As the title says!

For the resident master tech's I really would appreciate help with this, I can not find the part listed on a parts fische!

Last week or the week before, I did the blue Spring mod and found that I had crud in the 2nd fuel filter. I also could not get the water drain plug out of the HFCM. So I ordered a seal kit for the HFCM.

Well Saturday night I pulled the HFCM out and tore it completely apart and gave it a thorough cleaning. I am amazed I didn't gel up more than once last winter! The amount of crud that was in there was amazing!

When I pulled the manifold off of the side a little round electrical disc fell out. It had some writing on it and had 30F after the last number. I am thinking this is the heated recirculation heater. Will I be able to buy this separate or will I need to shell out major $ ?

I will post pictures of the part when I can figure how to download it from my phone to the PC.

So that is my major problem. It shouldn't be an issue for another month or so.

I now can get the manifold off the side easily since everything is clean.

I did get the BRASS drain plug out! That thing was a SOB to get out! I had to use a bolt extractor and a cheater bar on a wrench while the manifold was in a vise. That was what my worry was when I started the cleaning process. But that was the easy part to do.

 

They stoped putting heater elements in the HFCM

IDK if you can get a Replacment

Usually when the guys get a New HFCM they get a New harness pigtail deal that don't have the Heater Line

 

they didn't stop until 06...~from what I understand~ so yes he can get replacement but I can't find number off hand

afte further reading though, seems like they do have an updated version without the heater element. Different sites stating that they corroded and caused more issues than advantages. Even Canadians with temps going as low as -40°F have had no issues with the updated version. So maybe something to look into

 

Ford did away with the heater as stated before. If you had replaced the entire assembly, it would come with a dummy plug for the heater. Also as stated before, the heater was found to do mute harm g than good.

 

This thread raises as many questions as it provides answers and I have a couple of questions myself......If anyone is NOT experiencing any issues with fuel and they are doing the fuel filter changes when they should why would it be advantageous to tear the HFCM all apart and create this whole new set of problems? Power Service will take care of the water in the fuel and prevent gelling in the extreme temps (along with the other additives oil companies put in their winter grade fuel) and as the original poster stated the secondary fuel filter will take care of what ever makes it past the primary filter, after all isn't that what the secondary filter is suppose to do? My other question is this: Has anyone had their engine malfunction because of not cleaning this HFCM module....that can attribute the malfunction directly to the failure to rip this thing apart and create this whole other set of problems? Sorry if I sound kinda negitive about this but I am a firm believer in the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' approach to many things and this is one of them. You know, kinda like testing to see if you can loosen a rusty transmission cooler line....even though it isn't leaking sorta thing or along those lines. just asking Thanks for any input I can get on this. P.S. I ask this because the HFCM looks like it has been replaced on my truck at some point before I got it and I don't want to monkey with it unnecessarily.

 

Actually I think you answered your own question. IF everyone was meticulous about HFCM maintenance simply by changing filters and draining the water trap then there would be far fewer problems. The two BIG variables are the human element and the fuel quality element and I'm not sure there is a way to eliminate those "problems".

 

Point taken, and I understand what you are saying. I'll drain my HFCM when I do my first filter change which is coming right up and then if all appears well I'll go from there. Thanks for the input and all of your advice on this and all other issues you address, it's valued info in my book

 

The OP's original problem was a stripped drain plug ( where the Allen wrench is inserted) so he had no choice but removal of the unit!!
I've noticed a little corrosion on the tip of my plug so I wire brush the threads and put a dab of Vaseline on it before reinstalling.

 

The striped plug was the first issue, but not the only issue!

Since I bought this truck a little under a year ago, I have had a few issues with the fuel system. It gelled up on me last January or February. When I changed the filters for the first time I had more dirt then I thought I should. It was enough to make me worry. The filter I pulled out the first time was not a factory one and you could see dirt was bypassing the filter. I did not want to just hose it out in the vehicle with brake clean, since I am new to diesel powered vehicles. I wasn't sure what damage chemical residue would do to the fuel system.

Like I said earlier, there was enough dirt and what looked like residual water/gel pellet looking sand to make me glad I did this. I am now going to order a fuel pressure gauge and pillar mount to be able to monitor fuel pressure. I am worried about the pump itself after cleaning off a sand/grit residue on the outside of it. I am worried what got up in the pump or passed thru the pump.

I will call my new found go to Ford dealer Monday and ask the parts guy about it. He told me if I deal with him he will sell me the parts I need for 30% under retail. I will not argue that point at all!

So if anyone that reads this and is new to the diesel scene, if you ever suspect your HFCM is caked inside with crud, sludge or whatever you care to call it. Take it out and clean it! The seal kit is around 26.00(US) and it is only about a 2 hour job never doing it before. Well worth the time to make sure that all is right!

Thanks for the help guys with the heater issue! It puts my mind at ease knowing it was done away with in later years.

 

I am also a believer if it isn't broke don't fix it, but I had crud that made it to the secondary filter and when I pulled that filter it went towards the injector feed line. If it made it past the primary filter, there was enough somewhere in my system to make me worry. I have a very well versed mechanical background. I have worked on anything and everything gas powered. I had never seen this amount of crud in a secondary filter ever.

Did I create a problem? No when I removed the manifold the heater element fell out. It was broken before I touched it. My new issue was I couldn't find a part# and didn't know if I needed it. After the responses I got I am not to worried about it. If I can get the part all I need to do now is pull the fuel lines and 4 bolts.

 

I guess I miss understood your OP, So you're saying you had dirt in the bowl up on top of the engine ? if so that sounds bazaar, how would dirt get through two fuel filters to find it's way to the injectors? maybe the past owner was a little sloppy when they changed the filters and allowed dirt to get into the filter bowl when changing the filters? I don't have the answers but it does create some questions imho. Anyway I hope you get it worked out without getting the dirt beyond the filter housing because it won't go through the injectors it will stop before it gets that far and that can't be good. All the luck in the world to ya.

 

I too have had to clean my HFCM due to crud in the system. And yes I've always used the Ford filter. My issue was always a false water in fuel light warning even after a brand new filter. So I changed the sensor and during that process saw just how much sediment was in there. That's what was giving me the false readings was all the trash in there. So as far as the don't fix it till it breaks analogy I'm more inclined to treat it like the rest of the injection system on this truck and give it routine maintenance.

My opinion.

 

Giver an little bit of water algae will grow in diesel.That and the fact that the water separator is a
place that stores water in contact with diesel and you have an ideal growing situation. So all you
need that that point is a spore and time. BINGO you have algae byproducts and one of those us a
jelly like goo.

Sean

 

I know how the dirt got there! The first filters I pulled out were an off brand. Which did not have the little ears that engaged the pump and keep it from rotating and sealing against the end of the pump.

Well when I pulled the secondary out a good amount of dirt fell off into the bottom of the bowl. If I let things go every time I would change filters I would have to worry about dropping dirt.

So while we could discuss this all day it just boils down to the lack of PM by the PO.

 

I hear ya, no need to discuss it any further, I see how you could have the problems you did and it sounds like you helped yourself out of it and that's a good thing. These engines can be a pain in the &^% if they aren't taken care of or so I'm told, I haven't had mine long enough to find out how the past owner(s) treated it so I could find myself in the same position you where in......I'm hoping not though.