It is a Dorman product, patterned after the Superduty model and will fit an OBS.
It is fine.

Dorman Products - 904-210

DR

 

Yes, your right on that mfg, Dorman #904-210, I mean to ad that. Thanks for the info, I didn't even know they had a fuel heater, is it on most of the time?, or only when the glowplugs are on, or what? This one looks like it could generate some real heat, kinda like the old coffee water cup heater seen in the offices before the mircowaves came along, LOL. OH, does it go on coil wire up as the picture on that link show? Guess it may not matter.

 

wire up, and the plastic riser in the middle is a left handed thread

 

The way the heater works is this. Your round mounting pads that the heating element attach to are thermistors, meaning a variable resistor varied by temperature. 12v is applied to the heater element 100% the time the key is on. In cold conditions the thermistors are near zero resistance in effect grounding the element so full 12v heats it. In warm conditions the thermistors resistance goes up so less than 12v drop across the element. In theory the thermistors may go high enough resistance in hot weather to completely turn off the heat and go low enough in cold to turn full battery power into heat. Actually the heater is a deathtrap. Mine shorted out twice the first 50,000 miles and when it shorts you are dead in the water middle of the interstate. The Dorman sounds like a possible solution to the Ford which actually should be a recall for safety. I threw mine in the trash and run naked without. Hell wih it.

 

Thanks to all 3 of you for the info.

Yep I found out too late yesterday, left handed threads on the check valve pump stand, that the local ford dealer wants $75 bucks for, and the parts man wanted to argue, nearly wanted to fight, that I can get it for less than $19 from Colorado Bob including shipping.

Yep I was wondering if I could just unhook that heater, might do that as soon as its spring time in LA (Lower Alabama).
Shoot, if you run without one in Colorado, think I'll not even buy the thing, just leave it out, save $55 bucks.

 

I have been running without one for 4-5 years now and here in Oregon, it can get as low 27 degrees and no problems.

 

I'm in northern Canada. Many people around here run without it. The heater does absolutely nothing for how the engine operates. It is a federally mandated device on all diesel powered passenger vehicles. It's sole purpose is to heat gelled fuel enough to pass through the filter and allow the engine to start. And it does a very poor job of this. As a safety feature it is on the same fuse as the PCM power so if the heater shorts out it shuts down the engine.

 

If you decide to buy one Rockauto.com has them for $30

 

OK. I will leave the heating element out. NOw, what about the contact wire and the lead that it clips to inside the bowl. Can I just leave that wire attached. It seems to be stuck on to the outside contact, or should I clip the wire on the outside. Also what is the wire right below that for, Leave it attached?

 

The wire below it is the "water in fuel" sensor, I would leave it.

The heater wire should just pull off of the stud o the outside of the bowl, tape it up and you are good to go.

 

you should be able to pry the connector off from the inside of the fuel bowl... it's just a spade type connection. I used a long standard srewdriver to disconnect mine. I thought you mentioned you already removed the stand pipe? if so just remove the whole heater assembly (plate and wire). I wouldn't cut the outside wire...maybe just me but I don't like hacking things up.

 

My last post is somewhat confusing, yes, I HAVE the spade clip removed from the inside and the heater element out. I was NOW wondering about the wire that sends pwr to that spade clip. Do I need to disconnect that wire on the outside.
BUT Its on so tight, the one that has a plastic PRESS on end ,about the size of a THUMB nail. THERE IS SOMETHInG BACK BEHIND THAT SPADE CLIP, IN A RECESSSED area of the bowl, I was worried that pulling on that wire may pull out what ever that is in there, so I may just clip and tape the wire from the outside, maybe strip and put wire nuts on so that they are their if needed some time later.

 

leave outside wire connected... the only problems I know of with the heater element was the solder breaking and the element wire grounding in the fuel bowl causing the #22 to blow... if you removed the heater element you shoudn't have anything that would ground the spade in the cannister.

 

This forum really is the best! Thank you for the advice on the fuel heater element. I am so thrilled that I don't have pay for a new one and to learn how truly damaging that part can be in the first place. You all rock!!

 

How does so much gunk get in the fuel filter housing anyway? Is it caused from dirty fuel?

 

Dirty fuel, bad filter, pickup foot coming apart int he fuel tanks.

That is why there is a filter on these trucks.