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Fuel Pressure Regulator; need some help
Topic Started: Nov 2 2012, 11:11 PM (2,246 Views)
GoCanucksGo
Member
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Hey guys, does anyone know if there is a How-To for replacing a fuel pressure regulator on this forum? Also, can you use the 1.3L 4-cylinder regulator on a 1.0L 3-cylinder? I have the 3-cylinder 1.0L metro and when I looked up the parts online at rock auto and D&G auto parts, the only parts that showed up was this diaphragm looking thing but the 1.3L 4-cyl has the "proper" looking regulator. Would the 4-cyl regulator work on my 3-cyl engine?

One last question, where exactly is my regulator lol? I'm guessing it's somewhere under the throttle body?
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mwebb
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FOG

why the interest in fuel pressure regulators ?
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GoCanucksGo
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mwebb
Nov 2 2012, 11:34 PM
why the interest in fuel pressure regulators ?
Well basically my car is running at 13-18 Psi and the mechanic I took it to thinks it's the fuel pressure regulator but they wanted to charge me $250 for the part plus labour. I just bought a regulator for $162 that comes in tomorrow and I'm hoping to put the regulator in myself.
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mwebb
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GoCanucksGo
Nov 3 2012, 12:17 AM
mwebb
Nov 2 2012, 11:34 PM
why the interest in fuel pressure regulators ?
Well basically my car is running at 13-18 Psi and the mechanic I took it to thinks it's the fuel pressure regulator but they wanted to charge me $250 for the part plus labour. I just bought a regulator for $162 that comes in tomorrow and I'm hoping to put the regulator in myself.
with pressure gauge connected
pinch off the return line , smaller of the two lines with needle nose pliers
just for a second
this will "dead head" the fuel pump

if fuel pressure stays at the low value
the fuel pressure regulator is not the problem

or
substitute a length of 1/4" id clear plastic line in place of return line , if the line is full of bubbles
fuel pump is cavitating
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Jittney
Anchorage 92 XFi

part 103 is the fuel pressure regulator
and good luck with the screws :smackface
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GoCanucksGo
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mwebb
Nov 3 2012, 12:26 AM
GoCanucksGo
Nov 3 2012, 12:17 AM
mwebb
Nov 2 2012, 11:34 PM
why the interest in fuel pressure regulators ?
Well basically my car is running at 13-18 Psi and the mechanic I took it to thinks it's the fuel pressure regulator but they wanted to charge me $250 for the part plus labour. I just bought a regulator for $162 that comes in tomorrow and I'm hoping to put the regulator in myself.
with pressure gauge connected
pinch off the return line , smaller of the two lines with needle nose pliers
just for a second
this will "dead head" the fuel pump

if fuel pressure stays at the low value
the fuel pressure regulator is not the problem

or
substitute a length of 1/4" id clear plastic line in place of return line , if the line is full of bubbles
fuel pump is cavitating
ok thanks mwebb, yeah I better try that before I get to far ahead of myself with the regulator
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GoCanucksGo
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Jittney
Nov 3 2012, 12:45 AM
part 103 is the fuel pressure regulator
and good luck with the screws :smackface
lol thanks Jittney, I'm going to try mwebb's suggestion first before I get too deep into it but if those screws are a pain, do you have any tips or suggestions?
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Woodie
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Heat will loosen them up, but that whole area is full of fuel. Heat from a heat gun (blow dryer) or a big soldering iron, not a torch. Impact driver is best, but you can improvise an impact driver by hitting your screwdriver with a hammer. Works sometimes.
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GoCanucksGo
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will the bolt snap if I just throw on a piece of pipe to my wrench, i.e. increase the length of the lever?
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busteriver
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You'd have to lean on it, putting pressure downward to keep the phillips screws from stripping. Use a good screwdriver tip, one that fits really good. Impact driver would be best bet.
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going88mph
New Member
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I used a Kobalt screwdriver from Lowes. Hit it 3 times on each screw with a hammer. Then turned them with no trouble at all.
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GoCanucksGo
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okay so I did that clear line test that mwebb suggested and sure enough there are air bubbles shooting out of the return line. So if the fuel pump is cavitating, what should I do next? replace my fuel pump or do I check my fuel filter? the fuel filter is in the tank isn't it? How am I supposed to check it without dropping my fuel tank?

P.S. I'm glad it's not my pressure regulator because whoever took it off the last time mushroomed the hell out of those screws, I doubt I would be able to take them out
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GoCanucksGo
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I should probably also mention that we noticed that half of the wires from my O2 sensor had been uncoupled (I did a really mickey mouse job with a new O2 sensor with crimping wires together) so we've reattached them. Not sure if this would be a contributing factor or not?
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mwebb
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GoCanucksGo
Nov 3 2012, 07:35 PM
I should probably also mention that we noticed that half of the wires from my O2 sensor had been uncoupled (I did a really mickey mouse job with a new O2 sensor with crimping wires together) so we've reattached them. Not sure if this would be a contributing factor or not?
the 02 sensor connections should be
straight connections , no crimps , should use OEM o2 sensor only
the chinese 02 sensors are just about useless , with out a scope you will never see it

so either spend the money to buy an 0EM 02 sensor or
spend the big bucks on a scope to learn why your chinese POS 02 sensor is a POS then buy the OEM 02 sensor ....
===============

the fact that someone tampered with your pressure regulator is troubling
these are not common failures , in fact i have never heard of a pressure regulator failing in a Geo Metro
ever , so there was no reason to tamper with it ? or somebody was tampering with it because the fuel pump was failing ?
or
choice C i dunno , i feel a surprise regarding this is awaiting you ...

fuel pump is bad OR the pickup tube / filter / sock is not sealing to the pump and is sucking air
either way
you need to take the pump out to see
pump is under a cover under the rear seat

if you have a scope with inductive current probe you can see fuel pump current which will show the fuel pump condition , good or bad , without dissassembly
but
clear line shows bubbles where bubbles can never be
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GoCanucksGo
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lol yeah I know the connections aren't supposed to be crimped, basically the wire harness on the new O2 sensor that I bought, didn't connect to the receiving harness that was hooked up to the car. Lordco assured me it was the right O2 sensor and if I remember correctly we were just finishing up, putting in the rebuilt engine at about 11:00 at night and basically said eff it, instead of buying another harness we'll just solder the wires together. I can't remember exactly why we didn't solder them together, I think I cut the wires too short or something so we crimped them? something like that :smackface

Anyways, I'm not sure what you mean by a scope mwebb, what do they do and are they expensive? If I get a scope with the inductive current probe that you mentioned, what can I expect to see? what does it tell me about the condition of the pump?
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