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    Bad fuel pressure regulator?

    I'm having problems with my car hard starting, and once it does run, if you try to accelerate it seems to hit dead spots in the rev range, ie you get to 2000rpm, the car seems to die, slows down as if you are giving no gas. If you keep giving gas the car will eventually pick up and continue accelerating as normal, and then it will happen again at a different point in the rev range.
    Its not always at the same point, it seems to happen randomly. Also the car idles really rough.

    I have just put in a new fuel pump relay, as well as jumping the relay with a piece of wire, and results are the same.

    I just bought a fuel pressure test kit, and installed it in the fuel line that connects to the rear of the fuel rail, closest to the firewall of my car. When trying to start fuel pressure is at zero, and after cranking for a long time, it will eventually hit 10psi. When the car is shut off fuel pressure drops immediately. If I jump the relay with the car off, pressure goes to 10psi and then stops, car will then start more easily than with relay in, and then idles rough with the pressure going between 10 and 12 psi.

    I'm 99% sure its my fuel pressure regulator, also I should mention that when I first noticed this I checked my engine and the vacuum line to the FPR was broken, so I replaced it. The size of hose I replaced it with was by eye exactly the same, but I suppose that it could have been very slightly different, would that make much of a difference? And would that error in size allow the FPR to drop all the pressure almost instantly? Also since I'm unsure of how long the vacuum line was broken, most likely just a day or so, could my driving of the car with the broken line have caused the FPR to fail, so that even a new vacuum line would not solve the problem?

    One last thing, I am running a larger, in tank fuel pump, and I have converted my car from dual pumps to single, without running a new wire to the new pump. I have seen some posts advising that this wire be changed, but from other things I have read it sounds like the stock wiring should be able to handle it. I also spoke with FLG, and he is running the same set up as me with a turbo and not seeing issues, and with the turbo his car is drawing much more fuel than mine while still not causing the wires to fail, leading me to believe that this is not the issue, but I felt I should mention it.

    So is the next logical step to replace the fuel pressure regulator?

    #2
    pinch the return line momentarily while you have the FP relay jumpered and FP pump is running and see if pressure rises to a more normal 48 psi (be ready to release it quickly if pressure rises over 50psi) ,if it does replace the regulator if not you have a problem with the fuel supply either the pump is bad(wrong pump?) ,the filter is plugged or fuel line issues

    your driveabilty issues are being caused by the low fuel pressure
    Angus
    88 E30M3 X2
    89 325IX
    92 R100GS/PD
    :)

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      #3
      I'll try this in the morning, fuel pump should be fine though, I replaced it 6 months ago with a TRE-340. Fuel filter I replaced about 2 years ago.

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        #4
        Originally posted by spdracrm3 View Post
        pinch the return line momentarily while you have the FP relay jumpered and FP pump is running and see if pressure rises to a more normal 48 psi (be ready to release it quickly if pressure rises over 50psi) ,if it does replace the regulator if not you have a problem with the fuel supply either the pump is bad(wrong pump?) ,the filter is plugged or fuel line issues

        your driveabilty issues are being caused by the low fuel pressure
        Tried pinching the line, and it stayed the same, and fuel pressure still dropped. Checked my in tank pump, and there was a hole in one of the fuel lines, so its a super easy fix. Thanks for your advice, I probably would have just replaced the FPR if you didn't say that so you saved me a decent amount of money.

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          #5
          how does the fuel pressure regulator go bad? Is it repairable? I'm trying to find out why i'm only getting crank but no start at the moment.
          Renting my rear wheel bearing tool kit. SIR
          http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ps6debf0b0.jpg

          Your signature picture has been removed since it contained the Photobucket "upgrade your account" image.

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            #6
            FPR goes bad when the diaphragm is torn. It is not repairable. Plus, it is not that expensive to replace.

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