
If your car is facing issues such as delayed start, misfiring, racing etc., there can be a chance that the fuel pressure of the vehicle is not working problems. We will find more on this in the following passages.
A fuel pressure regulator is a device located between the fuel source and the engine. It can be found by simply following the fuel line or rail which carries fuel to the engine. A problem in the regulator can result into no supply of fuel to the engine, which in turn can lead to a breakdown. Mentioned below are some tests that you can carry out yourself to gage any issues with the fuel pressure regulator.
Test 1
You can test the regulator to check the symptoms of a problem with the help of a fuel pressure gauge.
- Insert the gauge along the system line in a testing port provided in the assembly.
- In case the testing port is absent, use a fuel filter hose to bypass the line by inserting the gauge along the arrangement.
- Check the reading of the fuel pressure.
- If the reading is between 45 p.s.i. to 55 p.s.i. for the injection mechanism and 14 p.s.i. to 18 p.s.i. in the throttle bottle injection assembly, your regulator is fine.
- A large deviation from the above mentioned ranges can be a sign of a potential problem.
Test 2
- Sharply strike the pressure gauge which is connected to the throttle arrangement.
- For a normal functioning pump, the pressure reading should rise by 5 p.s.i. approximately.
- A drop in the reading indicates a flaw in the regulator. This may be due to a faulty pump or clogging of the filter with some impurity.
- Remove the pump from the system and clean or replace it by a new one. Make sure that you retest the system on reinstalling the setup.
Test 3
Another test involves the regulator and fuel pump. To conduct the test,
- Start the engine and after allowing it to idle, carefully notice the vacuum line being displaced by the gauge.
- The reading should rise to show about 5 p.s.i. to 10 p.s.i.
- If it does not show any change, the regulator has a problem, specifically with the vacuum line.
- The regulation can be brought back to normal functioning by changing the regulator and by testing the new one for usability.
Minor car problems are usually a result of an abnormal pressure conditions in the fuel system. A high reading can result in heavy emissions. The problems arising out of this can be misfiring, clogging of system, racing and so on. On the other hand, a low pressure in the fuel regulator may cause a delayed or no start, misfiring and abrupt ignition.
Regulator problems are easy to detect. It is very essential to keep fuel pressure in the proper operating region for a longer and smooth engine life. So, the next time you sense a slight glitch or hiccup with the working of the engine, it is time for thorough checkup of the vehicle.