Thermostart for a Ford 2722E 4 cylinder diesel

[deezul]

We have a snowblower for the lot that has a Ford 2722E 4 cylinder diesel. This unit has a thermostart valve in the intake that is fed voltage and a slight drip of fuel to aid in starting. The thermostart was pooched and was replaced, the new thermostart draws a whack of amperage (amp clamp is dictating 140+). The wire leading to the thermostart even becomes soft when in use. I thought perhaps there was an issue with the thermostart from new and have replaced it, but the issue occurs even with the replacement. Have verified the part numbers and have tried a few other dealers/brands but the same issue is always present. I even attempted to put a light in to ease the load but issue still is present. Any ideas with this issue?