Fuel Filter Heater 7.3 Info?

[HammerDown]

He fellas, it appears the heater plug atop my filter housing is beginning to weep just a bit.
Since new (1988) I have never removed the electrical black plastic boot/cover and if I 'now' try to gently get under it, it feels like it will break into pieces.
Does this black cover pop off as it feels like it's glued on!
Also, I would imagine up under the filter head is an o-ring that became hard thus the weeping?
Any detailed info or pics as to the removal & repair of that o-ring and how to get that darn top boot off would be most appreciated.
Also...o-ring size?
Thanks Ray

 

[icanfixall]

Its universally felt that the heaters do nothing for our fuel. Ford "forgot" to include the pre start information about the heaters in the filter. We are supposed to turn the ignition on but not start the engine and leave it on for 8 minutes so the fuel can heat up. No remember this "heater" is ON TOP of the fuel.. So hows that working? Most if not all the 6.9 heaters have failed and they have no replacement available. They look like a larger piece of tubing welded to the tubing leaving the lift pump. So far nobody in the snow and salt belt areas have spoken of frozen filters with non working heaters. Remove the filter head. Remove the filter threaded connection under the head. Then the heater just about drops out with that plastic piece that goes thru the aluminum top. Clean off the hole and fill with JB Weld or use a 1/2 inch pipe plug thread and screw in a threaded pipe plug. Seal the threads for leaks. There.. Never a leak or problem there ever again. International sells the single o ring too but these fittings have an external and an internal o ring. Most of the time its the external o ring that leaks cause its hardened and gone flat.
As for how that black electrical fitting comes off. Its old, brittle and hardened but it will flip off with a screw driver. Do not worry of it cracks. Hopefully you wont be using it any more but if you do it will supply power to the heating element fine. BTW so far nobody has figured out how long these heaters are getting power. Some say its connected to the fast idle and cold advance circuit. Some say its hot anytime the ignition is on....

 

[HammerDown]

Its universally felt that the heaters do nothing for our fuel. Ford "forgot" to include the pre start information about the heaters in the filter. We are supposed to turn the ignition on but not start the engine and leave it on for 8 minutes so the fuel can heat up. No remember this "heater" is ON TOP of the fuel.. So hows that working? Most if not all the 6.9 heaters have failed and they have no replacement available. They look like a larger piece of tubing welded to the tubing leaving the lift pump. So far nobody in the snow and salt belt areas have spoken of frozen filters with non working heaters. Remove the filter head. Remove the filter threaded connection under the head. Then the heater just about drops out with that plastic piece that goes thru the aluminum top. Clean off the hole and fill with JB Weld or use a 1/2 inch pipe plug thread and screw in a threaded pipe plug. Seal the threads for leaks. There.. Never a leak or problem there ever again. International sells the single o ring too but these fittings have an external and an internal o ring. Most of the time its the external o ring that leaks cause its hardened and gone flat.
As for how that black electrical fitting comes off. Its old, brittle and hardened but it will flip off with a screw driver. Do not worry of it cracks. Hopefully you wont be using it any more but if you do it will supply power to the heating element fine. BTW so far nobody has figured out how long these heaters are getting power. Some say its connected to the fast idle and cold advance circuit. Some say its hot anytime the ignition is on....

Thanks for the detailed reply...but I'm an oe kinda guy so I want to attempt to replace those two o-rings.
On YouTube I have located a video and the fella states Napa has or can get the needed o-rings and the part numbers are BK727-2014 & BK727-2016
Of course when I call Napa tomorrow they won't know anything about those two numbers lol

 

[79jasper]

Well if you search, plenty have posted the numbers for the heater stuff.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[HammerDown]

Hey fellas, anyone know the sizes of the two 0-rings that are in the fuel heater head?
I have the Napa numbers but they only come in 10 packs and the size isn't listed on the packs.
No local International dealers around me anymore so, looking to maybe get them up at my local hardware store.
Thanks

 

[DaveBen]

I would stay away from Hardware store o-rings. They will not hold up to the fuel and will get brittle and crack and leak.

Dave

 

[mblaney]

Are you sure it's the orings that are leaking? Mine failed through the connector itself... no o-ring would fix that. I was like you and bought a new heater to keep it factory. Wasted $130... I recommend removing it and putting a plug in instead.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

here's the size o-rings i used.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

and if i ever wanted a filter heater.it would be a real one like this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=fue...UKEwjehb_puLHJAhUIrD4KHUXJABIQsAQITg&dpr=1.25

one of those will not only actually keep your filter from gelling,but they ain't gunna leak on ya either.

iv never been an oe guy.if it can be upgraded to be made better than factory,iv always been all for it.i can understand in some cases......if oe was good enough but, in this case,it just wasn't.it not only doesn't work worth a crap lol but it's also a point of failure.

 

[HammerDown]

Huh, sprayed the heater top with brake clean and let it dry...ran the truck and no visible leak.
HOWEVER...at the bottom of the water separator noticed a drip and wet my hand, it may be weeping from the water drain valve.
No idea if that valve or the water sensor plug has issues...but...if the truck sits for two days it will lose its prime, It will fire then shut of...recrank for several revolutions until it again starts and runs great.
So, maybe my next move to pull the filter and remove inspect the water separator drain and electrical fitting.

 

[riotwarrior]

Air molecules smaller n fuel...now maybe return caps or an olive on way out

 

[HammerDown]

Air molecules smaller n fuel...now maybe return caps or an olive on way out

Possibly but, usually when a return o-ring or rubber line or olive goes bad there's a good tell-tail sign of wetness. All those appear dry.
And again the underside of the fuel filter water separator left my hand wet when I felt around under it.

 

[HammerDown]

Well, for sure the filter is weeping from the fuel filter separator.
Maybe a compromised 0-ring or the it's weeping at the electrical connection.
Anyone use Pentius fuel filters?

 

[HammerDown]

Dammit...sure enough, the recent cold weather snap got that fuel heater to leaking...looks like I gotta get in there.
And I just installed a new fuel filter when I replaced the o-ring in the lower water sensor sending unit.

 

[icanfixall]

Dammit...sure enough, the recent cold weather snap got that fuel heater to leaking...looks like I gotta get in there.
And I just installed a new fuel filter when I replaced the o-ring in the lower water sensor sending unit.

As already posted.. Delete the heater and forever live without a fuel leak happily ever after...lol