Fuel Selector Valve Nightmare

Petri317

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I recently replaced most of my fuel system. The injection pump had been failing (no hot starts unless you have a cold damp rag to cool it), and I decided to replace the injectors and lift pump, as well as fuel filter o-ring(was leaking). A few months ago I took off the bed and replace my broken-off tank pickups with diesel rated hose. Well, after replacing the fuel system, I could not get fuel to the injection pump. I could refill the filter and it would run off of that until it died. I just about killed 2 batteries trying to purge air from the lines. At that point, I didn't know if I had a problem at the lift pump, or further back, but I stumbled accross the carrier pump thread and decided to buy one (I'd wanted to go electric for a while.) Got the pump plumbed(3/8" fuel line from the fsv) and wired up, and it works fine, except I still have no fuel to the pump. I let it pump for about 2 minutes, fiddling with the tank selector switch in the cab, meanwhile, the fuel selector valve got very hot.

Not wanting to damage the new pump, I turned the key off, and here we are. Hot FSV, no clicking when I switch between tanks, the fuse is intact, and the valve made a clicking sound but still got hot when I initially tried to purge the air(with the mechanical lift pump.) I've got a feeling the Fuel selector valve is bad, or became plugged, or something, but I wanted to get some more opinions on this.

If it is the fuel selector valve, does anyone have an updated part number? I got E7TB-9F271-AA, but it appears to be obsolete.

Thanks,
Peter A.
 

bike-maker

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My FSV recently took a dump. The fun part is when they get stuck like mine did, not only can they pull out of one tank and return it into the other, there's no telling which tank the gauge is reading.
I put some manual valves in place of the stock setup. Cheaper and way more reliable.
 

Petri317

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I'd consider manual valves as well. How did you set that up, and what parts did you use?
 

Brimmstone

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They can get pieces of crap stuck in them also. Mine got some pieces of the old showerhead in it and made my life miserable till I found the problem.
 

Petri317

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Is there a way to clean them out? When I had the lift pump off, I ran low pressure air back through the lines, and could hear the air going into both tanks.
 

OLDBULL8

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Just changed my FSV on my Motor Home but it's a gasser with the pumps in the tank. It's a motorized FSV. There are some with non-motorized FSV's. I'll check the Ford part number on it tomorrow, see if it's the same number you listed. Then I can help you maybe. Both FSV's are available from Azone. One is $79 motorized the other is $49. If you would need the six pin connector it's $13. Here is Azone below. Ford wanted $329 for the valve. Whoa nelly.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...KeyWord=fuel+selector+valve&fromString=search

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...ing=search&itemIdentifier=125310_173086_5320_
 

bike-maker

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I got the valves from McMaster-Carr for just under $50 shipped. Add about another $20 for brass fittings to connect all the fuel lines, then some diesel rated fuel line to extend the lines from where the FSV was to the new valves. I mounted the valves through the cab floor, just to the left of the driver's seat. I'll try to snap some pics of it in the morning.
 

OLDBULL8

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Info on the FSV.
The motorized FSV, actually has a motor in it that drives a screw up and down by reversing polarity, to open and close the ports from rear to front. The un-motorized FSV is solenoid driven, shifting a valve up and down. Within the housing there are contacts to indicated which tank for the fuel gauge. The connector is marked 1-2-3-4-5, or A-B-C-D-E-F, ONLY five pins are used on the letter connector, the number connector is only a five pin connector. 1-2 or A-B drives the motor or solenoid, 4 or D is common to the fuel guage, 3 or C should be from the rear tank if that is the main tank, 5 or E is front tank. When hooking up 1-2 or A-B if pumping from the wrong tank those wires can be reversed to pump from the correct tank.
The motorized FSV normally has a Bat handle toggle switch, which is special, the solenoid FSV is dash mounted "push switch", don't know the correct name for it. Either FSV will work on a diesel, mounting may be different.
 

OLDBULL8

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Is there a way to clean them out? When I had the lift pump off, I ran low pressure air back through the lines, and could hear the air going into both tanks.

I took my old FSV apart just to see how it works, drill the rivets crimped side, just enough to free them, there is snaps on two sides that hold it together, just unsnap it and lift the hose connection side up, DON'T move anything so it goes back together right. On the motorized FSV, the motor shaft has a flat on one side that goes into the bar with the contacts on it. If you screw it up or down count the turns so it will go back together in the correct position. Any debris in the ports can be removed then. If there is debris in any port it can partially shift, this is what causes the wrong tank to fill from the return line. Mark one side so the port's go back on the same way. You can use a small screw in place of the rivets when going back together. Oh, and when you remove the fuel lines the source "suction" 3/8" lines will siphon the fuel, don't get wet.
 
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RLDSL

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Just ditch the FSV and get manual valves and plumb it in with JIC fittings. You can get JIC pushlock fittings real reasonable these days.
Here's a nice 4 way manual valve ( 4 way in case you decide to add an extra tank) that will most likely outlast your truck. It mounts easily beside the seat on the floorboard. You need 2, one for feed and one for return. 5/16 is fine for line size as that is the size of teh line going back to your tanks, you only have 3/8 up near the engine ( actual id chokes down to 1/4" in a lot of places on the factory setup )
 

dakotajeep

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They can get pieces of crap stuck in them also. Mine got some pieces of the old showerhead in it and made my life miserable till I found the problem.

x2

It was a source of fantom problems that three professional mechanics couldn't figure out. Also, left me stranded on the side of the road in -25F weather several times.

Not cool.

Thad
 

Petri317

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An update on the great parts search:

My part seems to be the FSV with solenoids, as opposed to the older syle.

I went to the local ford dealer and gave them the E7TB-9F271-AA part number. It is obsolete, and has been updated a few times. F4TZ-9189A is still in the system, and retails for $154.55, but apparently is also obsolete. The most current part number is 6C3Z9189A and it retails for a whopping $320 and change. No way in hell I'm paying that. Gaudin Ford(Silver State Ford Parts.com) quoted me $226 + $30 shipping for their internet price. The parts department at Napa ford gave me a list of dealers that may have the F part number still, so the hunt continues.

If this fails, I may go the generic+adapter plug route, or say F*** it and go with manual valves. I'd really like to retain the original dash-switched system, though.

On a sidenote, someone may want to add these part numbers to the parts bin.
 

towcat

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An update on the great parts search:

My part seems to be the FSV with solenoids, as opposed to the older syle.

I went to the local ford dealer and gave them the E7TB-9F271-AA part number. It is obsolete, and has been updated a few times. F4TZ-9189A is still in the system, and retails for $154.55, but apparently is also obsolete. The most current part number is 6C3Z9189A and it retails for a whopping $320 and change. No way in hell I'm paying that. Gaudin Ford(Silver State Ford Parts.com) quoted me $226 + $30 shipping for their internet price. The parts department at Napa ford gave me a list of dealers that may have the F part number still, so the hunt continues.

If this fails, I may go the generic+adapter plug route, or say F*** it and go with manual valves. I'd really like to retain the original dash-switched system, though.

On a sidenote, someone may want to add these part numbers to the parts bin.
He's spot on.
I just verified with my Ford parts house on this. $320 is list.
i'll make the changes in the parts bin later on today.
 

Petri317

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Another quick update: The F4TZ-9189A part number is all but gone. I called 5 different dealers and managed to buy one from Bob Allen Ford in Overland Park, KS, but it looks like the gold-plated 6C3Z9189A is the only offering from ford.
 

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