1995 Safari, turns over but does not start

[astrozam]

When you take the doghouse off the test port is a schrader valve ( similiar to a tire valve stem ) located where you see the 2 lines going into the intake.

[justice]

this is just getting weird.

Bought a fuel pressure tester today. Get home, hook it up to the valve on the fuel line and purge the pressure. THe guage is now reading 0psi. I turn the key on to prime the fuel pump, the pressure climbs to 52psi. I turn the key and the van starts!

While running the pressure sits right at 52psi. If I punch the throttle it jumps to 60psi. If I slowly rev the throttle it will climb to about 54psi before going back down to 50-52psi as i accelerate.

When I shut the engine off, the gauge shows around 58psi. I let it sit (after shutting off) for a few minutes and the pressure looks like it is slowly dropping (is this the norm?)

I'm going to leave the gauge hooked up and go back out and check it in about an hour.

For the record, it would not start this morning, but has started everytime this afternoon.

[justice]

and the weirdness continues..

this morning temps in the mid to high 30's - turns over, no start.

this afternoon, temps in the high 60's low 70's - it starts.

yesterday when it started with the pressure gauge attached, the needle on the pressure gauge stayed steady at 52psi at idle. To day when it starts, the needle is bouncing back and forth wildly from 50-54psi at idle. Im betting on the gauge not being that great and maybe i damaged it by leaving it on overnight?

i'm not understanding this damn van.

[Rileysowner]

You did not say is the pressure bled down over time as you left the pressure gauge on. If it did, especially if it was only over a couple of hours, then you have something leaking pressure and gas somewhere. Maybe and injector poppet or something else there. That could be where the problem lies. I am simply repeating from memory what others have written in the past, so I could be completely wrong about this. I'm sure they will chime in to correct me though.

[GEJ]

You know one of the clues you have verified is a fuel pressure that is surely on the lower end of the spec.This is from Autozone.:

58-64 PSI(Pounds per Square Inch)

Notice a 58lbs min.

Just a thought for you to think about.

[astrozam]

The cheapest thing to replace ( if you've already tried all my earlier suggestions ) is the Fuel pressure regulator

[justice]

is that under the plenum?

[astrozam]

Yes, I will try to throw up a couple pics when I get home from work.

[Smiliesafari]

I,ve read all of these posts. It seems to me like you may need a new fuel pump. The old one may be in failure mode. It's also my understanding that the fuel pressure should be a minimum of 55 psi. Yours is not much lower but it just may be that it's low enough to cause problems. I hope you get it solved soon. I know how frustrating these things can be.

[justice]

yea, i have been thinking fuel pump as well. My problem now is do I believe the van is worth another $80 and an afternoon of crawling around under it....

[astrozam]

As you can see the FPR is located on the pass side, nice and dirty ...Lots of pics if you need anymore.



And the new FPR installed...

[justice]

well, i think I pretty much confirmed its the fuel pump today. Went out and messed with it for a bit and when I would turn the key, the fuel pressure no would not even got to 50psi, and it would start to drop even when i left the key on.

so I think thats it.

still don't know if I feel like fixing it though....

[GEJ]

Justice,
I posted at first why not put in a 1985 pick-up which is a non in tank pump version and cut in a in-line pump with the proper pressure and volume spec's .Well I deleted that post because I realized it didn't have the needed return lines.Still thinking about a solution as to not having to drop the tank for a bad fuel pump came up with this idea.Braze or weld a medal tube the same length as the in tank pump would be and attach the in tank strainer to the bottom of the tube eliminating the in tank pump.Then wire from the harness a in-line proper pressure/volume pump cutting it into the supply side tube.That way you don't have to drop the tank should the pump go bad again.Guys,what you think???.


Here is only a brief search of a in-line pump that I think could be used for later yr high pressure fuel injected vans.Costly???.Well yes,but a solution none the less.Sure beats trying to cut a hole in the floor of a van for pump replacements.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mallory- ... ccessories

[astrozam]

Have you opened up the upper intake just to make sure nothing is leaking/cracked?