Date: Sun, 20 May 2001 13:27:27 -0500
Reply-To: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@ipa.net>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@ipa.net>
Subject: fuel press. reg. gauge option/results ?'s
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
For those of you that have a VDO OP gauge installed in the vehicle, it's not
that big a stretch to wire in a fuel pressure gauge sender for testing
purposes, especially if you happen to have a spare vdo op sending
unit(either single or double pole unit will work).
The wire from the dash has a quick disconnect crip on male/female connector
to it back by the O2 connector so there is the feed to the dash gauge and a
short wire is strung over to the T conncetion in the middle of the block,
where I used a short piece of the leftover Wilfy fuel line kit and two
stainless hose clamps to secure the 7mm FI hose to the T connection(after
removing the screw plug) and then shoving the other end over the 1/8 npt(or
it's german equivelant) end on the vdo sender. Quick alligator clip to
ground the temporary sender to the block got instant readings, once the
starter kicked in.
Readings went as follows: Vac hose on at idle(11" hg on vaccum gauge) 33psi
and 32psi at 12" with the engine idling around 1000 rpm. Normally, I would
think a stock Vanagon engine in good health would idle with a higher vaccum
reading than this, as I couldn't ever get it down to the required 29 psi.
The fact that the pressure dropped 1 psi with one additional inch of vaccum
makes me think this FPR may be okay. Anyone care to guess along with me?
With the hose off it read between 36 and 38psi. Remember, this is a half
Lilly Boston Bob engine with the cam mods and still a couple of bugs to work
out just to get it to idle as it is still running pretty rich. Is this
indicative of a failing FPR? The motor is running way too rich at miod to
full throttle and before I cut back the "on time" of the fuel injectors, I'd
like to make sure the FPR isn't part of the problem. It appears to be
original equipment on this 90GL.
BTW, the Sears Fuel Pressure test gauge is now $40, and since Wilfy sells
new FPR's for $50, well I guess I was looking for a cheaper alternative to
analyze with.
Thanks be to the list for their help.
DM&FS
|