Electric plug on top of fuel heater *removal?*

[buickman69]

Please see photo where my finger is pointing, the electric plug on top of fuel heater, will a flat-head screw driver work to gently pry it off?
I don't wanna break it and it's on there good. Thanks.

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[direwulf23]

That's how I got it off, but you will have to be careful. It's undoubtedly old plastic that will be brittle. I just worked all around it to loosen it. Carefully.

 

[buickman69]

Thanks...kinda what I was thinking

 

[direwulf23]

I did crack the outside a bit but that's a cover, the important part is the inside.

 

[Bashby]

I removed my heater when it started leaking. Tapped it to 1/2" pipe thread.

 

[direwulf23]

It's a good idea to replace it/ plug it. I got mine sealed back up and then it started blowing my TCM fuse, so it just stays unplugged. The fuel preheater is quite unnecessary.

 

[icanfixall]

As already posted. The fuel heater plug you are working on does leak. The leak causes air to enter the fuel system and usually causes a hard start. Your engine fires up but dies a few seconds later. then its long cranking to purge out the air. That ruins the starters. Many of us have searched for a few years spending countless hours attempting to find the reason for the fuel heaters. So far none have been found even for the extreme cold areas where these rigs live. There is 2 o rings under that electrical cap. International sells them. When mine leaked about 5 years ago I bought 2 o rings. Kept one for a spare. Have not needed it but its in the glove box ready to go. I probably will just plug the hole when it leaks again. I see no reason for keeping something that does nothing. We have not figured out how long they are in the operating position either. One member did find and post something he found about the pre warm up of the fuel. I recall you are supposed to turn on the ignition switch to hot up the electrical to the heater. That also supplys power to glow plugs and a host of other electrical items. The time like this is something like 6 or 8 minutes... At best we wait till the glow plug lite goes out and fire up the engine. So say we waited for the heater to work is mysterious magic and then fire up. Is the heater enough to continue to keep the incoming fuel the same temp?? Don't think so ... Might be something an engineer designed just to keep a job too cause its really of no use to anyone that drives these rigs.

 

[buickman69]

Thanks for all comments and suggestions. I really don't wanna plug it, and dad wants to keep it original as it came from the assembly line so I'm trying to make him happy as well. It has NEVER leaked before this. The heater plug cap came off easier than I thought with no breakage or cracking, just slight persuasion.

There is 2 o rings under that electrical cap. International sells them. When mine leaked about 5 years ago I bought 2 o rings. Kept one for a spare. Have not needed it but its in the glove box ready to go. I probably will just plug the hole when it leaks again. I see no reason for keeping something that does nothing.

Speaking of 2 O-rings...After reading this tech article on this site Firday afternoon:
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?46363-Fuel-heater-O-ring-replacement
He is very detailed and gave a part number for O'ring via International, etc, etc. I called IH Friday eve and had em get me 3, (2 for spares) coming from Atlanta will be here Wednesday.
Well I've been watching you-tube videos and decided to go take mine apart this afternoon, and guess what? It's different from his. Apparently his is a '93 and mine is a '92.
Mine is identical to the one in this you-tube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ILnpNCxu8
Dude says there is 2 O'rings and points them out, one on the heater on the lower portion, and one on the upper portion. In the comment section of the video someone post 2 different Napa part #'s for O'rings, which I'm assuming they are 2 different rings? So guess the IH ones aren't gonna work afterall?

 

[buickman69]

By the way, I pulled mine off by unscrewing the bolt and pulling it off the bottom. Saw that in a video too.

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Now all I need is the correct O ring and 3 new Motorcraft glow plugs and will be in business.

Prior to finding the leak at the fuel heater plug, I noticed it'd been a little harder to start than usual and was thinking I need to test the GPs, then found the leak and thought it was sucking air. Went on and tested the GPs today and found 3 out of 8 bad.
It's never died or ran rough or showed signs of any problems other than the leak and recent hard starting issue.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

did you test to see if the element even works?

 

[buickman69]

did you test to see if the element even works?

Truthfully, naw I didn't. Guess I shoulda hit it with the test light when I had it all together in the truck.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

i haven't had a working one (imho they're not worth the $ to replace) but from what i understand,you should be able to feel the top of the housing get warm.they just aid in keeping the fuel from jelling at the filter in sub zero temps is all.it was more of an issue back when these trucks were built.nowadays all the stations get the right refined formula to combat the fuel gelling issue and we don't really need those now.this is why threading the hole and pipe plug is a good idea......but hey.look how long those o-rings lasted right? what's the odds of ever having to replace them a seconds time.so i suppose either way is just as good as the other.