Need some 7.3 filter head check valve advise

I think I've narrowed it down to the continuous valve/check valve in my filter head being the reason my truck would start up then die after being parked for a few days. Lots of air in the return lines.. Anyway my 91 has the style with the rubber reed valve (one way valve) and it is in bad shape. I ordered a new fitting and valve from the dealer today but it looks to have a spring and ball instead of the goofy rubber flapper. Is this an upgrade over the original? Will this work with the filter head I have now? I need the truck this weekend a little worried this is not the right part. What do you think? Thanks,

Andrew

That is the correct valve with the spring and ball in it. Just yesterday someone posted how to remove this valve and stop the air entering the fuel system.. Thats not the correct idea. These valves do one thing and they do it right. They allow any air in the filter head to be pushed out into the return line system. They can enter the return line system anywhere too. They are designed to not allow flow back into the filter head. When they fail you have air intrusion issues. My truck never had one on it from the beginning. I installed one a couple of years ago and am happy with how it works. Caution now when you order one. There are 2 different sizes. The small is 3/16 and the large is 1/4 inch. Easy way of knowing what size you have is look at your plastic return line caps. If they have the nipples off to one side they are the large. Can you run fine without this check valve. Yes but.. Any air in the filter MUST go thru the injection pump. Not a good place for a slug of air.

So, cruising Facebook one day, this guy filled that valve with JB weld. Don't know what he did on the return cap, probably JB also.
Says it cured his hard starting.
What do you have to say about that, gary?

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The facebook guy was not in the know about what he was doing. Replacing the valve was a much better idea. He bandaided the problem and got lucky. He really feels he fixed it but nope. Some other reason his air issues went away.

That's what I thought.
He said it was draining his filter.
Replace the valve, it'll quit doing that, but it'll show up somewhere else.
Right?

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Great thanks for the info! That helps a bunch.

Is the ball and spring a replacement for the rubber duck bill reed valve thingy? I'm pretty sure mine didn't come with a ball and spring originally... There wasn't one in there anyway haha.

I really have never heard nor seen this early type check valve so I 'm not really able to say for certain. what I do know is the ones we buy now are the spring ball check valve type and they work fine. Air will pass thru them when pressure is on the filter. when fuel reaches the ball it will close the ball on the seat and stop the flow. If I'm wrong on what the pressure does then its an always open check valve when the pressure is on it and when the pressure is off the vale closes and "checks" the flow. I'm absolutely sure this check valve flows out and not into the filter. Some members have come here thinking this was a fuel return to the filter... Nope... Its not that.

Here's the rubber check valve:

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...system-whys-my-filter-empty.html#post13225262

Appreciate the help guys

I ended up taking the head completely off I figured I'd replace the crusty fuel olives and the heater o-ring while it's apart. Ok... I noticed there is no 'seat' for a ball in this filter head. The bore looks like it might have a slight taper but it's really hard to tell. Either way I'm starting to think maybe this head isn't designed for the ball and spring.

If that's the case maybe I could just find a generic check valve and install it inline (in the rubber hose)... Hmm..

Have you tried plugging that hose to see if it cures your troubles? I have had that hose blocked for years with no issues, as long as you dont run your tanks really low.

When I bought my check valves from Oregon fuel injection I tried to blow thru them brom both sides. they definately check the flow one way. Tried sucking too and its checked one way. You can run fine without this valve but. If you every run out of fuel or any air gets sucked into the filter head your going to have to pass all the air thru the injection pump. This check valve does not have a seat in the filter head. Its a tapered pipe thread and thats what seals the valve from leaking to the outside of the head.

Gary is correct, the checking of flow is inside the valve. It allows flow out of the head but not in. Thread it in and it will seal

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Alright this might clear up any confusion for future readers. Some filter heads have the ball and spring inside others have the reed valve/flapper valve built into the brass barb fitting that threads into the filter head. They are both designed to do the same thing and that is bleeding air out of the filter head and into the return line. When I was at Ford the breakdown clearly showed a ball and spring for my 91 F350 so I assumed that's what I would be getting. However when the part showed up the next day it was a brass barb fitting with the reed valve inside like the one that originally came on my truck Who knows.... Either way it works and the truck is running. Time will tell if this fixed my start/die/crank 15 seconds/restart problem.

On a side note I was only able to get the large fuel olive from Ford and they had it in stock... I would have had to buy the entire steel hose in order to get the small olive---DOH!


Thanks again for the help everyone!

I wonder if it's a difference in years that determined what got which one?

Rot Box. Please contact agnem or typ4 here. They are embers of this forum and supply these olives. Typ4 aka Russ is in Oregon. Agnem aka Mel owns conestogas diesel Injection in Pa. They both are fair on pricing and know what we want. I can only suspect the spring and ball is an upgrade to the rubber check valve and you got a NOS piece. I can't really say for sure. Just a wag.