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Probably a dumb fuel pressure question

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oldsracer

Identity Crisis
Joined
Oct 20, 2010
Messages
759
I"m not at the point of turning up the boost yet so don't worry about that but after reading I have been wondering. Why do we only turn the fp up 1 psi for every 1 psi of boost. If the injectors are only spraying so much why cant I just turn the regulator all the way up to my max boost goal and slowly turn the boost up as I go.

For example well start with boost at 15lbs and fp at 43psi. If down the road I want to max at 30 lbs of boost, why cant I turn the fp up to 58psi and then only have to worry about turning the boost up. Also wouldn't that be better if say a line blew off the fuel would be their if the boost suddenly spiked and I wasn't able to get out of it in time.

Again this is probably a dumb question for an expert but can someone explain what I'm missing.
 
It sounds like you're not understanding exactly how a fuel pressure regulator works. Please forgive me if you do, and I'm not understanding your question correctly. But here I go.

When you start the car, the fuel pressure regulator, of course, controls fuel pressure in the fuel rail. In simplest terms, the regulator keeps the pressure difference between the fuel pressure in the rail and the air pressure in the manifold constant. It does this by applying the intake manifold pressure (whether it's vacuum or boost) to the regulator, which then mechnically "translates" that into the correct fuel pressure.

Let's start with a stock, non-adjustable fuel pressure regulator. When the car is not running, there is no vacuum or boost pressure in the intake manifold. The fuel pressure regulator (assuming the key is on and the fuel pump is running) will adjust fuel pressure to the so-called "base setting". If I remember, for a stock regulator, that's about 39 psi. So, there will be a 39 psi pressure difference between the fuel pressure and the air pressure in the manifold.

Now you start your car and warm it up. At idle, there will be vacuum in the intake manifold - let's say 15 inches of mercury, which converts to 7.4 psi OF VACUUM (i.e. "negative pressure"). So, you will see that your fuel pressure (with the vacuum line still connected) has DROPPED by about 7.4 psi, down to 31.6 (approximately, no fuel pressure regulator is perfect). Again, if you do the math, you will see that the pressure difference between the fuel pressure in the rail and the pressure in the intake manifold is still 39 psi. 31.6 psi in the fuel rail minus negative 7.4 psi in the intake manifold equals 39 psi.

Now, the light turns green, and you stomp on the gas. Let's say your turbo is set to 20 psi of boost. That 20 psi of boost gets sent to the fuel pressure regulator via the vacuum line. The fuel pressure regulator responds by moving fuel pressure UP to 59 psi (if everything is working correctly). This is what people mean by "there should be a one-for-one increase in fuel pressure with boost". If your boost is 20 psi, your fuel pressure in the rail should be 20 psi above the base setting, which in this example is 59 psi. And, as before, the difference in pressure between the fuel rail and intake manifold is 59 psi (rail) minus 20 psi (intake manifold) = 39 psi - the base setting.

The reason a fuel pressure regulator does this is simple - it keeps the amount of fuel being delivered by the fuel injectors independent of the pressure or vacuum in the intake manifold. So, if your fuel injector is firing for 10 milliseconds (ms), then the amount of fuel being delivered is the same regardless of whether you are under boost or under vacuum, because there is always the same amount of pressure difference between the fuel rail and intake manifold. This makes designing the ECU programming a helk of a lot easier!

For an adjustable fuel pressure regulator, there is one important difference - you can modify that "base setting". So, instead of 39 psi, you can change it to 43 psi, or 45 psi, or whatever. This is always adjusted with the vacuum hose DISCONNECTED, because the fuel pressure regulator goes to its "base setting" when no vacuum or boost is applied to it. Just remember, if you increase fuel pressure, the injectors will deliver more fuel AT ALL OPERATING CONDTIONS - vacuum, boost, or whatever. So, if you increase fuel pressure and make no other changes, all of your BLM's will go down over time, because the ECU will sense that more fuel is being delivered. It will respond by lowering BLM's and firing the injectors for a lower amount of time at all operating conditions.

Clear as mud?
 
I am not an 'expert" in tuning issues, I rely on Cal for that, but I can give you some reasons for NOT doing what you asked. :)

First, it really screws up your idle and low speed drivability, your spark plugs will not like that at all.

Second, you must understand that too rich a mixture will do just as much engine damage as being too lean. A hot spot in the combustion chamber, even at moderate RPM, can easily give you pre-ignition, which unlike detonation, will instantly cause damage.

The chip builder optimizes the program to have linear fuel delivery over the RPM range, and you totally screw that up when you experiment with designed base fuel pressure.

After 25 years with MANY people tuning and building TR's, there are many proven recipes from 13 sec. builds to reliable 8 sec. builds. We are always looking and testing for better, more reliable and less expensive parts and methods to increase performance.

But the average owner should just set a performance goal, and model their build after one that has been proven successful without fancy tricks! ;)
 
Why do we only turn the fp up 1 psi for every 1 psi of boost.

We don't. The boost pressure acts on the regulator to increase the fuel pressure 1 to 1. We set the static fuel pressure at 43 lbs or 45 lbs (depending on the chip) and leave it there.
 
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Here's my fuel pressure regulator, I don't know how to adjust it, the parts stores didnt have the fitting I needed to put my fuel pressure gauge on the rail but I know I need more fuel.
 
Without gauges how do you know?


to adjust it, you loosen the jam not and turn the set screw. Clockwise will increase your pressure, counter will decrease it. You need to get a zip tie on that line running into it too. At high boost it will leak and not track your boost correctly.
 
Ok thx, is it sensitive or do you need to turn it by 1/2 turns to notice a difference?
 
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Here's my fuel pressure regulator, I don't know how to adjust it, the parts stores didnt have the fitting I needed to put my fuel pressure gauge on the rail but I know I need more fuel.
Do a search for fuel rail fittings. You can find the exact fitting you need to go on the port for a gauge.
 
In addition to what Earl mentioned about zip ties...Do all the vac lines that way.;)
 
Do a search for fuel rail fittings. You can find the exact fitting you need to go on the port for a gauge.

I did a search and ice read -4an fittings but is that really all I need? What about if I want to run it to the windsheild to view during WOT?

What's the real size I need I don't understand AN fittings.
 
Dont touch it until you get a gauge.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4
 
I put a coupler on mine and threaded it over the port.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4
 
What size is the coupler I need? Seems like the fuel gauge has finer threads then the fuel rail. I'm at Home Depot now tho, would be nice to buy the part I need.
 
So I bought a brass coupling 1/8 in FIP I don't know what it means, it fits the gauge but not the fuel rail, so I guess I need another fitting to put everything together? Any thoughts?
 
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