? about purchasing a fuel pressure gauge

[yellowstang1994]

Hi guys, I'm trying to chase down a problem what I consider a possible fuel problem. I'm looking into buying an air/fuel ratio gauge and a fuel pressure gauge. The fuel pressure gauges seem to get a little bit pricey for the 0-100psi ones. I know at idle our cars run around 30psi. Under throttle does this increase any? Or would I be content with a 0-30psi one. I don't want to drop $200 down when our cars would never get over 30psi. Ok, now if I do need a 0-100psi gauge. Could anyone recommend me a descent one but inexpensive? I preferably don't want to spend $200 just for a fp gauge. Thanks a lot for the help!

 

[jrichker]

I made my own pressure gauge and holder. I bought the NOS or Autometer adapter that you screw into the place on the fuel line where the schrader valve goes. I ran a piece of SS (stainless steel) braided hose to a brass T fitting that I mounted on the fender well by the MAF. I made a mount bracket out of aluminum angle I got from Home depot and bolted it to the fender well. Then I mounted the brass Tee to it with some machine screws and a plate. I sandwiched the brass Tee between the aluminum angle and a flat piece of aluminum that I trimmed off the extra aluminum angle. Three screws laid out in a triangle pattern go through both pieces of aluminum to clamp the Tee in place. I used a cheap industrial gauge from MSC Direct ( http://www.mscdirect.com/PDF.process?pdf=4588&Keyword=Y ). It works great and was cheaper than anything Summit had.

If you look through the MSC Direct catalog, you can find any type of gauge you want, including liquid filled. You only need a liquid filled gauge if you mount it directly on the engine. The liquid filling dampens out the vibrations.

You can buy the Autometer Stainless Steel braided hose for like $60. Or a local shop that makes hydraulic hose assemblies can make it for you at a cheaper price. Ordinary low pressure hydraulic hose can be used in place of the Stainless Steel braided hose, the Stainless Steel braided hose just looks nice. I got mine for $4 at a place that sells industrial and military surplus parts of all kinds. The Stainless Steel braided hose goes for about $3.60 a foot and the fittings are probably about $5-$8 each. You can make your own and save some $$$, the shops may have a setup or labor charge to fabricate the hose assembly.

 

[strtracer442]

Running fuel pressure on a 5.0 is closer to 40lbs, so you will need the higher rated gauge. Dont bother with a A/F gauqe, unless it is wide band,you wont get accurate readings. A fuel pressure testing tool should be available for less that $50, and you could temporarily mount it to the cowl for testing purposes, then remove it once you have determined whether you have a FP problem or not.

 

[HISSIN50]

im with the above guys. one can get a mech 'not to be mounted inside the cockpit' gauge for 20 bucks from speeds shops online. the line often is more expensive than the gauge.

or as said, a diagnostic FP gauge can be had for under 40 at parts stores. i would get a gauge that goes to 50 PSI (though 40 could work in a total pinch, if an AFPR is never gonna be used).

good luck.

 

[PNY PWR]

I bought a kit w/ a 100psi gauge and fittings that just stays there on the shrader valve so I can make adjustments with the new AFPR. It was $35 from Performance parts Inc. I don't care to monitor the FP, just adjust it.

 

[yellowstang1994]

Ok... Well I been chasing down a problem which I thought was in the timing and now i'm leaning more towards a fuel problem. Say i'm driving, my car feels strong up until about 4500rpms. When it reaches that rpm it kind of feels like a misfire or a rev limiter but isn't really any of those things, it shoots up really fast and you can tell there is no fuel being used all you can hear is air. It basically bogs and I can't go no where. Right now i'm running 14 degrees timing, my distributor is set perfectly on TDC on the #1 compression stroke, also everything on my ignition system has been replaced.

The fp gauge that mounts to the sharder valve isn't going to help me much really. I heard about getting a mechanical gauge and temporarily mounting it on the outside of the vehicle somewhere but the problem is something I kinda want to monitor a little more extensively. In other words I don't really want to have my hood half cocked open with a mechanical fp gauge duct taped to my window for 2 weeks.

