fuel pressure gauge ?

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

i would like to check my fuel pressure. but i also would like to have a gauge hooked up permently. how would i go about doing this? i heard some one did this mod on here. is there a thread or a link some one could give me? and what is the pressure supposed to be for my explorer? im thinking about going to autozone today and purchasing a fuel pressure gauge.2000 4.0l ohv.

 

[2000StreetRod]

returnless fuel system

You have a returnless fuel system with a fuel pressure regulator mounted in the fuel tank and a fuel pressure damper mounted on the fuel rail. Your pressure should be about 65 psi at all times.

I remember the post you're referring to. The member had crud in his fuel tank and used a fuel pressure regulator to determine when to replace his fuel filter. After a year or so he finally removed his fuel tank and had it cleaned by a radiator shop. He didn't describe how to connect the gauge other than he connected it to the Schrader valve (fuel pressure test port).

I don't thing a permanently installed gauge is worth the effort since your pressure should not fluctuate. If you change the fuel filter regularly and your pump and FPR are in good shape then if you have a gauge you'll soon pay little if any attention to it. An oil pressure gauge would be much more useful and could save your engine.

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

You have a returnless fuel system with a fuel pressure regulator mounted in the fuel tank and a fuel pressure damper mounted on the fuel rail. Your pressure should be about 65 psi at all times.

I remember the post you're referring to. The member had crud in his fuel tank and used a fuel pressure regulator to determine when to replace his fuel filter. After a year or so he finally removed his fuel tank and had it cleaned by a radiator shop. He didn't describe how to connect the gauge other than he connected it to the Schrader valve (fuel pressure test port).

I don't thing a permanently installed gauge is worth the effort since your pressure should not fluctuate. If you change the fuel filter regularly and your pump and FPR are in good shape then if you have a gauge you'll soon pay little if any attention to it. An oil pressure gauge would be much more useful and could save your engine.

yea your probably right. i think i'll just pick up a gauge and just check the pressure every once in a while. plus its a good tool to have. so 65 psi is the magic number? ok, i'll give it a shot and post back how it went. thanks for the input!

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

well, i just got back from autozone and the fuel pressure gauge was $39.99. i didn't quite have enough money to get it. but i did pick up 6 motorcraft platinum plugs

 

[2000StreetRod]

Harbor Freight

Harbor Freight Tools has one that normally sells for $20 and has the Schrader valve adapter. I got mine on sale for $10. Check out Fuel pressure test procedure

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

Harbor Freight Tools has one that normally sells for $20 and has the Schrader valve adapter. I got mine on sale for $10. Check out Fuel pressure test procedure

wow you got all that for $10.00? thats a good deal. i'll have to check that out.

 

[ranger7ltr]

An A-pillar mounted gauge set...

i would like to check my fuel pressure. but i also would like to have a gauge hooked up permently. how would i go about doing this? i heard some one did this mod on here. is there a thread or a link some one could give me? and what is the pressure supposed to be for my explorer? im thinking about going to autozone today and purchasing a fuel pressure gauge.2000 4.0l ohv.

I have used an Autometer electric fuel pressure gauge mounted inside my vehicles for years...On this vehicle I mounted three gauges; Fuel pressure, Oil pressure, and voltage in the A-pillar...The fuel pressure gauge has a sending unit that attaches to the 1/8" NPT fitting on the fuel rail...I also installed a tee on the Schrader valve so I could also relieve the fuel pressure from the system...I needed a fuel pressure gauge since the way the engine would not accelerate under even moderate throttle made me think the fuel pump was not delivering adequate fuel...The fuel pressure was dropping as the demand of more throttle occured...The spec is 65-72 psi and when the pressure drops below 50 or so psi the engine will not run well...The pump was working but the tank was providing leftover varnish to the inlet side of the filter and this was restricting the volume of fuel to the engine...The fluctuating pressure gauge told volumes about when to change the filter and ultimately when I had enough of this clogging and decreased performance...It was so bad the PCM triggered a random lean misfire occasionally and top speed was limited to under 50 mph until I changed the filter...

This is my solution for gauge placement...

