SAFETY WARNING: unplug your fuel heater element

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:59 pm

for us non technical or mechanical types, how do you bleed the air out?

chrispitude · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:19 pm

0311_DoC wrote:

for us non technical or mechanical types, how do you bleed the air out?

On the filter head, you will see a bleed screw on the left side. It's a silver nipple that's threaded into the housing. When you loosen this (remember lefty-loosey) it will open a passage to the chamber inside the housing. I think it's a 7/16" wrench if memory serves.

To bleed, build some pressure with the plunger on the right side of the filter head. Stop when it starts to firm up, as the housing is not built to withstand much pressure. Once the handle firms up, crack open the bleeder screw slowly until you either hear air hiss out or see fuel spurt out. If it's air, barely snug up the bleed screw so it's shut and pump it up some more and repeat. When you are done and fuel has spurted instead of air, tighten the bleed screw. It only needs to be tight enough that it is shut and it won't work its way loose. Don't tighten it with any real force!

- Chris

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:45 pm

The wrench is 11mm

And if you slip a small plastic tube over the nipple and the other end into a bottle of some kind you won't get diesel fuel all over the place

Also you can tell by looking at the hose when you get all the air out and just get fuel

When done just stick both ends of the hose into the bottle and your ready for next time :lol:

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:30 pm

My CRD is at the local dealer here in Delaware. Star Chrysler Jeep in Wilmington. I called this AM and they said they were slow and I could drop it off, so I immediatly did. I recieved a call a few hours later saying "we don't see any fuel leaking" and I said to pull the connector for the heater, it is soaked in fuel, and you can't miss it. I said it is not normal to have fuel on an electrical connector. They did not seem too happy. I explained about how this seems to be a common issue and there was a fire caused by this and I want it fixed under warranty. We'll see what happens..... Even if they replace it, it'll fail again unless there is a recall which wil fix this issue once and for all.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:44 pm

UPDATE: Dealer just called and left a message saying they ordered a new filter seperator, hope they are replacing the right thing, I said it was the filter head and has the heater in it. It'll be in first thing tomorrow AM.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:48 pm

I don't think Jeep sells the seperate pieces of the fuel filter head, only the whole assembly including the filter. If they somehow are now just selling and replacing the puck where the heater is I would be very suspicious as messing with this is where all of the problems develop with air as a result of the "O" ring between the puck and the rest of the head.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:52 pm

I'll have to find out for sure. He did say that he thought the filter came with the new assembly when I was at the dealer earlier. That would be nice as I am due for a filter anyhow!

truckbouy2 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:32 pm

There are no component parts, ie heater puck, seals, etc. offered. A complete assembly must be purchased. There is not even a part listing for replacement crush washers for the banjo bolts on the fuel/water separator assy. Assembly comes with the fuel filter.

BankNote4X4 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:33 pm

I can't be certain it happened after the lift pump install but it did happen after the di-electrod grease. A small darkening of the plastic on the heater connection.
Fuel flows (very slowly) from the fitting when unplugged.
The fuse is shared with the glow plugs?
So the best short term solution is to cut the wire?

I think I will order a new filter assembly in the future.
But I need to not burn up my ride now.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:44 pm

BankNote4X4 wrote:

I can't be certain it happened after the lift pump install but it did happen after the di-electrod grease. A small darkening of the plastic on the heater connection.
Fuel flows (very slowly) from the fitting when unplugged.
The fuse is shared with the glow plugs?
So the best short term solution is to cut the wire?

I think I will order a new filter assembly in the future.
But I need to not burn up my ride now.

Banknote,

I read either here or somewhere that the fuel heater and the glow plugs shared the same relay and passed that on here but in looking through the electrical section of the service manual this weekend it shows specific fuses on the fuse panel for each. You might want to pull your owners manual and then refer to your fuse panel to see what's up with the conflicting Chrysler data.

vtdog · **Joined:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:27 am **Posts:** 640

So here is my take on this issue: I live in Northern New England and winter is coming. So, disconnecting the fuel heater is not an option. I will drive just drive the thing and if it catches on fire I will let it burn, take the insurance money and go from there. Diesel fuel has a very small likelihood to cause an explosion (as compared to gasoline) and I will take my chances that any fire will simply contain itself to the engine area and allow me to escape. It is just not worth the trouble to worry about this issue. If there is a recall, I will get it fixed, beyond that I will simply drive it.