The air/fuel gauge I was planning on getting a separate wideband o2 sensor and mounting it in my prochamber specifically for the ait/fuel gauge. Say my fuel pressure gauge reads normal when my problem occurs, if the problem were say in the injectors then the air/fuel gauge would read lean from the o2 sensor. I personally think it would help me determine more where the problem is... unless i'm wrong?

I don't know, i just figured it would be the best way to go about monitoring the problem with my car. And of course it would help me in the future. Thanks for the help though

 

[PNY PWR]

I see what you're saying. You can just temporarily mount a mechanical there on the cowl outside the car. Shouldn't be a problem, it's a small line that will run to the shrader valve. I would do that or just run it inside if it was temporary, but I sometimes take chances.

 

[HISSIN50]

have you checked out the TFI thoroughly? when on the outs, they like to go south at ~4K-4500 rpms. also, have you swapped plugs recently? some folks have reported plats allowing a cutting out at 4K rpm (and sometimes a funky idle).

good luck.

 

[mackey]

Ok... Well I been chasing down a problem which I thought was in the timing and now i'm leaning more towards a fuel problem. Say i'm driving, my car feels strong up until about 4500rpms. When it reaches that rpm it kind of feels like a misfire or a rev limiter but isn't really any of those things, it shoots up really fast and you can tell there is no fuel being used all you can hear is air. It basically bogs and I can't go no where. Right now i'm running 14 degrees timing, my distributor is set perfectly on TDC on the #1 compression stroke, also everything on my ignition system has been replaced.

The fp gauge that mounts to the sharder valve isn't going to help me much really. I heard about getting a mechanical gauge and temporarily mounting it on the outside of the vehicle somewhere but the problem is something I kinda want to monitor a little more extensively. In other words I don't really want to have my hood half cocked open with a mechanical fp gauge duct taped to my window for 2 weeks.

The air/fuel gauge I was planning on getting a separate wideband o2 sensor and mounting it in my prochamber specifically for the ait/fuel gauge. Say my fuel pressure gauge reads normal when my problem occurs, if the problem were say in the injectors then the air/fuel gauge would read lean from the o2 sensor. I personally think it would help me determine more where the problem is... unless i'm wrong?

I don't know, i just figured it would be the best way to go about monitoring the problem with my car. And of course it would help me in the future. Thanks for the help though

My car had the same exact problem as you are describing. First thing I would check is if your timing is advancing with the rpms! If it isn't you probably didn't put your spout back in. I ran 25* total timing and it was wayy to little and my engine would just like shutoff at 3500-4500 rpms and the rev limiter would shoot up.

 

[mackey]

By the way can you send your sound clip or movie of your car before and after the pro-chamber to [email protected]. I want to know what mine will sound like after the snow is gone :thumbsup:

 

[yellowstang1994]

Hey guys, I just want to say that the rpm cutoff is advancing with the timing. For example at 10degrees it does it at 3500 rpms. At 13 degrees it cuts out at 4500rpms. At 17 degrees it does it around 5500 with a lot of loud backfiring, lol (i only did it once). Mackey, would this mean that it is the TFI module? That is the only thing I didn't replace. But everythign else I did on the ignition. That includes brand new distributor, wires, autolite 25 plugs, coil, cap, and rotor. I really would like this problem to be fixed. I'll do anything! lol

 

[mackey]

Are you taking the spout out to change the timing? Do you know where the spout is? Did you put it back in? that is what is probably causing it. To set the timing you have to first remove the spout then when you are done you put it back in. Sorry I missed your aol im. I was out cruising before it snows :-(

 

[yellowstang1994]

I didn't even know the '94 - '95's had a spout? I did try to take some kind of connector off but it just wouldn't start so we left it plugged in. I didn't see anything else. My haynes manual doesn't do a very good job at explaining how to set the timing. Could you help me out with where the spout is?

 

[HISSIN50]

I didn't even know the '94 - '95's had a spout? I did try to take some kind of connector off but it just wouldn't start so we left it plugged in. I didn't see anything else. My haynes manual doesn't do a very good job at explaining how to set the timing. Could you help me out with where the spout is?

IIRC, on pushrod SN's the SPOUT is under the MAF housing. it is a little chip lookin deal.

good luck.