I heard somebody talking about just modifying the factory FPR by just drilling and tapping the top for a machine screw and jam nut, then placing a quarter as a spacer inside or something.


is this too off the wall or has anyone else heard of this? I"m only running a mild setup so it's not crazy. I ordered a gauge today and from what I see in the stock setup and an aftermarket there dosen't seem to be much there that's worth $60 in the FPR's

 

lol

I would mod a stocker before I bought another aftermarket one.

Its just as u described, do a search and u should get tons of responses that way.

Been beat to death.

If u do it and yours has any miles I would recommend getting a new diapragm, just so u dont go thru it and then have it let go on you :-)

later
Jeremy

 

where do I get a new diaphragm? I called the parts stores today and they want $69 for a rebuild kit

tha'ts more then the AFPR's thru jegs.

 

TPIS, and Crane AFPRs just supply the covers, and you must reuse your diaphram. IIRC, Accel comes complete with the diaphram. Not totally sure though.

 

go to a Carquest store.

Or go to the part stores and look thru the catalogs.

I know for a fact u can just get a diaphragm I have before.

later
Jeremy

 

Maybe try the GM dealer. They usually hve the oddball stuff.

 

Yep, thats what I did. Ordered a new diaphragm from the local parts store (Standard Ignition part, they sell both with and without the metal piece) and drilled a hole, smashed the recessed top to gain clearance for the quarter, had a nut welded to it for free, threw a bolt in there, painted it... instant adjustable FPR.

 

I believe that there may be a tech article on this matter on this home page, take a look.

But really, why mess with the stock FPR. You have to get a nut welded to the top of it and a new diaphram is a good idea. If you bought a Holley AFPR, the job would take a couple hours max and you be done.

 

Cause a qrtr and 10 minutes of work saves you about $50.

Damned regulators are $50-60 for a crappy lid with a nut on it and new plenum gaskets lol

I never would have bought one if I knew that then.

later
Jeremy

 

I may be able to save you from searching. Here's what I did to make mine fully adjustable:

TPI AFPR Conversion.pdf

 

That Vader,

Always a showoff cause he can type and import pictures and stuff :-)

lol

U realize that was for TBI not TPI right?

later
Jeremy

 

Then you can do this one instead:

TBI AFPR.pdf

 

If you don't want to go to the trouble of fixing a nut to the top and making it truly adjustable, you could just get a gauge and experiment with putting a shim in the top of the stock FPR until you reach about the desired FPR. I ran a quarter in mine, supposedly added about 4-5 psi over stock, I never got around to verifying it though.

 

You can not go out and do this job in 10 minutes, thats total BS.

Just to get the nut welded onto the top of the stock FPR is going to take how long???? Now if you are a welder, then maybe after you got the FPR off, then just maybe 10 minutes later you got the nut welded.

And I think that you have to weld the nut on for a good reliable AFPR. So this is a most, and a person like me who doesnt do his own welding, this part of the project is going to take an hour at least.

I still stand by what I said above, when its all said and done, I think its more effective to buy a good AFPR & install it.

 

I did. It came out pretty neat also. I tack welded the nut in place and filled it in with JB Weld to stop vacuum leaks. No problems. Check it out...

 

2

 

Sorry, I dont see the nut. I do see a good sized bolt.
Is the nut on the inside?

edit: your engine bay is alot cleaner than mine!!!!

 

I spent a little over an hour, drive time to the muffler shop that did the weld included. Not that hard to take the plenum off, remove a few bolts, weld, paint, reassemble. Maybe if you want to add in the time to pick up the diphragm (had that laying around, replaced it for GP), time spent going down the street to OSH for bolt and nut... ok, couple hours. The Holley FPR (nicest one available IMO) was not on the market. The other versions did not include a diaphragm, are prone to problems (vacuum line breaking off) and are expensive, much more than my .10 bolt and .25 quarter. I could have left the old diaphragm, it was likely ok I just figured since I was there...

 

The nut is covered by JB Weld. You can almost see the outline. It's tack welded on the outside of the regulator housing. Drill a hole, tack weld or "braze" the nut in place. I used a penny on the inside between the bolt and the spring diaphragm so that the bolt doesn't damage it when adjusting the pressure.

 

I did the mod, but wasn't satisfied with it. I was replacing the stock fuel ines with 3/8" stainless steel tubing, so I bought the Holley. I had to make some changes to accomodate the ss tubing and SwageLok fittings.

1.) Removed all stock tubing and retaining hardware.
2.) Replaced fuel rail alum cross connecting tubes with SS.
3.) Rotated the base parallel to the fuel rail increasing the clearance between the plenum and the top of the regulator. There are 2 alignment pins between the base and fuel rail.

 

Nice. Makes much more sense being flat like that. Silly factory. I wonder if there was some weird purpose to it?

 

super install, rgarcia! very neat,,,,,did you also mount a fp gauge? what pressures are you running and with what injectors? ( 19 or 24#? )