Fuel Heater?

[longbedder]

On the steel fuel line that comes up the front of the engine from the lift pump, there is a vertical section about 6-8" long that has a larger diameter than the rest of the tube. This enlarged section has an electrical wire and connector (single conductor) coming out of it. Is this a fuel heating element?

I thought the fuel heaters were under the intake manifold, but this one is not.

The engine is an '83 6.2L.

 

[BKinzey]

Could be, but I don't think that's stock. Stock heater is built in where the fuel filter goes.

 

[Rob 85K5]

Did the 83 still have the canister filter, and not the rectangle?

 

[longbedder]

Here's a picture. As you can see, the electrical connector is a late-model one, not one from the '83 era.

I guess I could always plug it into 12 volts and see if it gets warm...

The only other possible thing I could guess is some sort of water sensor, but I really think it must be a heater.

By the way, the truck I've got is an '83, and has the canister filter attached to the firewall. The engine I'm oging to put into it (the one in the pic) has the rectangular filter attached to the rear of the intake manifold.

 

[BKinzey]

Well, plug it in and see what happens

 

[imiceman44]

Here's a picture. As you can see, the electrical connector is a late-model one, not one from the '83 era.

I guess I could always plug it into 12 volts and see if it gets warm...

The only other possible thing I could guess is some sort of water sensor, but I really think it must be a heater.

By the way, the truck I've got is an '83, and has the canister filter attached to the firewall. The engine I'm oging to put into it (the one in the pic) has the rectangular filter attached to the rear of the intake manifold.

Is this the engine you bought from me?

 

[longbedder]

Yup, sure is, Iceman...

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

You know that looks like one of those fuel magnetizing things. Some people claim they work some don't. Notice it only has one wire coming out of it. No electric fuel heater would be wired that cheesy, they usually pull about 15-20 amps. Or it could be a water detector for the fuel....I've never had much luck with those.
George

 

[colbystephens]

i have a '83 6.2 that came stock. it has the dual fuel filters (one on the fire wall, one on the back of the intake.) to my knowledge, these dual filters were only on the '82 and '83 model engines. i do not have the larger fuel line like you... my guess is after market.