Does the regulator effect the return line at all? Or if it's bad, the fuel comes out of the vaccum hose and thats that.

I guess I wasn't pinching the hose off tight enough before. Anyway, it holds steady now while the line is pinched off.

Is there something back at the pump that controls fuel coming through the return line, or is it all at the rail?

*edit. Also, if the regulator is a possible culprit, would the 3.4 regulator work as a replacement for now? I still have it sitting with the leftover parts from the swap.

 

Ok, I pulled the regulator off and I see now just how it works. Never really paid attention when I replaced it a few years ago. The 3.4 regulator looks ok too. The metal surface where it seals has a mirror finish to it, while the 2.8 one isn't as smooth. I'll check again for anyway it was leaking through there, and maybe put on the 3.4 regulator to see what happens.

 

the regulator acts like a variable restriction in the return line, giving you your fuel pressure, if it is bad, it wont restrict your return line as much, giving you low FP. when you pinched off the return line, you were doing the regulators job. id put my money on the regulator

 

I just don't get it. I put the 3.4 regulator on, and it still loses pressure. I can't even get it to stop when I pinch the line now. I then lost my temper and put a dent in my fender with the pliers. POS needs paint job anyway.

I'm too fed up with it tonight. I'll mess with it again tomorrow night.

In the time it takes me to turn the key off after it primes to get around the door and look at the gauge, it's down to about 25. Once I get the pliers or visegrips on the lines it's at about 10. squeezing the input line raises it back up to 30 - 40.

 

it may end up being the pump.

 

I guess I'll pull the return line off and see if fuel is actually coming out when ist's losing it's pressure.

Anybody know what type of inline pump would work, or where to cut a hole to gain access to the one in the tank?

 

Well, pinching the return line caused it to stop again. Next try it didn't so I bent the hose slightly at the pliers and it stopped again. Resumed leaking when I released it.

The regulator springs have a lot of tension in them (2.8 and 3.4) and the surfaces look good. I can't see any imperpections in the rail where the regulator center thing seals.

(both springs bad maybe, even then I'd think it would stop at a certain pressure, this just goes right down to zero.)

 

Jesus... First the plier comment, and now you want to cut a giant hole in the floor or install an inline pump... Just crush it already.

Or do the job right and quit trying to take shortcuts. The fuel pump creates the pressure and the regulator bleeds off any additional pressure over the requirement. Obviously if you've replaced the regulator with a known good regulator you've got a problem somewhere between the pump and the regulator. The return line doesn't do **** other then deliver the excess fuel back to the fuel tank. Either your pump is bad, the hose or pulsator between the pump and sending unit is bad, a rubber line is leaking, a steel line is leaking, or your fuel filter is bad.

Cutting a hole in the floor is retarded. Just drop the tank.
If you don't remove the tank, an inline pump would be pointless since it'll have to suck through the existing pump which would probably kill the new pump. Also a stock replacement pump would do the job better, cost less, and require zero fabrication.

 

Actually I don't want to cut a hole for the fuel pump. I just hate whoever came up with in-tank pumps and I'm tired of thinking I figured out the problem, just to have it still not work to my utter dismay. That's been happening the last 4 nights in a row and it's starting to get me frustrated.

I don't feel like doing all that and still have it leaking. I also need the car everyday because i'm too much of a cheap*** and haven't bought the truck I want (need really) for a reliable scond car and quad hauler.

I also didn't really like pinching the lines, but it was the only way I had to eliminate the pump as a problem. Pressure is bleeding away to sero through the return line. It has to leak though the regulator. I guess I'll get a junkyard fuel rail tomorrow. Maybe I'll put in a new pump next weekend ( it houldn't be bad because it was just replaced a month ago, but I've read about new pumps being bad on here somehere)

and I'm i'm starting ot fall asleep at the keys here and can no longer type.

 

I wouldn't worry about it to much. You've obviously more less pinpointed the problem to the fuel system. It's just a matter of time before you find out what is wrong. I say just take a little break and come back to it later

 

This coming weekend I'll pick up a fuel rail or 2 with regulator at the junkyard. There's about 10 2.8s in there and they only want $5 for a rail.

I'll see what happens with those before I start messing with the fuel pump.

Also, I forgot to add yesterday because I was too tired... the other reason I was looking for quick and cheap fixes (besides having worked on it until 10 or 11 for 3 or 4 nights in a row and get to work the next day)... was due to having spent probably well over 2 grand building a brand new engine and transmission only to end up with something that has mediocre power gains, doesn't run all that great, and sucks enough gas that oil company CEOs are sending me christmas cards.

I tend to get frustrated.

I'll get it figured out eventually. I hope.

My left blinker relay is going out too.