In the middle of R&R! Need answer quickly Please!

[swamp rat]

I'm smack in the middle or R&R'ing the prefilter screen and quad ring seal.



First how do you get the fuel heater loose from the housing to replace the quad ring?



Second, beyond the obvious since I almost have it torn down far enough, how critical is it to replace the quad ring seal when R&R'ing the prescreen filter with less than 70k on the truck?





BTW the prescreen I took out looked like it had been used to strain cottage cheese, which means the fuel tank dropeth next!



Also I went in from the top, since my arms are short and rather big around.





TIA guys, if it hadn't been for all the other posts I've read, I wouldn't have even thought to check the prescreen. TG for TDR and all the great info that can be had here for little more than the time to read it.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Swamp,



I have never done the quad ring but 'Mikepvg' had this in an earlier post:



"Don't forget that there is a $0. 66 quad o-ring on TOP of the fuel heater also that is worth looking at while your taking this apart. Fritz noted the PN above.

After the pre-screen bowl comes off, you'll have access to the allen bolt that holds the heater on. This bolt goes right thru its center".



I'm guessing you just loosen the allen bolt, and the heater element drops out?.



Let us know how the quad ring looked, and any tips to removing it.

 

[Missouri Mule]

swamp rat,

You just want to remove fuel heater assembly from the housing ?



The way the service manual has it, when you get prefilter housing off the heater assembly should come out with no problems.

Did you disconnect the electrical connector on front side of fuel heater housing? If not do this, the heater should come out with ease.



I think most members just cleaned screen and resembled using the seals/gaskets over again if not broken.



Never heard of quad ring seal. Manual doesn't mention it. Where is it and what does it do (besides sealing) ?



The white stuff is probably wax (jell) from fuel. A lot of members find this condition that live in cold country. Usually they describe as looking like wax. Could be from fuel heater not working correctly. As I recall heater turns on when fuel temp is 40 degrees and turnd of when it reaches 80 degrees.



Answer to "first" the manual states that the tranfer pump and fuel heater/prefilter come off as one unit. ( as in r&r of transfer pump). I would take it after it comes off with pump that one will be able to tell how it seperates from the pump. Becauser the manual gives no clues!

 

[swamp rat]

Hemi thanks tons. You told me exactly what I needed to know about the allen bolt hiding up there in the center of the heater unit. I knew there was something simple that I was overlooking and that has to be it. Now if I can figure out what size allen wrench to use I'll be cooking with gas.



In any case, I just got frustrated, tired, and PO'ed from the mosquitoe bites, so I put the bowl and screen back on. (Which is no easy task trying to rethread it standing on my head. )



I'll get back on it tomorrow or Friday, and see if I can learn some easy tips to share with you.



Judging from the o-ring in the filter bowl, I probably need to change the upper O-ring as the lower one was getting rather crispy around the edges.





Bill,



Thanks for your inut as well. I should have mentioned that cottage cheese gunk was more brown than white, but about the same consistancy. I didn't want to say exactly what I thought it looked like, but I think you get the idea. The Fuel-H2O sep was pretty nasty as well. Glad I got extra filters when I got the screen kit. The tank will still drop, as I can only imagine what lies in the bottom.



Lesson learned: next time I park the Ram for extended periods, in will go a a few oz. of algaecide along with the stabilizer.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Well I learned something from this post. The Dodge service manual forgot to mention an allen screw in the heater element but it does show a screw/bolt coming out the top of it in the diagram.



swamp rat, algae sounds like it is worse than that. Algae should of been greenish never heard of brown.

Well you got something bad growing in your fuel system but who knows what.



You mite be able to get to it easier from underneath. That is wear I tackled the prefilter/fuel heater.



Quad seal??? Where? What?

 

[illflem]

Diesel algae actually looks more like snot, it's a brown stringy goo. What you describe sounds more like something that didn't belong with diesel was added to the tank. I saw something like the cottage cheese turd you're talking about when someone put an Napa additive in their tank that was for gasoline only. Plugged everything up.

 

[swamp rat]

Bill, I called it a quad ring seal, more accurately it is probably called the Quad o-ring and it fits in between the heating unit and the upper housing. In my '95 manual you can see the groove where it is supposed to go in sec. 14-103 Fig. 12. , and sec. 14-131 fig. 16. It just doesn't show the O-ring itself.



There is obviously some sort of threaded tube or bolt extending upward from the heater element, but upon more careful observation the threads in the diagram look finer than the bolt/tube that screws into the bowl and upon which the thin metal nut threads locking down the screen. It just flat doesn't mention an allen type fitting that is supposed to be removed. I was under the impression that the threaded piece was what was threaded into the lower bowl. No wonder I couldn't get the heater off. LOL



While I'm in there as deep as I am, I'm considering replacing the rubber/neoprene tube between the heater and the lift pump as I have no doubt with my luck it will probably start leaking next month. It does have a soft spongy feel to it and that couldn't be good. In the long run, it couldn't do anything but help the suction from the lift pump in case the tube is breaking down.



illflem, you might be on to something. I wonder if the dealer (or someone else) put something in the tank when I had it hauled in back in May to have the return line replaced.



In any case, I will tackle it as soon as they quit calling me into work on my off days. Only two off days since the 29th of last month, with no free time in the schedule until Monday.



If for whatever reason you folks don't hear from me by Tuesday evening, you might want to send in rescue. Whatever is growing in my tank may have just taken me hostage or worse!



Hopefully, I will learn something I can share to make this a more pleasant experience for others.



Thx again, Swampy

 

[Missouri Mule]

illflem and swamp rat,



Your making me hungry!

 

[swamp rat]

Update!

I never did get that fuel heater assembly loose to change the upper O-ring. However, I do have everything back together under the hood and have dropped the fuel tank! The word YUCK! does it no justice. Fuel was the color of coffee heavy on the cream and sweet & low! Also many small worm looking critters squriming around on the bottom! Not really but as I rocked the tank to and fro that was the appearance. Do I win this years award for worst Algae infestation? I sure would feel for whomever came in a close second. GAG!



Well at least I have 9 gallons of murky looking #2 to start a fire in my burn pile.

 

[DieselDoghouse]

Pre-filter

Swamp Rat - I just did the same job yesterday! Since it was a first (at home) I asked alot of questions at the Cummins shop. Here's what they said:

1. the prefilter kit has the bowl gasket and screen

2. its unlikely you'll need to drop the heater unless its not working - then do its seal. They find this is a rare event on our trucks.

3. filling the fuel filter with fuel is a sad joke - just install, crack the bleed valve on the filter header and pump that plunger 'bout a hundred times til fuel spits out. Entire job took 30 minutes. Don't know how it becomes a couple hundred at the dealers!!

 

[swamp rat]

DD, even if it did take me quite a bit longer than 30 minutes, I totally agree. It was worth it for me to do it myself considering the $70/hr rate DC charges. Best of all I learned something new, next time it will not take nearly so long, and maybe an occasion wil arise whence I can share what I learned with others having a similar problem.



First time is usually the hardest and longest anyway. Besides, I'm not an average size person, and it takes a bit longer for me to waller around under the hood, and even longer under the truck. I do know I'm eyeballing that topside creeper some one posted about a few weeks ago. That is the THING for someone my size to use. I hope it has a 300LB. + rating.





Hmmm!!! I wonder if Santa would be willing to let me add it to my early Xmas list?



I almost forgot. If anyone in the middle TN area needs the kit, Cumberland Cummins has an entire case-1 of them in stock. The partsman ther told me they had to buy a case at a time. The warehouse won't break cases. They were out of stock when I had them order mine.