Engine too! More problems.

[oino]

Got the adjustment bolt back in there. Turned it in about 3 turns and locked it. Started it up. Was running ok at 4.5-5psi. Turned it off.
Checked and cleaned all the plugs. Note the cars been off and the fuel pump off. The pressure gauge is reading 12psi.
Where is the pressure coming from. I know the tank has pressure in it. Isn't the regulater supposed to keep from going over the set psi.

 

[oino]

Got the adjustment bolt back in there. Turned it in about 3 turns and locked it. Started it up. Was running ok at 4.5-5psi. Turned it off.
Checked and cleaned all the plugs. Note the cars been off and the fuel pump off. The pressure gauge is reading 12psi.
Where is the pressure coming from. I know the tank has pressure in it. Isn't the regulater supposed to keep from going over the set psi.

Got home from work. Check the gauge. 5psi. Remove the fuel cap. Released all the tank pressure.
Checked the gauge again. still 5psi. Turned the car on and started it. boom 10psi - then 12psi.
Whats wierd is that the Mr. gasket fuel pump I'm using is 4 to 7 35 gph.
So I'm at a loss.

This was supposed to be fun. This crap is driving me nuts.

 

[one finger john]

Got home from work. Check the gauge. 5psi. Remove the fuel cap. Released all the tank pressure.
Checked the gauge again. still 5psi. Turned the car on and started it. boom 10psi - then 12psi.
Whats wierd is that the Mr. gasket fuel pump I'm using is 4 to 7 35 gph.
So I'm at a loss.

This was supposed to be fun. This crap is driving me nuts.

Hey, Hey, Mellow dude. Have a braut & beer and think. First off, refresh my memory, where did you mount the regulator? Is the filter before or after the reg? Can you give me the Mr Gasket part no. to look up the fuel pump? Do you know if it is a pusher or a puller? Mechanical pumps pull better and electric pumps pull better. Plus you said adjusting screw all the way out equals 4lbs. and all the way in is 7lbs.? Is this true? Maybe the adjuster needs to be unscrewed another turn. The fuel pressure needs to be adjusted with the engine runnning.

John

 

[oino]

Hey, Hey, Mellow dude. Have a braut & beer and think. First off, refresh my memory, where did you mount the regulator? Is the filter before or after the reg? Can you give me the Mr Gasket part no. to look up the fuel pump? Do you know if it is a pusher or a puller? Mechanical pumps pull better and electric pumps pull better. Plus you said adjusting screw all the way out equals 4lbs. and all the way in is 7lbs.? Is this true? Maybe the adjuster needs to be unscrewed another turn. The fuel pressure needs to be adjusted with the engine runnning.

John

oh I know it needs to be runing..
I was reading some other sites about it needing a return line. Do I need one.
Maybe I should just change to a mechanical fuel pump with the one in one out. No return. can it run like that?
That would also fix my problem with the pump running why the car is off.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Ok. don't go nuts on us just yet....you have a electric fuelpump. Pressure was too high. You put a regulator on it. Got it turned down as low as it will go. AFTER YOUR REGULATOR, you have your pressure guage, right? You should have regulator, guage, then carb. If its in any other order, make it the order that I told you.


Now then, Don't get discouraged, this is what building hotrods is all about. A cars owner should know every quirk, everynut and bolt that the car has. Hang in there. Theres more to owning these cars than just pumping some gas into them and turning a key.

Now then, either your regulator isn't working as it should, OR, you guage is wrong. We have to determine which one it is. But the car starts just fine right? Now, heres what you need to do: First of all you said you cracked open your gas cap to releave pressure, right? Did you not say this? Well, your fuel tank should not be pressurized! Are you sure you have the fuel pump turned the right direction? And if this is yes, are you sure you have the positive battery current going to the right fuel pump connector? Do me a favor, go take the cap off the tank now until we get thru with these tests.

Crack open your fuel fitting going to the carb, anywhere, bleed off the pressure. Pay close attention to this pressure. If its sure enough got some force behind it when you crack it....it probably 13 or 14 psi. If you crack it and it starts to seep a little, you loosen it a little more and is a gusher, but stops really soon...I'd say your down low and your guage is off.

As soon as your pressure is bled off, retighten the fitting. All the pressure is off, pump is off. Guage should be at 0. Correct? OK, hit the switch, look at the guage, the setting on the regulator SHOULD correspond with the number on the guage , within about 1.5 to 2.0 psi. NOT 12!!!!!

Now, if you crack the lines and no fuel, You could be running off the fuel in your bowl, you might have the pump wired up backwards. or possibly the regulator backwards. You have a in and a out on both of these.

Now, if after you removed the gascap off the tank, and things began to get OK...your tank was not venting. If, you still hit 13PSI after its on....Crank it and see if she floods out and you have all the smoke going on agian.

Now then, if the guage is reading 12+ psi agian....you know the guage reading is repeating. Usually when guage goes bad, its a wild kinda thing...its usually way off.

At this point if the car is still flooding and your guage is stii reading 13 PSI....return your regulator....its faulty. Back your setting all the way off on your regulator, and just give it about 1/2 turn and lock it down firmly and try that....it should be right where you need it to be....

