Fuel filter change made battery light go on?

[gergstuff]

Hello,
My "water in fuel" light came on yesterday so last night I drained the water out of the seperator and decided to replace the fuel filter while I was at it.

I put it back together and when I started the truck the battery light came on?

This happened a few months ago and I replaced the voltage regulator and everything was fine.

The only thing I can think of was when I had the fuel filter out there was a wire at the bottom of the housing that I pulled on (seemed like a good idea at the time). The wire had a small diameter rubber hose attached to it and there was a female spade connector on the end of it. No idea what that is or how or why it might make the battery light come on.

I suppose it is possible that the voltage regualtor went bad? I think it is only 2 months old and it cost me more than $100.

Is it all just a coincidence?

Could something else be bad that it frying the regulator?

Did that wire at the bottom of the fuel filter housing have something to do with it?

As always your expertise and knowledge are appreciated.

Thanks,

Craig

[ZMANN]

that may be the fuel bowl heater ,, does your wait to start light still work ?

[gergstuff]

Yes, the "wait to start" light still came on.

I did not know there was a fuel bowl heater but that certainly makes sense.

I guess I will have to go back in there and see if I can find where it plugs into.

[madpogue]

What color is the wire? Where does the hose lead to? Any chance you can post a pic?

[gergstuff]

I do not recall the wire color, the black tubing covering it had a wire tied to it with a little rubber bung that seemed to anchor it in place.

I don't think I pulled on it hard enough to disconnect it so maybe it had already been disconnecgted because of some prior problem?

I can get pictures up, not until tonight though.

Not too concerned about the mystery wire unless it is what caused my battery light to come on.

Craig

[gergstuff]

oh, and the little hose/tubing did not go anywhere it was just sitting in there not connected to anything.

[BigFuel]

Part #9236? You need that as that is part of the water separator. Don't throw that out.

[gergstuff]

No, that isn't it. I do not see a specific part that matches what I found but it looks like they are showing a wire coming off the "internal heater" and I am betting that it what the wire is for.

Is there any real need for this heater? I live in Washington state and it rarely gets bitterly cold here.

Any notion that this wire would cause my battery light to illuminate?

[CELAYORK]

Originally Posted by gergstuff

No, that isn't it. I do not see a specific part that matches what I found but it looks like they are showing a wire coming off the "internal heater" and I am betting that it what the wire is for.

Is there any real need for this heater? I live in Washington state and it rarely gets bitterly cold here.

Any notion that this wire would cause my battery light to illuminate?

I think that are coincidental, maybe you have another bad regulator (was OEM?) and about the wire I think its for the vaccum switch in that diagram.IDK

[BigFuel]

Both are run through fuse 22 under the hood. The light is powered straight from the regulator to fuse 22 and then to the dash gauge and light. Voltage from the key AND from the regulator hold the Batt. light off. If one of them fails to send a positive voltage then a diode in the cluster collapses and allows a ground to be had turning the light on.