When I picked up this car, it was running very rich. After I ran it awhile then shut it off, it sat for maybe an hour then I went to start it again and it would not fire. I removed the air cleaner and could see fule dripping from the horns. Flodded. It has a stock 4 banger fuel pump but no pressure regulator. My boy picked up a regulator and I installed it. It's a dheapo "spectre" 1 to 5.5 psi unit. I set it at 5.5 and fired her up - seemed to run good and deliver enough fuel. After doing some other things while the car was idling, it died. I looked at the fule filter - no fuel. I could hear the pump running. I took the fuel line off the carb, turned on the key, no fuel. So I went to the gas station and got 5 gallons of gas, poured it in, turned on the key - still no fuel. The cheapo regulator was not letting any gas through. If I pushed the adjuster knob down, I could get enough fuel flow for the car to idle. So now that I have rambled, here's my questions:

What type of fuel regulators are others using?
What pressure should I be looking for? I see them ranging all over the place. What pressure should I be using for the SBC? It's a 290 horse crate motor with an Edlebrock manifold and 600 CFM Eldebrock carb.
Should I have some kind of return line setup? Just wondering if regulating the pressure will shorten the pumps life. I was under the car looking for a gas leak and noticed there are 2 small fuel lines coming from the tank that are plugged off. Could I put a tee in the line just before the regulator back to the tank so that fuel can return to the tank allowing the pump to run without too much labor? Or does it matter? TIA

Pat

I would run a fuel return line, install the regulator on the return line and your fuel gauge on the supply line, then adjust your regulator to your specific psi.

I have a Holley bypass regulator. I mounted the regulator by the rear of the drivers side vent with the bracket that came with it and ran two lines, one feed and one return.
Then from there I ran a single line to a filter then to the carb. I have a cheap gage to watch the pressure. It holds 5.5 PSI rock solid in all RPM. The single line regulator would jump up and down and cause the leaking your seeing.

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: I have a Holley bypass regulator. I mounted the regulator by the rear of the drivers side vent with the bracket that came with it and ran two lines, one feed and one return. Then from there I ran a single line to a filter then to the carb. I have a cheap gage to watch the pressure. It holds 5.5 PSI rock solid in all RPM. The single line regulator would jump up and down and cause the leaking your seeing.

So you are saying that the Holley regulator you are using has 3 ports. An inlet port, the bypass or return port and a feed port? Forgive my ignorance as I am just learning this Fiero fuel pump to carbed SBC stuff. I have plenty of SBC experience and plenty of Fiero experience. Maybe a pic or two???? Thanks for your help.

Pat

A single supply line, the regulator has to regulate it "down" to 5.5 psi from full pressure, when you install a return line there is little fuel pressure because the fuel is being pumped back into the tank, the regulator installed on the return line only has to regulate "up" to 5.5 psi. hope that makes sense.

http://www.northernautopart...?ProductModelId=5023

[This message has been edited by AmericanMuscle (edited 10-20-2009).]

I'm using a Mallory fuel regulator and yes, it has 3 ports. One for fuel in from the pump, one that feeds the carb, and one that returns the excess to the tank. There is actually one more port, for dual carbs, but that one is plugged. The fuel pump has a much easier time with a "bypass" type system as it's not producing much pressure. A carb generally likes around 4-7 psi.

I use a simple trick that does not require a high dollar regulator. A feed line alone on our throttle body smallblock pumps 13 lbs. Using the return line there isn't enough pressure at the carb , only a couple lbs. I put a valve in the return line, pinch it down to around 8-9 lbs, and use a regulator on the feed line to keep that down to 6 lbs. Thus, the regulator is doing very little work, and almost any cheapo will do. The real need for a regulator is surge control. I can get the pressure I want just using a pinch valve on the return, but it's not consistent enough.

I just removed my malory 3 port regulator and a 255 lph fuel pump in favor of a much larger a1000 pump. It worked great I just cut off the stock metal line hoses and mounted one braided hose to the supply and one line to return. It works as if it where stock and it's adjustable from 3 to 25 lbs. If interested I can sell you a high flow pump, fuel filter, regulator and some braided stainless hose for $100.00 I am not on here much so send me an e-mail at ammo1033@yahoo.com

Hmm..... Now I do not know what to do!