Don't give up....we'll see ya thru this....BUT YOUR TANK SHOULD NOT BE PRESSURIZED! Has it got a old standart tank out of a regular car in it with 2 or 3 lines coming out of the top???

 

[Screaming Metal]

If you have a gas line coming out of your tank, you have a electric fuel pump hooked up, with a regulator going to your carb, and a vented gascap on your tank, you don't need a reurn line. Thats on Mechanical pumps. For non-return line mechanical pumps, gotta get the early models with just a in and a out.

Your electrical will work just fine once we get hooked up so it'll do as its suppossed to. Doublecheck and make sure something isn't reversed. and also take your gascap off....just humor us.

Do this by the numbers, and check back with us often...we'll be helping you.....

 

[oino]

I have this tank. poly tank The 10gal one.

I checked the pump, i have the neg. going to the frame. the the red power going to power. And its got the words IN and OUT on it. I have that correct.
Also the regulater has and IN and OUT on it. I got that correct too.

Let me go mess with it. before it gets dark. I'll post again soon.

 

[oino]

Oh I have it connected Tank, Filler, Pump, Regulater, Gauge, Carb.
Ok. Gauge was at 5psi. I removed the gas cap. Gauge still at 5. Put a rag under the hose going to the carb. pulled the hose off slowly and the pressure went down to 0. Only a little gas came out. So I put the hose back on. Gas cap still off. put the key in. turned it. Started the car. Gauge went to 12. Open the sight screws on the carb and gas comes out. lots. Turned the car off.
Put the rag back inder the carb hose and slowly remove the hose. Lots of gas now. And the pressure started to fall from 12.
Turned the bolt on the regulater out 1 turn. Repeated. Same. 12psi.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Hey oino, go return that regulator, its a piece of junk evidently. If it starts out at 5....it should remain at 5 regardless of incoming pressure....thats what regulators are made for.

Try this before you return it. fuel pump on, back all the way foo the adjusting screw, so its as low as it can absolutely go, crack upen your fuel line alittle and just watch your pressure....it should drop and stabilize and hold about 4 or 5. If it doesn't, take it back, its defective.

And if you have the pump wired into your ignition switch, whenever you turn your switch off, the pump should stop running. Or, toggleswitch.

Go try it and I'll be standing by......

 

[oino]

Hey oino, go return that regulator, its a piece of junk evidently. If it starts out at 5....it should remain at 5 regardless of incoming pressure....thats what regulators are made for.

Try this before you return it. fuel pump on, back all the way foo the adjusting screw, so its as low as it can absolutely go, crack upen your fuel line alittle and just watch your pressure....it should drop and stabilize and hold about 4 or 5. If it doesn't, take it back, its defective.

And if you have the pump wired into your ignition switch, whenever you turn your switch off, the pump should stop running. Or, toggleswitch.

Go try it and I'll be standing by......

adjusting screw out as far as it can go. Still 12 psi. and yes the pump is on the key. Comes on when I turn the key to ON. off is off.

This sucks. Took hours to get that damn regulater in there.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Yea, you said it was at 12, then you backed it out 1 turn, still 12....its a bad regulator.

Hey, just because things are new doesn't mean that they're good. I come across all kinds of bad parts all the time, you jusst gotta check them. Alot of times like what your having to do, see I have a static test stand, I hook everything up before I put it on the car, that way I know whats its gonna do. I have more than one pump and regulator here at the shop, so it helps me track down bugs.

That regulator SHOULD regulate that pump....its not like that pumps hitting 25 PSI or anything.

Upon the installation of another regulator, unhook your carb and stick a bolt into the line and pump pressure agianst that bolt. If you have to bleed pressure off then you won't be throwing raw gas down the throat of your carb.

 

[Screaming Metal]

Hey, I'll check back with you tomorrow since you gotta return that regulator.

Just hang in there, it's all part of it, hey your not alone though, thats what we'll all here for. I'll check back tomorrow, and since I have a wireless laptop, when I stop on the road for fuel or to eat....I'll check in on your progress.

 

[oino]

A Venting/Vacuum fuel cap. Should release the pressure from the tank right?
Are there different caps that release at different psi.

 

[oino]

A Venting/Vacuum fuel cap. Should release the pressure from the tank right?
Are there different caps that release at different psi.

I'm been google searching vented caps. Whats the difference between vacuum and pressure?
They say that the vented caps prevent vacuum.

 

[putz]

I'm been google searching vented caps. Whats the difference between vacuum and pressure?
They say that the vented caps prevent vacuum.

These release the pressure also but they say this so you don't collapse your tank under excess vacuum.They are a 2 way valve.

 

[Screaming Metal]

My first check-in! Yes, as Putz told you. When a pump pulls fuel from your tank, your pulling liquid. If, above that body of liquid, you have trapped air, but no way for air to inter and exit....as you pull your fuel, you collaspe the tank. Therefor, you need a vented system.

