stupid fuel system WTF!!!!!

[the big edbosky]

okay so i have a dedicated fuel system for my nitrous kit. it is very basic and simple. i have a sumped factory tank which both the primary and the nitrous feed from. then it goes to a carter black pump (good for 14 psi), then into a fram fuel filter, and into an aeromotive regulator (no bypass) and then to the fuel solenoid for the kit. i have had the system (fuel and nitrous) on the car for about 3-4 years and never used it. now i am getting ready to finally make use of it. i went to set the fuel psi and thats where my problem started. i pulled the line feeding the solenoid to set the psi free flowing and i cant get any reading on my psi gauges i tried three different ones and none of them showed psi. until i tried a known good one and that showed not even 3psi. i hooked up the line back to the solenoid and psi kept going up and not even turning the adjuster on the regulator would do anything. what gives!!!!?? i pulled aprt the regulator and nothing looks wrong. the spring looks ok and the diaphram is intact. i dont get it, i'm getting enough psi from the pump to cause the psi to climb when the line is hooked up. but then on the other hand i can't even get a 3 psi when the line is off. could i have a bum regulator or is the pump toast from sitting with fuel in it for so long??? anybody got any ideas? some help would be appreciated.

[moody34]

I had the same issue when setting the psi for my kit. I don't have a dedicated system i have a magnafuel 500 with a y-block. I tried to set the free flowing psi by doing what you did and had the same results. i have the gauge directly mounted on the regulator. I took a shot in the dark and set it while hooked to the solenoids and it somehow was accurate based on reading the plugs after a run. I figured out that a half a turn on the adjuster is equal to 1lb. of pressure. I would try contacting the manufacturer of the regulator to see if there's some sort of method so they can give you a starting point. I think that there are too many variables for them to give you an exact method but it's worth a shot. hope that helps abit

[BigEd]

If you have had the pump on the car with fuel in it and never used it, take it apart and make sure it is not varnished up inside and clogged.

[the big edbosky]

i ran the pump and it is flowing but apparently not enough to get a reading on my gauge. i have another aeromotive (street rod) pump that i'm gonna try out and see if my results are any better....stupid fuel system

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

What do you mean by free flowing? just the line off? or the line off with an orfice installled equal to that of the jet you are running? A 140 pump going to a dead head style regulator that has an open #4 line coming off of it will probably show Zero to maybe 1 psi of pressure. I think you've been trying to set it the wrong way. what kind of pressure does it have if you have the noid hooked up?

[the big edbosky]

well i figured it out. at least i think i did. i hooked the line up the line back to the solenoid and pulled the fitting off the plate. i then put a piece of hose over the flare and clamped it so it didn't blow off. then i turned on the fuel system and the nitrous kit. i hit the button to activate the solenoids and let the fuel flow. thats when i got results. i set the regulator for 6psi so when it is flowing i have about 5 1/2 psi.

it's still a stupid fuel system because it busted my balls so bad to figure it out.

oh and in reply to "honk..." yeah i was trying to set it the way you were describing initially. i read in one magazine article to set the psi that way as well as being told by somebody to do it that way. after giving it some thought i decided to try it in the manner which i described above and that seemed to work. hopefully thats the manner which you had in mind or the correct way. will my psi setting be okay, or should i bump it up so i have 6 psi when activated?

[BigEd]

Glad you got it worked out.
When are we going to get some test results?

[the big edbosky]

hopefully friday night. i'll let ya know.

[HonkIfPartsFallOff]

Activating the noid is a better way, but you run the risk of overheating and burning out the coil in the noid...

If that is the only way you can set it, then you need 6 psi when the setting.


Here's what you do next time you order parts or are somewhere that sells fittings. Buy a # 4 to 1/8 fitting. File the flair flat, drill the ID out to the OD of the fuel jet. Install the jet you are going to run into the fitting, connect the # 4 line off you regulator onto the #4 fitting with the jet. connect a hose to a jug, or back into the cell, Turn the pump on and adjust your pressure. NX sells a kit with a super accurate gauge for doing this.

[the big edbosky]

Activating the noid is a better way, but you run the risk of overheating and burning out the coil in the noid...

If that is the only way you can set it, then you need 6 psi when the setting.


Here's what you do next time you order parts or are somewhere that sells fittings. Buy a # 4 to 1/8 fitting. File the flair flat, drill the ID out to the OD of the fuel jet. Install the jet you are going to run into the fitting, connect the # 4 line off you regulator onto the #4 fitting with the jet. connect a hose to a jug, or back into the cell, Turn the pump on and adjust your pressure. NX sells a kit with a super accurate gauge for doing this.

cool, good to know. i did go back and bump up the psi to 6. i will also be installing one of them saftey cut off switches too. thanks for the help/input too guys!!

[Hotrod1451]

you mentioned fram fuel filter.
if your talking about the canister one its junk. your fuel pump will flow more then the filter,get rid of it!