Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) fuel heater

[CRohwedder]

If i take my fuel heater off will i benifit or loose anything? Goin for high hp, and just eliminating some things i think i dont need. thanks.

 

[EKlem]

There are a lot of people on this forum that have gotten rid of the heater. If you get rid of it, it will just be one less thing to start leaking air and give you problems.



I tried unplugging mine when it was pretty cold(sub zero) and the truck didn't run as well as when I plugged it back in. The only reason that I can see leaving the heater in is if you plan on running the truck in really cold weather.

 

[wildmanben]

I dont have one on mine, and its been below zero here for a bit and didnt skip a beat.

 

[Joe G.]

I tried unplugging mine when it was pretty cold(sub zero) and the truck didn't run as well as when I plugged it back in.

I suspect that yours is leaking a little bit of air when the plug is out. Probably not heating at all.

 

[EKlem]

I suspect that yours is leaking a little bit of air when the plug is out. Probably not heating at all.

Actually, thanks to your very wise instructions, I found that my old one was leaking air and replaced it. I checked the new one in a bucket as suggested before putting it on the truck and it did fine. I did the test with unplugging it immediately after putting it on. It is still possible that it started leaking air right away but I would doubt it.



I guess that it could have been just my perception that the truck ran better with the heater but it definitely felt like it smoothed out once I plugged it in.



I really appreciate all of your good advice Joe, you helped me out a lot when I was having problems with my fuel heater.

 

[CRohwedder]

thanks for the info guyshttps://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1680987#

 

[BigPapa]

Mines been gone the past 2 winters and no ill effects. Course we're talking Tennesse winters. Coldest temps were just below 10*.



Scott

 

[CToney]

Don't need it one bit. If you fuel is going to gel it will even with the heater on. On my Kenworth it circulates coolant in the tank when you have the heater on to heat the fuel to keep summer fuel from gelling. I had the fuel gel in my '93 (it has a heater too). Get rid of potential troubles and throw it away. None of our tractors have a heater with a p7100 and a Cummins so I'm sure our dodges don't need one either. I'd just used a good quality conditioner.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I'm one of those guys who thinks it's worth keeping, even though I'm in the minority. The colder the fuel is the more stress the viscous fuel puts on your injection pump, so I think the fuel heater helps warm the fuel a bit and reduces the load on the pump, even if it doesn't increase the temperature that much. And in theory it should help fuel atomization a bit and reduce wet stacking. I know some Cummins applications don't come with fuel heaters, but they must have put them on for a reason.

 

[Joe G.]

Vaughn,



I think the return fuel from the injectors to the input side of the fuel filter warms the fuel more than the fuel heater. That fuel runs through a pipe very near the exhaust manifold. It's got to be pretty hot by the time it gets to the fuel filter.

 

[CToney]

Maybe you guys down south would need it if you were to travel from a southern state with non-climatized diesel to a more northerly and a higher elevation with a reduced temp would the heater keep fuel from gelling or causing some performance issues. I've pour summer diesel at -20 C and it looks alot like honey. Quick question what is wet stacking? I just don't like all the seals, orings, hoses and wiring places that could develop leaks. Air and diesel shouldn't mix unless its in the combustion chamber. The guys at FASS will tell you that.