On other systems where you return line sends fumes back to your tank, ie, a stock later model car...someof these strange setups have a pressurized system. I've never dealt with one, nor do I care to. It attacks my sense of worldly balance. But, I've read about them in some of my technical books.

I'll try and log in every few hours to check your progress and see if you got anymore problems...if I'm out-of-pocket, Putz, One Figer John and the guys will keep you straightened out....they know they're stuff! Tell them all the problems that you are encountering....its best to have too much information than not enough, when diagnosing a problem on one of these cars.

Don't give up, I've been building custom blower setups/motors for 35 years, hey, problems are part of it, so don't get discouraged. We all have had our little misfortunes, myself included. But, all these folks have have a way of pulling together to getting a problem worked out. This is no exception. Just hang tough....

One of our beloved members motto is...'Airplanes take off going agianst the wind'....wise words.

Remember....
1. Once your regulator is in your hand, before you put in on....look into your ports, make sure theres no obstructions. Use a small amount of liquid teflon pipe sealant of the threads of your fittings going in. Just a little. If too much, you can affect the performance of the regulator.
2. Before mounting this piece, set it to the lowest setting before crawling under there to mount it. If its the kind that just has a screw and a locknut....back it all the way out, then go in about 1/2 turn. Snug down your locknut. Should be close to your lowest adjustable PSI at that point.
3. Hook things up, I always use a radiator draining petcock in the end of my fuel pump test stand, to I can bleed off pressure, since you can let off it with your fingers or a pr. of pliers. If you got a old radiator petcock, twist the end of your fuel line over the fitting with the hoseclamp to seal it off. If not, just shove a bolt onto the ond of your fuel line. You don't want to keep repeatedly pouring raw fuel into your motor till we get this pressure thing licked.
4. After all is back into place and all is tight, make sure you have the fuel in there, and hit the switch. you should have the pump come on, the guage should rise to whatever pressure you have the regulator set to. AND IT SHOULD HOLD THERE! if it starts creeping up, see where it stops at. It should not be at no 12 PSI....
5. Before you start the motor, pull you bowl plugs again. you should not have any fuel coming out. You want to shoot for 2.5 to 5.0. If that regulator won't go down below 5 psi, whatever is your lowest PSI, set it there and lock it down.
6. If the pressure is holding steady, you are now ready to make sure your floats are set to this pressure. Make doubly sure your carbs floats are holding.
7. Start your motor. Let it warm up, double check things. Set your lowspeed adjustments so she's idling smoothly, and hen idle her to the rugular idle rpm. Doublecheck everything agian.
8. Now, proceed to time it like Ron told you...unhooking your vaccuum hose, and plugging said hose while using your timing light. OR however you prefer to do it....
9. After the motor is running correctly, I strongly recommend that you run it for awhile, to help dry the motor out thoroughly, and to help seat your rings properly. Raw fuel on your cylinder walls for extended times is not a good thing.



Hope all of this has helped you in your appreciation of Hotrods. I've given my life to the Racing sport building all sorts of racing machines. I got started on the Street with a old flipfont fiberglassed nosed Nove with a 283, tunnelrammed and rollercammed, 4 speed and all. Was a full on race car driven on the streets. I drove this thing for over 10 years, day in and day out. Not far, but I drove it. I had a few folks that helped me out and also those folks helped me get into racing. This is my way of helping pay back for all those years that I was helped and taught.
Now, go enjoy your ride!!!!

 

[oino]

:hyper: Thank you.

Replies may come slow. But I'll get the out there.
Don't forget I'm on Cali. time. and not a morning person. :hyper:

 

[oino]

Oh and on the Cap. I just went out to look at mine.
I read that there are oneway caps and twoway caps.
Oneway lets air into the tank so it don't create vacuum, and twoway lets air in and out. In so not to create vacuum and out to release the pressure.

On mine if I blow on it. no air will pass though. If I suck on it :hyper: :hyper: air passes.
I think I have a oneway.

Should I get a twoway cap. if so what years came with a screw on twoway caps.
I found that 1979 gmc trucks at screw in caps. But don't say if its one or two ways.

 

[oino]

Oh and on the Cap. I just went out to look at mine.
I read that there are oneway caps and twoway caps.
Oneway lets air into the tank so it don't create vacuum, and twoway lets air in and out. In so not to create vacuum and out to release the pressure.

On mine if I blow on it. no air will pass though. If I suck on it :hyper: :hyper: air passes.
I think I have a oneway.

Should I get a twoway cap. if so what years came with a screw on twoway caps.
I found that 1979 gmc trucks at screw in caps. But don't say if its one or two ways.

Found this on a chevy forum. "The non-emissions caps freely vent the tank to the atmosphere (which can waste gas through evaporation). Emissions gas caps have a built-in pressure relief valve that will only vent to the atmosphere if the pressure gets too high."

At what pressure do they release?

 

[Mike]

I've no idea of what the vent pressure is, but I can't imagine the number is very high. Pressurizing the fuel tank would start forcing fuel through the tank pickup, as well as causing cap blow-off when removed and possible splash at the same time. I don't want any pressure in a fuel tank, period.