 

[ranger7ltr]

An alternative to Autometer gauges...

If you have access to a Harbor Freight store locally, they carry an inexpensive brand of electric gauges that can used for interior mounting and monitoring purposes...

This is an example of an oil pressure gauge... I have seen water temperature, vacuum, tachometers, and fuel/nitrous pressure gauges in this line...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98475

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

I have used an Autometer electric fuel pressure gauge mounted inside my vehicles for years...On this vehicle I mounted three gauges; Fuel pressure, Oil pressure, and voltage in the A-pillar...The fuel pressure gauge has a sending unit that attaches to the 1/8" NPT fitting on the fuel rail...I also installed a tee on the Schrader valve so I could also relieve the fuel pressure from the system...I needed a fuel pressure gauge since the way the engine would not accelerate under even moderate throttle made me think the fuel pump was not delivering adequate fuel...The fuel pressure was dropping as the demand of more throttle occured...The spec is 65-72 psi and when the pressure drops below 50 or so psi the engine will not run well...The pump was working but the tank was providing leftover varnish to the inlet side of the filter and this was restricting the volume of fuel to the engine...The fluctuating pressure gauge told volumes about when to change the filter and ultimately when I had enough of this clogging and decreased performance...It was so bad the PCM triggered a random lean misfire occasionally and top speed was limited to under 50 mph until I changed the filter...

This is my solution for gauge placement...

that looks awsome! i would love to do something like that. how much did them gauges cost ya? and was it difficult to run all the lines to hook up all that?

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

If you have access to a Harbor Freight store locally, they carry an inexpensive brand of electric gauges that can used for interior mounting and monitoring purposes...

This is an example of an oil pressure gauge... I have seen water temperature, vacuum, tachometers, and fuel/nitrous pressure gauges in this line...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98475

yea that would be a good idea. not bad prices either. plus them gauges look nice! i might have to look into that. thanks for the info!

 

[ranger7ltr]

Gauges are Autometer...

that looks awsome! i would love to do something like that. how much did them gauges cost ya? and was it difficult to run all the lines to hook up all that?

I don't remember the exact prices but I bought them through Summit Racing...

Installation was a matter of finding a source for the fluids I wanted to monitor then tying into that particular system...

For the fuel pressure gauge, the sending unit fits onto the Schrader valve...I removed the valve from the fuel rail and installed a brass pipe and tee...Then I used a bushing for one side ofthe tee to hold the schrader valve and screwed the sending unit into the other side of the tee...I used liquid teflon to seal the threads on all connections...

For the oil pressure gauge I removed the Ford oil pressure sending unit...Again I installed a brass pipe into the threaded hole in the block and installed a brass tee on the end of the pipe...Then I installed a new Ford sending unit on one side and the Autometer oil pressure sending unit on the other side...

The voltage gauge was the easiest to install... I had to run the wires from each sending unit to the gauges and power to the lights in the gauges and I simply ran a switched +12 and a ground to the voltage gauge...Tied all the wires together in a bundle behind the pod unit on the A-pillar and cleaned up the installation and tested it...

Since no one makes a 3 gauge A-pillar pod for the Explorer I made my own... I bought 2 2 gauge pods and cut one in half...I attached the single pod to the 2 gauge pod by using hot glue and MEK to fuse the parts together into a one piece unit...

 

[mrboyle]

Make sure whatever guage you decide to use has a seperate sending unit that mounts under the hood. You NEVER want to run a fuel line into the passenger compartment of a vehicle, especially a high pressure fuel line.

Nothing personal to those who have purchased any of the Harbor Freight guages, but you get exactly what you pay for. Low quality parts made in China will never perform as well as a precision made instrument (no matter where its made). The shop I work at had one of thoes HF fuel pressure guages and 9 times out of 10 it gave false readings. After several mis-diagnosed fuel related problem using that POS I broke down and bought a high quality fuel pressure test kit and have had zero mis-diagnosed fuel proplems since. Yea, the high dollar stuff isn't in the budget for the back yard type, but remember when you use the lower quality tools, there is a possibility that it isnt working properly.