Hi everyone, i am new to the boards...i recently got a 96 dodge Diesel, and im having probelms.....It was a florida truck and it seems the cold ohio weather is taking a toll on it.....i dont know much bout diesel's but maybe u can help me......ive pulled up diagrams and i know its the fuel heater, its monted on the driver side of the block near where the oil filter goes, we'll every time i turn the key to accesories...the fuel heater begins to smoke, and its electrical becuz you can def, smell it....i even unpluged it and it still sizzles and smokes if u turn the key, anyone have an idea?

 

First, Welcome DTR Dodgezilla96

Sorry I can't help you with your problem but this site is made up of a GREAT bunch of guys. Someone will chime in soon and will answer your question.

Good luck with the Truck, and again Welcome.

steve

 

I suspect you are sort of on the right track. If the smoke still occurs when you unplug the connector on the fuel heater, you are looking at the wrong heater. Go to the grid heaters under the air horn on top of the engine, and I would bet they are hot if it is a heater issue.

More than likely it is a starter solenoid contact problem. What happens is the OEM contacts are cheap junk and corrode from burning over time. They will lock in partial contact and fire the relay for the grid heaters whenever the key is switched on, and eventually will simply lock the starter in and break a few teeth off the flywheel.

Trace the problem carefully, and if it is the starter solenoid go to Foster truck parts and get their starter solenoid contact kit, it is inexpensive and many times better than anything else you can find.

If it is a heater issue from a stuck heater solenoid, you can get replacement universal solenoids from any autoparts store, or get a good replacement from Foster's too.

 

Pretty common for the fuel heater wires to fry, seems like they skimped on the wire size.

Here are all the parts availible for the fuel heater with Cummins part numbers

heater element upper quad ring 3834185-S
heater strainer kit 3845400-S
heater element 3907766-S
cable harness 3843722-S

 

The pins on the heater element tend to leak air when you unplug it. This will introduce air into the fuel system and make the truck hard to start. Changing the element and wiring harness is a pretty easy job to do. I had to do it when I got my truck as well. Get the parts at a Cummins dealer as infidel said (he's a smart guy). The Dodge dealers don't sell the parts, just a complete pre-heater assembly which will cost you twice as much.
BTW, the filter above the pre-heater is the fuel filter. You should probably change it. They get plugged up a bit which affects the spray pattern of the injectors and gives you a decrease in mileage and performance. The oil filter is on the other side up near the front.

 

Greetings Y'all,

Took a couple hours of web searching (for parts, names, numbers ...) before finding this web site ... to which I subscribed post haste.

This is exactly the problem I encountered yesterday. I've researched parts and confirm Berner's statement about dealer only having the assembly as a unit. The price on this quoted for me today was: $297.00. ouch. And, the dealer also siad there is Nation wide back order ... so I couldn't one if I tried.

Also, thanks to Infidel, for his Cummins/FleetGuard parts list post. I will be ordering mine very soon.

Still have some lingering questions ... my symptoms came on suddenly, not following any other recent repairs or service, nor have I encountered any starting of shut off issues.

Q1. Is this a typical failure ? Could crud build up also cause this failure ?

Second ... There are two components and two connectors on this assembly. The components are heater element, and temp sensor. For the harness, the 'main' one connects (the heater assembly/harness) to the engine harness, and the second one connects to the heater element. The temp sensor is wired in series with one conductor, between the main and second connectors.

Q2. Is it the heater element of the temp sensor that is burning ?

Q3. If I disconnect this 'main' connector, there would be no voltage across the heater element/temp sensor ... and should not continue to burn up. This should allow me to at least drive the truck, if necessary, until parts arrive and can be installed.

But, it does not address the possible starter solenoid contact issue.
More on this issue after some additional troubleshooting.

Mark

 

mmranch_tx,

First of all, welcome to the site. Hanging out here is as addictive as bombing your truck!

It seems the fuel heater wiring harness is a common problem. Being on a nationwide back-order is a good indication of this. It was the temp sensor that went in my truck. It pretty much disintegrated to the point of having to dig it out the housing with a small screwdriver. I had to replace the element as well because the connector pins loosened and I was getting air into the fuel system causing hard starting after sitting for a while. I could actually hear it hiss right after I shut it down with the element unplugged.

I'd question whether you need the pre-heater or not being in Texas. I drove around with mine unplugged and wrapped up with electrical tape to keep it from sucking air for 2 weeks waiting for parts from Cummins. It's a lot colder up here in Saskatchewan than it is in Texas.

 

If you need to you can remove the fuek heater by removing the internal wrenched bolt holding it onto the bracket, then reinstall the strainer assy back without the fuel heater, Thus avoiding sucking air with a burnt heater,,,

I did this for some time, then when I received the parts, I mounted a temp switch on the fuel line to regulate the heater, instead of using the "coffe pit" switch supplied.

Seems that that whole fuel heater assy switch and all was an afterthought...