Pump or Regulator?

[pur3vil]

Well this has been an increasingly worse problem. Now I need the van pretty bad. I can get it to start and idle and even drive ( kinda ) using starting fluid. But it won't GO. Has no balls. I've hooked up a FPT adn it shoots to 54 during pump prime then immediately once the pump prime stops it's drops to 5 and falls down. While running it will generally idle around 52-53 stomp on the gas adn it will go up a tad, but doesn't stay up really. Running stupid lean.. I can't run my van like it I don't want to roast the engine. Has 400k on it and runs like a top when it's running right. They replaced the spider set with a used set several years ago, I bought it last year. I want to say it's the injector set / FPR, and I guessing right?

[kings-x59]

bump for 3vil...
need some input here brethren
my van's older and runs on much lower fuel pressure, but from what I've read about the newer year models, the 54 psi might be low to begin with, and the drop in pressure speaks bad fuel pump to me.
post up slackers

[Smiliesafari]

OK Dad (Steve) I'll post up. I agree........it sounds like the fuel pump is in death mode.

[1Gary]

His signature saids he owns a 1992 van,but he is saying he has a CPI.I thought "w" engines started in 1994.That anything before that was a TBI.Am I having a senior moment??. #-o

[CaptSquid]

92s had CPI motors, too.

[1Gary]

Thanks Mike.I vote fuel pump too.Delco only for a replacement if you want it to last.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

If the pressure drops that fast, I would say the FPR is shot. The pump makes the required pressure when it's on. If the regulator is bypassing that much fuel, the engine has to be running lean.

[kings-x59]

OK Dad (Steve) I'll post up. I agree........it sounds like the fuel pump is in death mode.

lmao
no astrosafarian left behind!

[97TurboAstro]

The 92-95 CPI setup has a common problem with the fuel pressure regulator. You should be able to do a quick check

There is a small valve in the top of the intake manifold... remove it

Look inside with a flashlight. If one side is really clean, you have a leaking fuel pressure regulator... you'll need to swap it out.

But...
I haven't seen many bad regulators that actually effect the fuel pressure. The pump is usually able to keep-up... even with a leaking regulator.

If I had to say one or the other, I'd blame the fuel pump. Since it's a pre-97 van, the fuel pump is hanging on a simple bracket. A new pump should be quite inexpensive... and easy to swap.

[pur3vil]

Thank you all for your postings.

I will have to remove that valve and see what it looks like inside. ( If I can get in that far, haha )

And yes once I do get it to start it is EXTREMELY lean. To the point I'm backfiring, and all sorts of nasties.

Whatever it is, was a progressivly worse thing. It started out as it would just take a little longer to start. Then it eventually got to the point where I needed to use ether to start it. I know my van hates the cold weather and that was PART of it becuase it would start when I plugged it in for about an hour, and then that too went away. The plugging it in worked between taking longer to start and needing ether to start it.

I had a buddy of mine also say he thought it was a pump. My pressure when the pump cuts on, will climb right to 54 pretty quick, maybe a TAD slow, then the moment the pump stops it literally in less then a second falls to about 5 then finishes to 0 in another second or 3..

(EDIT)

I just double checked what the fuel pressure was doing. Granted the battery is VERY cold, and prolly only about 40% health at that... during starting the pressure is dropping to mid 20's - 30's... I'm guessing this could have mostly do do with a half dead battery. I will do some charging to it and double check this.

Now with 10-11" of snow on the ground the Grand Prix is starting to have a hard time manuevering with dead TCS hahahahaha. IT's quite fun!