Update: I found a small leak, it appears to be leaking from the fuel heater. I the fuel filter is tight as tight as I can get it so I assume it is from the heater gasket.

I went ahead and bought a piston pump and the required components and I hope to get it installed one of these weekends soon.

As long as I start the truck once every 2-3 days it isn't an issue so it is a "B" rank priority right now.

 

just get rid of that thing. cummins makes a shorter nipple to run it without the fuel pre-heater. one less thing to leak in the future.

 

Is that fuel heater a necessary componant in cold weather. Any down side to removing it. And for the record I needed to put a new front pump seal on my injection pump a couple of months after putting on the low pressure piston pump. That was about 3 years ago and have not had trouble since.

 

I do not believe that it is necessary in any weather. I think many here would agree with me. I've seen many an industrial engine and road diesels without this pre heater.

 

Cold weather pointers coming from the guy in FL…
I would keep the fuel heater if you drive in really cold weather regularly and don't enjoy gelled up filters.

 

I'm not from FL, boy.

Your winters are a balmy summer day compared to what I'm used to.

You know what they say about assumptions...

 

Necessary, no. Nice to have yes. If you don't have it you have to make sure you have the right fuel/additive in cold weather. If you keep it, you can get away with running summer fuel down below zero (American temp for any Canucks here).

 

The fuel heater is used on all 3 brands of diesel trucks auto makers use today. Why delete something that has worked flawlessly for over 25 years. If you have to replace the quad rings in the fuel heater once only every 10 years that's pretty cheap and easy maintenance.

Do engines go without them, yes they do but in general they are being used more today then they have in the past. No one likes to work on a diesel that's gelled up, it's to cold outside to work on something that could have been prevented with some simple and basic upkeep in a nice warm shop.

 

I was not assuming anything, other than removing the fuel heater on a 12V would add to cold weather fuel problems, which I would hardly call an assumption.

Oh, and as a side note, I am not your boy.

I was just trying to give some info. about cold weather and fuel heaters from firsthand experience. I have already had to change one fuel filter on the side of a road this winter after an early season "balmy" -25 F night once this winter.

 

The coldest I see is negative single digits... and I hate that. I want my low to be in the "frigid" 30-40 range but that is going to have to wait a few years.

Thanks for the insight and I will just change the gasket out for now. If it gives me more issues in the future I will consider deleting it.

Back to the piston pump: I am a little concerned with the front seal blowing out from too much pressure but I can't bring myself to pay THD $50 for a spring. Yes I've read about all of the spec's that can be considered when designing a "custom" spring but like many others... I can't believe there isn't an industrial spring out there that fits the bill. Anyway, so I'm going to hold off on that install for a bit and do some research.

 

there is a spring out there that fits the bill. fastenal spring. will give you 12psi in any piston pump. .938" OD x 2" long x .080" wire.

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0166720

 

As long as you get winter blend (#1) fuel, you will be fine without the problematic fuel heater. It gets down to -40 or more here and haven’t run into a problem yet with no fuel heater.

 

Awesome Can I ask where you found this info?

 

i had bought a "low pressure" lift pump that ran 20 psi in my truck. I took that spring out and took it to fastenal and bought a couple different springs that looked close to the stock one but not as stiff. this one i just gave info on is the one that worked the best. runs 12 psi at idle. i've had this spring in my piston pump for about 2 years now with no problems or loss of pressure.

 

I haven't seen a 5.9BT with a fuel heater in medium duty truck or an industrial application. I have always run fuel additive in my stuff and never had a problem with gelling, in most of 1st gen Dodge trucks I've owned, the fuel heater was deleted because it leaked or its retired in place because the heater portion didn't work.