Quote:
Originally Posted by msgross
does it have to have the fuel regulator?
|
On this engine, with this fuel pump, yes. I used it for years because the fuel pressure from the pump was pushing fuel past the needle and seat in the float bowl and flooding the engine. The carb was rebuilt and the problem persisted. I did some checking and the carb manufacturers have a range recommended for the pressure in their carbs, usually maxed out at about 5.5 psi for a street engine. Out of curiousity I put a gauge on it and was getting over 7 psi from my stock pump. I put the regulator on, set it at 5 psi and never again had problems. I didn't make any other changes. I tried going without the regulator again since last summer and was having issues. Not flooding, but unpredictable idle, and the engine would starve for fuel at times, then recover. So I put a test gage back on and watched it. The pressure was fluctuating up and down and the engine idle followed with it. I didn't think it would matter, because the fuel should be fed from the float bowl at atmospheric pressure, but it did change how it ran.
If my stock fuel pump put out the standard 4-5 psi, I wouldn't need it, as most cars don't. But the regulator solved a problem and it looks kinda cool.
I'm sure you know fuel injected cars have pressure regulators. You have to have a minimum pressure for the injectors to work correctly for atomizing the fuel and maintaining a specific calibration or flow rate. There are more sensors and computer controls that calibrate the air/fuel mix on the newer cars, but consistant pressure is important.