Ok, lets start this off with I thought I had some water in my fuel as all of a sudden my truck stumbles and dies at an intersection just as I am making my turn. I restart it and it starts but roughly and blows all kinds of black smoke and runs roughly until it dies again. Happens a few more times until I have it towed home. Drain hfcm water separator and change lower filter. It starts right up and runs great for days. Then it all happens again. Felt like water in the fuel as it would kinds miss slightly then get progressively worse until it would die. Drain hfcm and replace filter and it would run again for days. Finally I drained the tank thinking water in the fuel. Nothing much seen in there. Removed hfcm module and cracked it open. AHAA!!! My 2005 f250 has the fuel heater module still in it. This was removed in later years due to issues. Now I see why. I had a huge wedge of a wax type crude plugging my fuel lines. I had recently added the archoil fuel additive and I think in its attempts to clean my system it loosened this junk and it flopped over and clogged my lines. I am unplugging the heater for now on and plan on yearly opening the hfcm just to make sure there is no more junk building up.

 

Ew.

Good thing you caught it.

 

I have always wondered how much good did this heater actually do?

 

Ok, but how often did you do the monthly scheduled HFCM water drain?

 

I bought this truck used as the 3rd owner. I usually drain the water/fuel separator every month just because it is humid here in Texas and I was keeping an eye on water accumulation. I think this crud was built up from some time ago but just stuck to the sides. When I cleaned it all out it took some of the finish off the hfcm cover where that stuff was stuck. Everything I read about that heater said it causes nothing but problems but nothing said exactly what. The replacement hfcm covers don't have even have a port for the heater plug so I don't think any harm can come from sealing it off. If it keeps my fuel from gelling up like that then it is worth disabling it.

 

They probably never did. I still have the heater in place but it's disconnected. Back in '03 if I wasn't diligent with the drains every month I'd get the water light on. But with the newer lower sulphur fuels I never do. I don't believe that there is less total water content as I've read the newer fuels are hygroscopic, so the water is still there, just not separated but dispersed. With my 1953 dozer, with this new fuel I never see the water during routine draining as I used to.

Good that you got the sludge out and hopefully it will stay that way. Good warning post there newbie.

 

I kept mine drained over the years but when I had to replace the fuel pump last year, it looked like that inside. The new pump doesn't have the heater and came with harness to take the heater out of the circuit. The heater was burnt in two on mine.


bedwards

 

Mine was also,new pump no heater, it did just like his,run a little while go dead till would not startup at all, could just hear the pump run slow if you got close enough.

 

Yeah, that's why I think this needs to be part of some kinda regular maintenance. I think this was just a bad design on Ford's part as it just seems to clog way too easily. Maybe they fixed it in the 2008 or later models. I just figured I would make it a point to crack it open at least yearly just to be sure. It is pretty easy to get out and is cheap insurance, because it can certainly leave you on the side of the road in a hurry.

 

As an absolute mechanic novice I have no idea how to do this. Would you be able to explain or link me to a tutorial?

Thanks!

 

Every 5 years I've pulled my cover off and cleaned the interior. Some just pull the drain plug, spray the interior with carb cleaner, wait some time, then plug it back up. IMO, if you go that path you need to prime the HFCM maybe a dozen times to make sure if any cleaner remains it gets fully diluted by the fuel in the tank rather then a concentration.

You can get a replacement cover gasket, but it now comes as a more expensive kit then the economical gasket only that used to be available. The problem when you remove the gasket is it often expands and no longer fits. Not a bad rubber formulation for that purpose, expansion in place to better seal. Not great during replacement. What I found during my first gasket flip is that the gasket if placed in the sun will return to its original size once the petroleum disipates out, if you have the time.

I've got 8 months to my next clean out, but with normal periodic water drains and maybe with the routine clean outs, I've been slimed but never the nasty goop.

 

This is decent pictorial from another forum.

help with my hcfm removal - Diesel Forum - TheDieselStop.com

 

It's really easy. Just under the drivers side door on the inner frame rail you will see the HFCM. Open the drain valve on the side with an allen head wrench or if you have the updated drain like I have in the pic you can just open it by hand. Let it drain into a pan or something until it is just a small stream or drip. You may also want to remove the filter to get more of the fuel out with the shallow socket 35/36mm found here:

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-14500-P...%2Bsocket&th=1


Next you will need a Ford fuel line disconnect tool like this:

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Fuel-Line...isconnect+tool

Use that to remove the front two fuel lines. You just push in the tool that fits the line while pulling the line toward the tool. You will feel it release and you can then slide the line off. Kinda tricky but once you do it you will have it down. The rear lines have a plastic button that you press to release them. Same thing, press button pull toward the pump, feel it release and pull line off. Next you will have two possibly three electrical connectors depending on if you have the fuel heater like I did. Those just have the typical press to release clips. Once all those are disconnected you just have three nuts that hold the whole unit to the other side of the frame. I want to say they were 11mm but I am not sure. Remove those and just slide the unit off the frame. The studs stay attached to the module. Work it out by the drive shaft and you should be good to go.

Once it is out just remove the four tiny 7 or 8 mm bolts on the top cover and see what kinda goo you have in yours. You can clean it with Brake cleaner and a flat head screwdriver to get all the stuff out.

I replaced my gasket with this kit just to be sure I didnt have any leaks:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Then just reverse the process plugging everything back in. If you have the heater plug which I think was the red plug I would just tape it off and zip tie the harness plug to the frame so it is out of the way. Once back together make sure to turn the key on and off three or four times slowly to allow the fuel pump to prime the system back up. It should then fire right up.

Sorry I wish I had taken pics while I did it. But, if you have any questions just let me know.

 

That's the kit. You used to be able to buy just the gasket for around $7.

That's a good write up even without pictures.

 

Thanks for the links! I'll get under there today and see what I can see.

Edit: nvm dumb question. I can just pop this thing off then back on right?