adjusting fuel pressure?

[TX Heat]

Ok, stupid question.

Which way do you turn the alan key in an adjustable fuel regulator to increase fuel pressure (with hose disconnected of course)?

I'm assuming:
increase=clockwise
decrease=counter-clockwise

is this correct?

[TX Heat]

I should have added that part.

I just put a gauge on there today. It reads about 37ish. But doesn't move when I adjust either way.

[SVOeric]

That could be a sign that your fuel pump is toast...

Normally (at least with my kirban) tightning the screw gives more pressure, loosening less...

[TX Heat]

Crud, the fuel pump is brand new, the afpr doesn't have many hours on it, the gauge is new, and the fuel injectors are new, the filter is new.

Not all at the same time though, so I know they're all doing there job.

Hmmm

[SVOeric]

My guess is you may have had a failure like I did.

There is a hose in the tank that runs from the pump to the metal line. This hose either comes loose, or splits, and causes low pressure.

I tested mine by using a pressure gauge connected to a hose, connected to the fuel filter. this setup doesn't give the pump anywhere to 'vent' so don't run the pump more than one turn of the key, you should see the pressure go straight to 90++ if all is good, it should hold for a bit.. if it starts falling imediatly, then you may have a bad check-valve.

[fordfan]

what should the pressure(s) be at key locations to see if all is well?

[jayG]

Originally posted by fordfan
what should the pressure(s) be at key locations to see if all is well?

You should gain a # of fuel pressure for every # of boost as a general rule.

[SVOBart]

You should only need to check the pressure at the rail unless you suspect a restriction in the fuel line and you're trying to pinpoint the restriction by comparing the pressure drop.

Fuel pressure should normally be set at 39-40 psi with the vaccum hose disconnected and plugged. To check for proper operation of the regulator, reconnect the hose and look for ~35 psi at idle. As Jay stated, under boost, the pressure should rise about 1 psi for every pound of boost relative to the pressure measured with the vaccum hose off. So if you set your base fuel pressure to 40 psi, you should see about 55 psi at the rail if you're running 15 lbs boost.

[turbizzy]

He said he only gets about 37ish psi of static fuel pressure and it doesn't change at all when he adjusts the fpr? Shouldn't he have more like 40 psi of static pressure? Im guessing a restriction somewhere or like SVOeric said about the pump. I would check all the lines and look for kinks.

I see you have an 85 SVO and you said you replaced the pump recently? Which pump, you should have the dual pump setup. If you converted to the single intank pump did you remember to replace the resistor ground wire?

[SVOBart]

37-40 is about the normal range I suppose. Some gages may be off +/- 1 psi so I usually don't get to concerned about being right on the head.

If it ain't moving at all, I'd check the fuel pressure with the engine running (I usually check mine with the engine off, but pump running by grounding the pin on the self test connector) to see if it moves up and down as it should. It may be that the screw is just backed way out and needs to be run down some. I recall having to turn mine about 1 turn before it started having any effect on the fuel pressure.

[turbizzy]

I didn't know you could check it with the engine off. I thought it'd be more accurate to check it with the engine running so that everything is taken into consideration such as pressure drops from the injectors firing.

[SVOBart]

Yeah, if you look at the face of the larger self-test connector, the connector to the far left on the row with 4 slots goes back to the fuel pump relay. Ground that pin and the fuel pump will run as long as you like. I'm not sure if it would make enough of a difference at idle since the pump is supplying so much more fuel than the engine requires that there isn't going to be much of a drop in pressure from the injectors firing in the first place. Last time I adjusted the fuel pressure on my car, I did it with the engine off, but double checked it with it running and got the same number.

[High Roller]

I had the same problem, except the gauge went to about 85 pounds when I started the engine. It stayed the same when I tried to adjust the regulator. Eric suggested I may have a clogged return line. Sure enough, the hard line in the sending unit was stopped completely up. I'm waiting on a new sending unit. I'll let you know if that fixes the problem when I can get it installed.

[NavySVO]

Originally posted by SVOBart
Yeah, if you look at the face of the larger self-test connector, the connector to the far left on the row with 4 slots goes back to the fuel pump relay.

FYI, it is the pin on the right, vise the left.