My "unstoppable Cummins" stopped on me with a failed Fuel Stop Solenoid (FSS). These things fail SHUT for some moronic reason, so rid yourself of this risk by taking the FSS off and taking out the innerds. The engine is easily shut down mechanically as most of us know, and a coat-hanger wire is about the right length to shut down from the drivers seat. I had seen the chatter on this topic, but thought it would be an easy fix WHEN NECESSARY like it is on the VW IPs, also by Bosch. Wrong! Our FSS is in an incredibly awkward spot so near the wall of the IP that no wrench can get on it. A short sharp chisel and small sledge was the only thing that could touch mine. So if you have not done this, don't put it off or you'll end up needing a tow and doing it in a distant parking lot with just the tools you carry, and don't ask how I found that out ... Oh, and FWIW Dodge wants over $200- for an FSS, VW wants $70+, (neither could get in under 3 days), and Genosgarage.com has it listed for about $35-. You have been warned!

 

I gutted mine last year. Haven't missed it yet. I enjoy the pull cable, start the truck in winter turn the ignition off grab the key lock the door and walk back in the house while it warms up with no way anyone can take off in it.

 

Ebay often has them for $10 ~ $30.

Doing a search just now on Ebay for a WV Fuel Shut Off Solenoid has one pop-up for $23.46.

I bought two of them there for $15 each not too long ago.

 

Those cheap Ebay ones are made in China and sold by a guy named Prothe. His work is hit or miss, mostly miss.

All 3 of my truck all got stuck open.

 

I dunno, hit or miss might be a good way to describe things. I don't recall who I bought them from, but the one I'm running right now has held up just fine for a few years now.

Your mileage may vary.

 

I did away with the innards of my solenoid several years ago for the very same reason that you warn of.

Three different local guys had their engines shut-down and put them to walking in less than a months time, all without any warning, and all due to the solenoid just deciding to close off the fuel.


Afraid the same would happen to me, I dis-abled the solenoid and now that's one less gremlin that I have to watch for.


For the last few months, the wife has been a convert to the push-button starter; I'm gonna give her a bit to get used to that and then put her also in the kill-cable club.

 

Just got one on fleabay for $14.50 shipped

 

Regardless of how in-expensive a replacement solenoid is, nor how long-lived 50% of them may possibly be, the simple fact that they will decide to quit working with absolutely no warning, and possibly in the most dangerous of situations, is reason enough to not trust even the best of them.

Regarding the three local guys I already mentioned, EVERY one of them shut the engine down while on the road and travelling at speed; NOT something I need with a big heavy trailer-full of cattle in 100-degree heat while navigating around Atlanta during rush-hour.


If it happened while pulling a bad hill up out of one of these Kentucky creek-bottoms, while navigating curves where the truck takes the ditch on one side and the trailer is taking the ditch on the other, and steep as a mule's face, meeting cell-phone bimbos one after another, an engine shut-down would most likely cost the truck and trailer, maybe the cattle, and likely also get you killed graveyard dead.


Possibilities like those are why I take such preventive measures in making my equipment as reliable as possible.

 

Some prefer to think of a glass as being half empty.

I prefer to think of the glass as being half full.


Aw shucks . . .. Our trucks are bound to get old. Just as well gut'em and drive a pin through. Even the Cummins will eventually stumble. Shoot. Just as well dig a hole and climb in.

 

Not to nit-pick, but how does one go about climbing IN a hole ??

 

Thank you for making my point.

Y'all have a good day. Gotta go to work . . . .

 

I got a nice rebuilt pump on my kitchen table that's going on my VE motor when it gets put in the ford. I gutted the FSS while it was on the kitchen table for ease. And I still had a tough time crackin it loose with a big wrench because it was on so tight. I'd hate to try to do it while it's on the truck.

I gutted mine so I don't have to mess with putting wires to it when the motor goes in the ford. Just makes the install a little easier I guess. I like to make things work the same as OE when they rolled off the line, but after the FSS failed when it was in the dodge I didn't mind the pull cable, and like ofcmark said. I like letting it run in the winter and taking the key with me and locking the truck.

 

I've wondered about that: running the engine with the key off in mine means no charging, no heater blower. Wouldn't spinning the alternator without charging harm it in some way? Dunno. I carry a spare key and lock my doors in that situation. My view on risk of theft is my truck looks rough on the outside so the casual thief would pass it by and steal a shiny idling Ford, and anyone able to see the value in it is likely smart (ie. rich) enough to have their own. Could be wrong.

 

I think if you let it run without the key on, it burns up the voltage regulator.

 

I tend to agree that running a stock alternator/engine with the key OFF is probably not a good idea.

Although I have not even tried to see, doesn't the key just pull out of the switch when it is in RUN ??