If I end up in a burn ward then I was wrong.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:42 pm

You win in every situation except the burn part....better run fast. I plan to.

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:57 pm

I am starting to feel the same way. If it catches fire, there is little I can do but let it burn. I have a home in the PA mountains, and I bought this thing so that I can get through snow and get up there (a 5 hour one way trip) on weekends come winter, so I cannot keep my heater unplugged. I had the filter assembly replaced, but I don't trust it. I guess if it catches fire, all I can hope for is to escape without getting injured. It is not likely to blow up, since it is diesel fuel. Wouldn't Chrysler be responsible if it caused a fire? Especially after the knew of the issue and on top of it (in my case and many of yours) they replaced the filter head that was leaking with the same crappy designed part?

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:10 pm

Quote:

If I end up in a burn ward then I was wrong.

I shouldn't laugh but I did. :oops:

This little rig as a way in bringing out the best in us all.... :roll:

gmctd · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:19 pm

Here's maybe a temporary solution for you deep cold guys - after you de-ice the windshield, pop the hood, slowly (the primer bulb prolly won't react quickly in the cold) prime the filter manager B4 hitting the IGN switch - any fuel leaking around the heater connector, don't turn it on, call MrMoservice - hang in there - may be a solution by this Spring

https://www.iaai-bid.com/getimage.aspx? ... d=31411018

longview · **Joined:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:28 pm **Posts:** 88

This is my first post.
I love the info I have found at this forum.
I bought my CRD just this past Saturday.

Anyway -- I pulled my plug and sure enough it is scorched and was soaked in fuel.
I live in South Dakota, so leaving it unplugged this winter ill not be an option for me either.

I did submit an issue to the NHTSA.
I guess I will call the dealer to see what they can do for me.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:07 pm

I don't think this will fail easily in cold weather. It fails if it is defective at the get go, if the contacts get corroded, or if you sit with the ignition on with the engine not running perhaps with or without air in the system. It may also fail if you are a "radical primer". It would be interesting to know if it receives power in the "ACC" mode and if not then why do so many CRD owners not use that when the motor is not running as apposed to the "IGN" mode.

Welcome and I am sure you will love your CRD.

Tinman · **Joined:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:45 am **Posts:** 308

Rest assured that IF D/C is forced to fix this, then it will not be up to our standards. It'lll still be the cheapest thing they can get away with. Our Libby looks good but I did unplug the heater. I'm going to wait to keep the warrenty intact for a while. But the day the warrenty expires I'll have a FM100 waiting to install. Unless there are problems then bye-bye warrenty.[/i]

RabidRdKill · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:49 pm

For those of us new to diesels, what is the purpose of the heater? I understand that it's to improve cold flow but is it only important at startup? Below what temperature? While I live in central Michigan, well north of the 'It doesn't snow much here' line, I do make a couple trips a year up into the UP in January and February - the lowest I saw on the EVIC of my old truck, don't have one in the CRD, was -24F. I'm thinking I need the heater then but we could just switch it off from inside the cab when we don't need it.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:13 pm

RabidRdKill wrote:

For those of us new to diesels, what is the purpose of the heater? I understand that it's to improve cold flow but is it only important at startup? Below what temperature? While I live in central Michigan, well north of the 'It doesn't snow much here' line, I do make a couple trips a year up into the UP in January and February - the lowest I saw on the EVIC of my old truck, don't have one in the CRD, was -24F. I'm thinking I need the heater then but we could just switch it off from inside the cab when we don't need it.

You have an engine heater (look for the cord), perhaps a battery heater, and a fuel pre-heater in the filter head. The one in the filter head is the one in question. It works through a narrow temperature range and the fuel temperature is monitored by the other wired portion to the head which is a temperature sensor. The temp sensor feeds information to the fuel pump that detemines fuel feed to the common rail.

SAFETY WARNING: unplug your fuel heater element

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