I have a picture like this in my head. Am I thinking right?

quote Originally posted by katatak: Hmm..... Now I do not know what to do! I have a picture like this in my head. Am I thinking right?

Thats correct

I also use a mallory return style vacuum adjustable regulator in my f-body that was originally TBI converted to carb...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MAA-4309/

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I am using a 4-cyl fuel pump and a single output Holley fuel pressure regulator. I have it dialed down to 6psi at idle which gives it about 5.5 lbs constant line pressure at WOT. It does not have a return/bypass line. I used this same set-up when I had the 3.4L carb'd engine and now it is used with my V-8. Originally it was hooked to a Holley carb (3.4L) and now it's hooked to an Edelbrock carb (V-8). The set-up has been regulating my fuel pressure since 2003 without any problems.

I do recommend adding in a fuel pressure gauge into the line so you can monitor/adjust the fuel pressure.

Fuel Pressure Regulator: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-12-803/#

Fuel Pressure Gauge: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-800215/

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Happiness isn't around the corner...
Happiness IS the corner.
ZZ4 Powered !!

[This message has been edited by Oreif (edited 10-21-2009).]

I have the fuel filter on the inlet side of the regulator. It filters everything in the system not just to the carb. The fuel filter is essentially in the stock Fiero location. I didn't need to change a thing in that regard. I also have the Mallory bypass regulator

Arn

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'll be going to the speed shop this afternoon to see what they have available for pieces and parts and I'll go from there. All your responses helped a bunch. Thanks again!

Pat

I tried that on mine and it did not work. The fuel pressure rose to somthing like 30 psi. Your stock pump will pump some thing like 60 psi. Only a return style will work for shure. Fuel system is not the place to go cheap on. It could cause a fire or flood the carb.

quote Originally posted by buildamonster: I tried that on mine and it did not work. The fuel pressure rose to somthing like 30 psi. Your stock pump will pump some thing like 60 psi. Only a return style will work for shure. Fuel system is not the place to go cheap on. It could cause a fire or flood the carb.

He's using the 4-cyl fuel pump. It provides 12-15psi.
The V-6 fuel pump runs around 42psi and you will get pressure creep if it is not a by-pass style regulator.
If you swap in the 4-cyl fuel pump a standard regulator will work fine. I've been running my set-up for 6 years without and problems or issues.

I installed a Holley 4.5 to 9 psi regulator last night. Seems to work perfect. At first, I was able to dial it down to 6psi at idle. I shut the car off for a bit to finish up some other issues. When I fired it back up, the gauge at the carb shot up to over 16psi. No matter how I djusted the regulaotr, there was no difference on the gauge, I believe that the chep littl gauge is fubar. I did run the pump to the gauge earlier without the regulator just to check the pump pressure and it was around 15 psi. I let the car idle for awhile and it seemed to run fine - no more loading up and flooding like it was doing without the regulator. I also watched the horns in the carb - before the regulaotr, I could see the gass flowing thought the horns. With the regulator in place, I can not see any excess fule flowing. I'll go pick up a quality gauge today.

If you have a liquid filled guage the liquid expands when heated. The guage will then read false high. Get a cheapo guage, not liquid filled.

If you have creep of any kind is a potential fire waiting to happen. It can overload the carb and end up dripping out the air cleaner - phoof...

If you want to avoid creep permanently, the only way is with a bypass style. Hope this helps

Arn

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: If you have a liquid filled guage the liquid expands when heated. The guage will then read false high. Get a cheapo guage, not liquid filled. Arn

I have the Summitt Racing brand liquid filled gauge and have never had a problem. Cold or hot it reads the same.
A good liquid filled gauge should have an air pocket in the for any minor expansion or contraction of the silicone based oil.
The liquid filled part of the gauge is just so the needle doesn't vary due to vibration.