be weeks. I had to install the fuse to be able to drive away. (They did not seem particularly concerned about the lift pump having been installed at that point, but you never know what dealers will sometimes try to pull regarding voiding warranties.)

DOC

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 12:02 pm

So I take this to mean nobody is aware of any of the new style fuel heads failing? (I suppose so many people are running some sort of lift pump that you would not know if it had.)

As I had mentioned, I had no clue until I pulled the LP fuse and the truck would not run.

DOC

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 3:17 pm

In my humble opinion is that, sucking fuel out if the tank under a vacuum is risky, regardless of what filter head you have.
I prefer low pressure feed through filters and on the fittings designed to handle pressure not a vacuum.
Just my opinion based upon the Laws of Physics :idea:

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:07 pm

Hey Warp,

Did you miss that at least as far as I am concerned, you are preaching to the choir? I have been a strong proponent of using a lift pump.

However, its still not a good situation having a fuel head that is leaking, even if your rig still runs great as mine did because of the LP. I expect to have the new style head installed under warranty and I am just hoping to get some sense as to how long it might last from other folks. I last checked the prime pump on our CRD about a month ago. Sometime between then and a few days ago, it started leaking but I had no clue because of the LP. It was just dumb luck that the dealer visit brought the failure to light.

DOC

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 7:16 pm

But for those who don't, they are offended by us that do and state our case.
I remember seeing that the heater part is supplied by a firm out of Denmark and they must have found a bug and updated their design, I would not give Chrysler the credit. The whole idea that any heater can self regulate its' self with out a thermostat to shut it off is a Salesman's or Bean Counter's pipe dream.
In the Waste Water Industry my company and all of our competitors use thermostats on the Self Regulating heater tapes to turn them off when it is warm enough. We all depend upon the self regulation to put out more when it gets colder to keep the equipment going.

BTW: I suspect the Back Order Problems that Chrysler is having is due to not paying their suppliers soon enough. Suppliers can't afford to subsidize auto companies. When the turn ratio gets high enough, Aftermarket suppliers will approach suppliers and if they reach a deal, parts will be available for our Jeeps, including your fuel head.
Since you are going for a warranty replacement, you are stuck playing the waiting game. Call you US Representative and let Him/Her know that the Bailed Out Auto Company who made you vehicle is not providing the Warranty in a Timely Manner and trying to make the clock run out, I will bet they will find a filter head real fast.

When mine leaked and was replaced under warranty, it was damp but did not drip.

You may want to PM the guy in Australia who has an '07 CRD and his son has a JK CRD, ask if him and his son both have the new fuel head, if so you may get the closest answer you are going to get about reliability.

New Style Fuel Head Failures?

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