2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission I would like to hear your thoughts about installing a fuel cooler

[rweis]

Your thoughts on installing a fuel cooler.



Good idea?, bad idea? Good for the VP?, bad for the VP?



Does not matter?



Does matter?



Bob Weis

 

[B.G. Smith]

We already have a "fuel heater" to prevent "fuel waxing" during cold winter operation, it comes on below 45 deg. F and is off above 79 deg. F. +/- 8 deg. F. So if you tried to cool the fuel in the summer with ambient air, you might knock several deg. off the temp. depending on how much fuel is in the tank. The fuel in tank should be higher as the level gets lower because some of the fuel is recirculated and you would have less of a "heat sink " of fuel to work with . I think that is why you have approx. 7 gallons of fuel left in tank when the low fuel alarm goes off. If you could figure some way to maintain the fuel at a constant temp. throughout the tank fill to empty cycle you might gain some consistency of engine operation. I don't know if the fuel temp. is a factor as far as life expectancy of the VP, it has to generate lots of heat to produce the pressures it does, of course if you run the tank to near the completely empty stage there is not much fuel left in the tank for a heat sink and the fuel temp. of fuel being returned to the VP has to get higher. bg

 

[WestTN]

From the 2001 service manual, the fuel sensor de-activates the fuel heater when the fuel temperature reaches 75 Degrees F +/- 8 degrees.

 

[csevers]

I think the fuel cooler is a good idea. I have been watching my fuel temp with a snap-on scanner and see anywhere from 100 to 130 degrees towing in 80+ temps, and I am sure with increased ambeint temp the fuel temp will increase. It doesn't seem to matter how full the tank is but I do have a good aftermarket fuel system moving a lot of fuel around. I am pretty sure it wouldn't hurt to keep fuel temps under 100 if possible but not to cool the fuel to far as it affects timing I believe. I am going to try a cooler of some kind and see how much it helps reduce temp. It can't hurt the VP to run a little cooler.



Craig

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

When all is said and done, I wonder how much cooling the passage of fuel thru the VP-44 REALLY provides - I've not seen cutaway drawings of the internals of the pump, and don't know how much of critical surfaces are actually exposed to sufficient fuel flow to be significantly affected...



An older thread displayed results of a test of relative efficiency of diesel fuels at various temps in typical diesel engine operation, and found greatest combustion efficiency occurred at around 800 degrees temp - so we're sort of at cross purposes - cool fuel to protect the pump, or higher temps for best efficiency!

 

[LoneRam]

Cooler is better

Cooler=Denser



Nothing I've heard from Cummins supports this but from Detroit I was told that for every 10 degrees above 90 results in a 1 percent loss in hp.



I agree with the 800 degrees efficency but it's all about more fuel and more air right?



In air cooled applications, especially the day to day driver, I don't know if the gains would be worth the trouble/expence.



But it's your truck and your money and as long as your having fun with it, who cares.

 

[Sticks]

I brought up the idea of installing a fuel cooler last year after my VP44 went out.



During my woes, the only time it would set the 0216 code is when the temps were above 90* or I had been driving for more than 2 hours in any temp. Old Thread



90 - 100* the code would set within 15 minutes of driving.



Now this is on a truck parked outside all day, and a spray in bed liner (black absorbs the heat) I would drive to work in the morning, and the code would not set, but on the way home in the afternoons, bingo. This is when I came to the conclusion that the VP44 does not like hot food.



So, what would work better? Cooler on the return line to keep the main fuel supply as close to ambient temps as possible (no need to remove/bypass during the winter), or on the feed line?



Another thread that it was brought up in

 

[BarryG]

Sticks brings up a good point. If you put it on the supply side you would want to be able to bypass it in the winter time I would think. The return line might be a better option. Does anyone know/have any idea how much a cooler (i know it would depend on size) could/would reduce temps?

 

[BJMarshall]

If I'm not mistaken, my 03 D-max had a fuel cooler on it from the factory. It looked like a medium sized transmission cooler, and it was mounted under the truck near the fuel tank. I'm not sure if it was in the feed line or the return. It must be good for something, or they wouldn't spend the money to put it there.