Fueling & Injection Fuel Pumps | Injectors | Rails | Regulators | Tanks

BIG fuel pressure drop at WOT?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-26-2009, 12:58 PM
  #1  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default BIG fuel pressure drop at WOT?

I have read a **** ton of threads in searching that have had small pressure drops at WOT but nothing like this. I recently had my car go very lean at wot and found out that the fuel pressure is dropping from ~53psi at idle to as low as 30 under wot in the higher rpms. I don't think it was a gradual change either since I went from a steady afr on one pass to a VERY lean afr on the next. I have a racetronix pump in my car that has about 3k miles on it. I never put in a hot wire kit so I was going to try that but I don't think that's going to help at this point. I just changed the filter also but no change in pressure. It seems to me like the pump just took a **** but I want to make sure before I get a new one. What do yall think?
Old 10-26-2009, 01:45 PM
  #2  
Launching!
iTrader: (20)
 
Greenbird97's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

It kind of sounds like the pump, my buddies would do that but his would drop so low the engine would shut off, but he had a 170,000 mile original pump too...
Old 10-27-2009, 07:51 AM
  #3  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Old Geezer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: GA, USA
Posts: 5,640
Received 70 Likes on 62 Posts

Default

Hose split??
Old 10-27-2009, 09:04 AM
  #4  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Old Geezer
Hose split??
I checked all the lines I could see without pulling anything apart, didn't see any damage. I'll be pulling the pump when I get my work truck back and checking things a little more in depth. I guess if I don't find any visual damage I'll have to order a new pump and hotwire kit
Old 11-07-2009, 01:30 PM
  #5  
TECH Resident
 
BOWTIE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AUSTIN TX
Posts: 855
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Any verdict yet?
Old 11-14-2009, 05:33 PM
  #6  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Nothing yet. I've had some other things to deal with but I'll be pulling the pump soon and possibly replacing it so I'll post up what I find.
Old 12-28-2009, 03:16 PM
  #7  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I replaced the pump a while back and just now got a chance to test it out and it's still dropping. I'm going to try to get the hotwire kit on tonight and see if that does anything.
Old 12-28-2009, 04:28 PM
  #8  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (34)
 
DopeFedZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 5,230
Received 19 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Mine was dropping with the stock pump and even after I installed the racetronix pump along with the hotwire kit. I ended up getting rid of the reg in the tank and went to a front mounted regulator to resolve the issue.
Old 12-28-2009, 04:38 PM
  #9  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Did you have to get new rails too?
Old 12-28-2009, 04:58 PM
  #10  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (34)
 
DopeFedZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 5,230
Received 19 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by NSSANE02
Did you have to get new rails too?
Already had Speed Inc rails. I don't think there is anyway of running a reg up front with stock rails unless you have some fittings welded on which would probably be more trouble.
Old 12-28-2009, 05:33 PM
  #11  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Yeah that's what I thought. What regulator did you go with?
Old 12-28-2009, 05:39 PM
  #12  
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (34)
 
DopeFedZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 5,230
Received 19 Likes on 13 Posts

Default

Fuelab 51501.
Old 12-28-2009, 08:57 PM
  #13  
LS1TECH Sponsor
iTrader: (16)
 
Lonnies Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Give me a call when you get a moment & I'll be glad to help diagnose your problem. I likely have everything in stock to fix whatever the problem is.
Old 02-05-2010, 11:57 PM
  #14  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Got the hot wire kit in a few days ago and it didn't help anything. Just got a new pressure regulator put in and the pressure is much better than it was. It now idles at 58 and stays above 55 while driving normally but it still drops down to as low as 44 psi at wot. I'm not sure what's going on with that but it's much better than the 30 or lower it was at and it's good enough now that I'm able to tune it to get the afr spot on.
Old 02-08-2010, 09:47 AM
  #15  
LS1TECH Sponsor
iTrader: (16)
 
Lonnies Performance's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

You are risking tuning with low pressure as the tune is masking your pump problems. If the fuel pressure gets worse due to your current problem, you can hurt the engine. I suggest you try to fix the fuel delivery before doing any tuning.
Old 02-08-2010, 12:50 PM
  #16  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Lonnies Performance
You are risking tuning with low pressure as the tune is masking your pump problems. If the fuel pressure gets worse due to your current problem, you can hurt the engine. I suggest you try to fix the fuel delivery before doing any tuning.
I always have a wideband and fuel pressure gauge in the car so I'll know if it gets any worse. But I know I still need to find the problem so if anyone has anymore ideas I'm all ears. I'm going to pull the pump out again and check the regulator housing for cracks, I know I'm missing something.
Old 02-09-2010, 12:46 PM
  #17  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (177)
 
Jimmy P's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 1,933
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Have you checked if there is a voltage drop under WOT?
Old 02-10-2010, 09:16 AM
  #18  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Jimmy P
Have you checked if there is a voltage drop under WOT?
Not yet, I'll try tonight. I did check it at idle though and it shows a little over 13 but it's only idling at 54-55 psi???

I also checked the pressure at the pump with a mech. gauge and it's only going to 65 psi when I prime it, shouldn't it be higher than that with this pump and a hotwire kit?

I'm thinking at this point there may be a problem in the connector at the top of the sending unit since it's getting good voltage up to that clip but the pump still isn't producing enough pressure. Any thoughts?
Old 02-11-2010, 09:21 PM
  #19  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Found the problem... kinda. Tonight I capped the return line and hooked up a mech. gauge to the T fitting where the return was. This way I can start the car and check actual pump pressure at the same time.

Both gauges showed a steady 82 psi at idle so the problem is somewhere in the stock regulator housing or the return tubing inside the sending unit. Luckily I ordered a complete fuel system with new feed/return lines and an adjustable regulator last night so my fuel issues should be solved once and for all!

I want to thank everyone for their help and advice through all this, it was without a doubt the most frustrating problem I've dealt with so far.
Old 02-24-2010, 12:37 PM
  #20  
11 Second Club
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
 
NSSANE02's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Update:

I ended up testing it using the stock rails with a return coming from the test port into an adjustable regulator and back to the tank from there. After running it the pressure is still dropping at wot. So now it's pretty much narrowed down to the rails/pulse damper, feed side of the sending unit, or it's possible that the power to the pump is dropping at wot. I'm done messing with the stock stuff so I'm putting the rails and the rest of the lines on tonight, I'll post up if that fixes it.


Quick Reply: BIG fuel pressure drop at WOT?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:30 AM.