Help--My Fuel cutt off switch melted

[kylie courter 2]

My 2003 trac died the other day...:cry: My dad was going to look into my fuel filter & replace that. The check the fuel pump. But after my direction I sent him to this site nline: , and he saw the fuel pump replacement. So by reading that he decided to check the fuel cut off switch. Sure enough it is melted!



Any one know where I can get these parts? 1L2T-9341-AC PBT-GF15



he spliced it together to see if it would start & it fired right up....

 

[Bill Koonce]

While you're without the right part, I strongly suggest that you rig up a manual fuel cutoff switch within reach of the driver and potential rescuers. Put it in plain sight and label it well!



Try the local salvage yard. These days most "junk yards" are interconnected by sophisticated computer networks, and most can find the part even if it's a thousand miles away.

 

[gary s]

i have had many fleet vehicles from different auto mfg's and never have i heard of this happening.

just a first for me.

 

[EddieS'04]

I know of 2 rangers around me. This has happened to. I have no answers. Just that it happened. The plastic housing was distorted on both. Plugs got soft but still worked.



Been so much yea and nay on this lately. I stayed out of it till now.

 

[Bill Koonce]

Hmmm...



If the switches are melting, that indicates more current is flowing more often than the design called for. Sounds like the fuel pump is working too hard. If this is a return-less system, the fuel pump is probably on its way out, filter(s) clogged etc. In a return style system, it might be sending back too much fuel to the tank.



In either case, diagnosing any fuel system problems and replacing the fuel pump if necessary should be done first. Otherwise the cutoff switch might overheat and be damaged before the cause is repaired.

 

[EddieS'04]

Im not sure if these rangers were the regulator return system or the vairible speed pulse pumps.



It wouldnt suprise me if some switches are foriegn. Contacts are not up to the current load.



Iwould like to find one and tear into it. Bench load test it til it over heats. Retired Instrument techs are just that way,LOL.



I had a refridge defrost timer do the same. Made in mexico. The current load over heated the contact lever and destorted it. The current was in parameter. With some ingenuity, I repaired it. Outlasted the compressor. Got 29 years from the fridge.

 

[scott degroot]

There was a discussion on these switches about a week or so ago where I had said that the only time I have seen the switch fail is when the plug melted and damaged the switch,in those cases, after doing a voltage drop test on the power and ground side of the circuit and then current ramping the fuel pump it was found that the fuel pump was drawing too much current adn needed replacing. Not saying thsat is what is happening in your situation but it is a possibility.



Steve M has also said that he has had the switches apart and seen corrosion built up inside the switch, this could casue the high current draw also and melt the plug.

 

[Steve McKellop]

NOT to get back into that discussion but electrical failure was not what I had seen when opening the switch. My observation in two cases was mechanical failure. The little metal ball becoming corroded and rusting, thus failing to be held in the magnetized seat. Overheating is bound to be too much current draw or possibly a bad connection at the plug.



Just for kicks and giggles, after that discussion, I cut open another switch to illustrate the inner workings of one. I couldn't find a cut-away of the current model so I did it myself. I didn't post it because I didn't want to drag that subject out again. But since it's being discussed again I'll post the photos ............. understanding this in no way relates to this post EXCEPT that if you notice the plug contacts are discolored, possibly from overheating, as L1Tech states is common.



This is off of a mid-eighties E150 but the same switch/design is used on our Tracs.



Unfortunately the "plastic spring" part of the reset button was destroyed in the dissection.

 

[Bill Koonce]

Nice pix, Steve! I'm also impressed that everybody knows that it's current that is the big heat maker. I've lost track of how many boards I've posted to where the topic gets completely obscured by gang flames from groups of people who want to argue about the most rudimentary stuff. My hat's off to y'all!

It wouldnt suprise me if some switches are foriegn. Contacts are not up to the current load.

I recently read a list of the "most American" cars. IIRC the most American-made parts went into a Japanese brand car, and that getting just over 50% American-made components was rare. This wasn't a surprise to me; I've been reading about how the "big three" have had to OEM their component parts not made in-house overseas since the '80s.



That was OK when the OEMs had their factories in Japan and other places where the workforce is well-educated, motivated and competent. Today, many of our car parts are being made in the Communist part of China, where the army is the single holding company for all of those "private" businesses that sell to the US. At least the Japanese were good copycats. Japanese parts were functionally identical to their American made counterparts. Communist-made parts OTOH are often designed to look like the American part, but are made in an inferior way, from inferior materials.



It might be worth shopping around at parts houses for a replacement. You might be able to find a part made by a different OEM, in a free country.

 

[Todd Z]

I have replaced many switched and pig tails......



Normally a bad fuel pump, connection or relay is to blame....



Todd Z

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Ok, where is this switch so I can check mine just because of safety?

 

[EddieS'04]

Ok, where is this switch so I can check mine just because of safety?

under pasenger side floor mat. below the havac box.

 

[Steve McKellop]