Low Fuel Pressure 10PSI
02-04-2019, 12:22 AM
#1
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Low Fuel Pressure 10PSI
I have an 87 944 NA. I did a fuel pressure check at the end of the rail and got 10psi. After stopping the fuel pump the gauge looses pressure almost instantly. Need some suggestions. I was thinking maybe an injector stuck open... I was going to try doing a pressure check before the fuel damper by removing the supply line and running the pump. I did the test with the DME removed and jumped so the pump runs when the key is in on position. I got the car as a non-runner that had fuel supply issues. I've been working through them starting at the back and replaced everything with new Porsche parts from tank filter to hard lines. Original in tank filter was in shreds when I pulled it out. Also stripped the plastic tank filter and had to go with the custom in-tank boss replacement as I wanted this fixed right with no worried of leaks from epoxy leaking.
So again, what I've done is replaced intank filter, fuel pump, fuel filter twice, and after talking to an expert checked the fuel line pressure which registered 10psi after running the pump for 15 seconds. The engine has been running but only if I start it with the pedal floored and then very poorly and it dies if I let up. There has been white smoke out the back and oil accumulated at the tailpipe but that may have been from the wet compression tests I did which ranged from 145 to 160psi. So I'm not worried about rings or blown head gasket. Any advice on what to do next? I've thought maybe it's a leaky injector or pressure regulator or bad fuel damper.
So again, what I've done is replaced intank filter, fuel pump, fuel filter twice, and after talking to an expert checked the fuel line pressure which registered 10psi after running the pump for 15 seconds. The engine has been running but only if I start it with the pedal floored and then very poorly and it dies if I let up. There has been white smoke out the back and oil accumulated at the tailpipe but that may have been from the wet compression tests I did which ranged from 145 to 160psi. So I'm not worried about rings or blown head gasket. Any advice on what to do next? I've thought maybe it's a leaky injector or pressure regulator or bad fuel damper.
02-04-2019, 11:23 AM
#3
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I pinched the return line after fuel regulator and the pressure was the same.
i clamped the return line after the fuel pressure regulator and results were same 10psi and to zero instantly. Also my thought is maybe #2 injector stuck open. On my wet compression test #2 was 140psi and the others were 158 so maybe I was leaking back into fuel system.
Next step I want to pull supply line before fuel damper and check pressure I’d that’s good it’s not the fuel pump check valve or clogged or pinched supply lines After that I want to pull the rail and I’d love to check the spray of the injectors in coke bottles if I can set it up right in the car I chant done that on a 944 I did find a dead injector on my 914 that way but it turned out to be a bad connection at plug.
I also checked noid lights at all injectors and had light and I have spark at every cyclinder. It will start but only if you floor it and then runs like crap like three cylinders or worse. Thanks for your help. Not easy to zero in on things.
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Birdman70 (02-03-2024)
02-04-2019, 03:38 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
i clamped the return line after the fuel pressure regulator and results were same 10psi and to zero instantly. Also my thought is maybe #2 injector stuck open. On my wet compression test #2 was 140psi and the others were 158 so maybe I was leaking back into fuel system.
Next step I want to pull supply line before fuel damper and check pressure I’d that’s good it’s not the fuel pump check valve or clogged or pinched supply lines After that I want to pull the rail and I’d love to check the spray of the injectors in coke bottles if I can set it up right in the car I chant done that on a 944 I did find a dead injector on my 914 that way but it turned out to be a bad connection at plug.
I also checked noid lights at all injectors and had light and I have spark at every cyclinder. It will start but only if you floor it and then runs like crap like three cylinders or worse. Thanks for your help. Not easy to zero in on things.
Remove the fuel rail with injectors attached and place each fuel injector in a cup. Repeat the fuel test again to determine if any of the injectors are leaking at engine off state.
02-04-2019, 08:15 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
There's no way you're losing 30psi through a leaking injector. If it's not your regulator, then you have some kind of obstruction in the fuel lines. Check for kinked or crushed lines. Or something back at the filter area. Maybe even the screen in the tank.
