dogfish

Hi all,

I posted the other day about a fuel leak around the plug where the fuel heater wires go into my fuel filter lid. The dealer wants to sell the whole filter housing assembly for $1100! I called the dealer to get the part number and they wouldn't give it to me!!!! What the #$!&*@#? If I can get a hold of the part number I can get the local Cummins service center(they deal in commercial Cummins applications but can sometimes get passenger vehicle parts) to break down the assembly and break out the bare minimum part(s) I need to fix the problem. Can any one help or have a suggestion?

On another note some folks have also said I don't really even need a fuel heater. That I should just permanently plug the hole. I live in Western NC and while it occasionaly gets in the single digits it pretty much never goes below zero. What if I run a biodiesel blend?

I have a 99' model 5.9L 24V.

Thanks in advance.

Dieselbuilder

Go and find a used part or replace the whole unit with a racor

tonycamacho

Lots of guys that experience your problem got rid of the canister with the heater and installed a FASS or AIRDOG filter system. Lots of those guys live in cold states and have no problems. I plugged mine when I found out the cost of the relocation kit. Next week I will be installing my airdog sytem and completly "off" the canister. Suggestion is to see if someone that reads the threads has removed a non-leaking canister to install a FASS and is willing to sell it. Also search the threads because I remember a thread explaining how to fix or replace the o-ring which fails.

Tony

dogfish

All right. Apparently the original stock fuel filter/water seperator for the 99's has been discontinued. Without saying so the dealer must just be trying to sell me the replacement set up. It's looking like it would be a good idea to go with an Air Dog or FASS aftermarket set up to replace this part for less and presumably with better performance. The question for me still is do I need the fuel heater or not. Tony no offense but your tag says you live in Mexico. I've heard from at least one other colder climate guy but would like to hear from a few more. So what do y'all think, do I need it or not?

Dr. Evil

How is anyone supposed to answer that? You dont say where you are from???

Unless you live in a very cold climate, you dont really need the fuel heater. Anyway, I believe the Airdog and FASS (the ones with the filters) have provisions for a fuel heater. If you dont want to spend the $$, in a pinch, you could install a big line kit and Racor fuel filter on the frame rail and that would be good enough (probably around $300 or so). I could try to dig up a part number for the Racor filter if you are interested.

tonycamacho

Dogfish:

I do a lot of traveling to cold areas when not here in Mexico, I was worried about the heater issues. After consulting when many members of this Web page who deal with single digit temps all the time, I was pretty assured that lacking the heater was not going to be a problem. I would have preferred to keep the stock fuel filter canister and fuel lift pumps but with the high failure rate of these stock items it made better sense to go aftermarket. Also when you also consider the cost of the relocation kit ($600-$1100) which is offered by dealers, and the cost of a stock type lift pump ($200 NAPA) then it becomes a no brainer, go aftermarket and forget the heater.

98whitelightnin

Mine was leaking a year ago so I took it apart and cleaned it up with some carb cleaner and siliconed it up. I still have my heater and no leaks. If you cut the wires you can probably get an o-ring that will fix it but then your gonna have to solder your wires back together.

torquefan

Don't bother trying to get the Dodge part number. It will be useless to Cummins, as they will have a totally separate part number for it. Just call up your Cummins parts desk, give them your engine serial number and tell them what you need. Even though it is discontinued from Dodge, it may still be available through Cummins, and may or may not be cheaper.

Zeus1987

i got one fresh off my truck PM me if interested.

dogfish1419

I think I'll go with 98whitelightnin's suggestion in order to save a few bucks until I can afford the aftermarket set up. After I posted this, my mechanic suggested this very same temporary fix after talking with his boss.

Dr. Evil, my original post does say where I'm from.

Thanks for your suggestions. I appreciate it.

Dr. Evil

I did miss that - my bad. Maybe you should fill out your location in your profile so its easier to see?



BTW, Racor 400 series is what your looking for - and it has an optional fuel heater:

http://www.maesco.com/products/racor...400series.html

The main thing is not to panic if there is something wrong with your OEM fuel filter housing - theres a number of options here, and they are as good as or better than the OEM one.

BlackRam1

cant quite remember for shure but I dont recall the first gens having a fuel heater.
Frank

nickg

I installed an Airdog last yr, I ditched the fuel heater, I don't think my heater worked any way. Edmonton gets pretty cold (largest northern City In North America) and to date I've had no issues, mind you my truck sits in a warm garage every night...BUT it does run every day as a courior truck so I'd think after 8-10hrs in adverse weather, if I was going to have fuel problems I'd have had them by now, If you're worried use an additive in the colder climates that you travel thru, which you should anyway as you could leave a warm area with summer fuel and hit a cold snap somewhere and have gelling issues, speaking of gelling issues I highly doubt that the fuel heater will stop gelling ( maybe only in the filter). I do not think I've seen one post of someone having an issue due to the heater removal.... something else to think about, lots of other diesels do not have fuel heaters, for example VW's. Toyota, I can list a whole slew of Military vehs that dont have them as well, I dont think the heater feature is the end all be all. I believe removing the stock fuel filter housing to eliminate restrictions out weighs the heater option. again just my opinion,