whalebird

Doyle, The fuel dampener absorbes the pressure waves created when an injector opens and suddenly closes. Across the fuel rail, all the injectors create resonant pulsations thru the fuel system. Not unlike the 'water hammer' one experiances in on old houses' plumbing. Minimizing the constant stop and start of a given "slug" of gas in the fuel system. I've heard some people say they've bypassed the dampener with no ill effects, but at bare minimum the constant pounding on the fuel system cannot be good in the long term.

dshepp806

Thanks, Bird...How does one go about quantifying it's (proper) operation?

BEST!

Doyle

Lorenfb

"The fuel dampener absorbes the pressure waves created when an injector opens and suddenly closes."

He'll understand this since he's into electronics: A fuel dampener is a mechanical
capacitor analog that 'filters' the fuel supply, i.e. when there's a great demand on
the pump, it helps by supplying the 'delta' amount of fuel to maintain constant pressure.

A fuel pump is just an electric motor driving a an impeller and whose
pressure varies with voltage and load, and that's why there's a pressure
regulator.

dshepp806

Thanks, Loren. Aside from it's "dampening" feature, it appears that it's a player in maintaining system fuel pressures (deltas), along side the fuel pressure regulator.

As to my previous interest in voltages that the pump sees (or runs off of), you indicate that the fuel pressure regulator will compensate for an pump variances due to lowered voltages (at least, to a limit).

Hope I'm understanding this better,..and I appreciate the comments.

What would be characteristic of a dampener's failure? Loss of pressure, I would presume?

Best!

Doyle

dshepp806

Got the O2 sensor changed out (went for the Bosch one)...no hassles whatsoever,..even that damned grommet cooperated, with a screwdriver.... I swear she's a bit more responsive,..running great,.....idle good.....right where it should be,..I settled for about 900 RPMs,..she'll gove me about 840 with A/C on......

I wanted to post some (more shieeity) pics,...this removed O2 sensor had a funny looking
signature on it...these shots are at various degrees of turning it (for the pics)....any comments?

Lorenfb

"What would be characteristic of a dampener's failure? Loss of pressure, I would presume?"

Basically just like when a capacitor fails, e.g. poor filtering and bad frequency
response;
1. poor filtering - the low/base freq poor, or the throttle response a little flat
2. 60 cps noise from power supply (shorted capacitor somewhere) - a stuck
dampener causing too much pressure after engine rev and engine shuts off.

Bottom line: In the static mode (no RPM changes/pressure changes) the
dampener has no effect.

dshepp806

Thanks, Loren.

dshepp806

Today's runs were seemingly mush more responsive after the O2 changeout.......

Time to get the Mixture checked.....

She's running so good!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions.

BEST!

Doyle