02-06-2019, 12:30 AM
#6
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Yes Injector in Cyl. 1 is leaking
Next step is this, I will put the jars under the injectors again and crank the engine (with the ignition wire disconnected) to see if there is good spray in all the jars. I'm thinking at this point to just replace all the injectors at once and be done with this, but I want to check the results first. After that I may try measuring the psi of the supply line fuel before the fuel damper because it doesn't make sense that I have only 10 psi and only one injector is leaking slowly. So where else could it be clogged? I did have a destroyed in-tank filter, so it could be dirt and crud got through the lines but I'm making guesses at this point. I need to pull the supply line and check pressure again. Not sure where the low pressure begins so I have to work backward and figure it out.
02-06-2019, 12:35 PM
#7
Rainman
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you might have to cobble some fittings together, but see if you can figure a way to measure fuel pressure at the outlet of the pump (back of the car) since you're only seeing 10psi at the rail (front of the car).
might help find a potential clog.
might help find a potential clog.
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02-06-2019, 02:51 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
How about disconnecting the fuel line at the fuel rail and disconnecting the other end at the filter. Using compressed air at the front (fuel rail side) blow out the line to see if you have an obstruction. While you are at it, follow the line all the way back and inspect for kinks or damage. Do the same for the return line as well. If that is clear, put a bucket under the filter and turn on the fuel pump to ensure flow from the filter. You may find your issue in one of these areas.
02-07-2019, 12:37 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Found the problem...
Well it took a while but I got the pressure at the end of the fuel rail up to 35psi. It made sense something was clogging things up from the pump to the front somewhere. The one thing I had done was put the metal fuel pump cover on with the strap and then I took the strap off because I thought it was pinching the lines. So the metal shroud of the fuel pump was just hanging down and it must have been heavy enough to pinch the lines because I took the metal cover off and pressure went back up. This is an 87 it has the big metal pan around the pump area. So that did it. Pressure is good. I still have the rail loose and I want to run the pump one more time and check for leaks and also do a crank test with little bottles under each injector to make sure I have spray but after that I’m hoping this gets things running again. I really appreciate all the help and I hope this might help someone else too.
02-25-2019, 01:18 PM
#11
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I think you are right about the fuel pressure regulator. I took off the throttle control last night and was looking in the intake manifold thinking I could clean it up a bit when I saw there was about 2" of gas sloshing around in there. How did that happen? Still working on a solution, but looking like faulty FPR is the problem. I'll be looking to replace that next. Has anyone had an intake manifold full of gas? How does it get in there. Last time I smelled the oil it smelled like oil, no sign of gas. I'm also not getting any ohm readings on the Throttle Position Sensor so I'm thinking that's bad too. Pretty much replaced everything fuel line component so far, down to all injectors, damper and regulator. (Regulator is next) Thanks for your help.
02-25-2019, 01:20 PM
#12
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Bad Fuel Pressure Regulator, no fuel pressure after pump is off.
I got the pressure up, line was pinched in back. The other issue was the instant drop in fuel pressure from 35psi to zero in about a second flat. I have a new fuel pump, so now I'm thinking it's the Fuel Pressure Regulator that is at fault.
02-25-2019, 02:15 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
Loosing fuel pressure after shutdown indicates your check valve is bad. It's back at the pump, I would replace that before the regulator.
02-25-2019, 02:48 PM
#14
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Still want to change things.
I’m not sure how bad check valve at pump would cause gas to go into intake manifold. I have the old pump around which may or may not be bad I had a problem with shredded in tank filter so I assumed filter fabric from that it got sucked into pump and or filter. At this point I will still replace fpr and maybe damper and call it a day both are 30 years old roasting in Florida sun and engine heat. Fuel pump in back is brand new.
02-25-2019, 06:37 PM
#15
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I’m not sure how bad check valve at pump would cause gas to go into intake manifold. I have the old pump around which may or may not be bad I had a problem with shredded in tank filter so I assumed filter fabric from that it got sucked into pump and or filter. At this point I will still replace fpr and maybe damper and call it a day both are 30 years old roasting in Florida sun and engine heat. Fuel pump in back is brand new.
I don't know what's causing fuel to get into your intake manifold but a bad check valve is a common cause for fuel pressure to drop after shutting down the car.
Still not a bad idea to replace the regulator and damper if original.