rising rate fuel regulator

[350zwelgje]

- I'm considering installing a rising rate fuel regulator (as described in the bible). I am a torque junky and like my 350i, but think I need more...
But how can the fuel pressure be measured?
I have a compression/tire pressure gauge, but fuel pressure gauge?
Can I "convert" one of the two mentioned, without disolving any internals in petrol?

- A high fuel pump resistor kit is mentioned in the bible, but I can't find any suppliers on the internet. Do suppliers of rising rate fuel regulators stock these kits? And if yes, can it be used on a TVR 350i?
And where is this resistor located?

Thanks in advance for your comments/help.

Rob

[gaz666]

Check out www.rollingroadtune.co.uk for fse power boost valve, fitted one of these in around half-hour. Easy to set-up for correct pressure,etc. Best to have a rolling-road tune to get things spot on. Cost about £75 for regulator and guage, and you do notice a difference.

[gf350]

www.rimmerbros.co.uk do a kit also under the rover v8 bit, thats the second time I've mentioned them tonight , I don't work there , honest.
Gareth.

[jvaughan]

Get one. you wont regret it. when setup properly they really do earn their money.

There have been many threads in the past on this subject.

[Pettsie]

I am about to have a spending spree! Gotta have one... What should the fuel pressure be?

[GreenV8S]

Pettsie said: I am about to have a spending spree! Gotta have one... What should the fuel pressure be?

Too high and your hose willl turn into a sprinkler system. Too low and your engine will run hot and may be damaged. Measuring the fuel pressure itself is a moderately dodgy process probably left to the professionals.

[350zwelgje]

Thanks for the replies until now (hope others will follow).
And yes I have checked PH on this subject, but didn't find anything.

Particular thanks on the advice of fuel pressure measurement! Didn't consider this as being a specialist job only, based on reading about this subject. It looked like a DIY-job, like installing a regulater (5 minutes).
Still learning with TVRs. One step at a time, to find torque without changing engine capacity.

Proposed pressure by Steve Heath: 2.75 bar
(standard seems to be 2.5).
For more details you can have a look in the bible (I think a search on this word returns all items discussed on TVRs by now...).
And like all others the same comment: if you don't own a copy of the bible by now, it is time to order one.

Rob

[jvaughan]

incidently mine is set slightly high .. the result is maximum fuel at max revvs ... and huge flames out the exhaust on over run.

[Nickleby4]

Not sure if you gents are interested here, but I did some work a few years ago on the 400se that I look after (have done since it was new). One of the 'tricks of the trade' when looking for more power on production sheds is to set the fuel pressure a little high. this moves you away from the manufacturers lean / economic fuel mixtures towards the more interesting peak power settings.

The interesting point is that on this 400SE (1990 model) it did not work!! We got the best power on the correct fuel pressure (50psi for memory, but check that - it's the same as a 3900cc range rover!!). Our conclusion is that the TVR map already runs a relatively rich fuel strategy, and going higher with the pressure simply damages the engine....

If you are still reading you need a fuel pressure tester, capable of running to >50psi (any decent garage will have one (I have), and the pressure can be set by priying the dust cap out of the regulator and turning the hidden alen screw.

[shpub]

Turning up the pressure too much can lead to premature fuel pipe bursts. If you want to go that route, I would advise renewing the fuel lines so that you don't turn your car into a flame thrower.

On the 520 I use high pressure benzene friendly hydraulic piping (red stripe). Good for over 150 psi and pretty heat tolerent.

Steve

[HarryW]

Nickleby4 said: ...........

The interesting point is that on this 400SE (1990 model) it did not work!! We got the best power on the correct fuel pressure (50psi for memory, but check that - it's the same as a 3900cc range rover!!). Our conclusion is that the TVR map already runs a relatively rich fuel strategy, and going higher with the pressure simply damages the engine....

I understood that the rising rate had little or no effect on the later 'Hot wire' AFM cars with the 14cux ECU, maybe this was the case
Wereas the benefits for the flapper type AFM fitted with the 'older' ECU (14cu??) set up the rising rate gives a noticeable improvement. IMHO......

Harry

[rus wood]

I got hold of an oil pressure sender and gauge and plumbed the sender into the cold start injector pipe (a couple of bits of plumbing and an M10 tap were needed). I haven't had any problems with leaks. If you were really ingenious you could put in a little switch to switch between oil pressure and fuel pressure so you don't need another gauge. On my 390 VDO? gauges were used so I got a VDO sender and gauge from Demon Tweeks.
Russ

[jvaughan]

shpub said: Turning up the pressure too much can lead to premature fuel pipe bursts. If you want to go that route, I would advise renewing the fuel lines so that you don't turn your car into a flame thrower.

On the 520 I use high pressure benzene friendly hydraulic piping (red stripe). Good for over 150 psi and pretty heat tolerent.

Steve

yes, I run fully Braided red stripe too. i know the stainless overbrade is a little extreme, but when you think that the fuel lines on teh standard wedge runs outside the car, cable tied to the chassis, if the car were to get brounded out, there is the possibilit of damaging the fuel line by abrasion. ( also the little bastards where i used to live used to cut the fuel lines on cavaliers etc (running on the underside of the drivers side) to syphon off fuel).

[shpub]

The pipes should be copper down the sides anyway. They are on my car and most of the others I have seen. I run pipe over them to protect them from damage. The only bit of pipe is at each end: to the pumps and filters and to the fuel rail

[jvaughan]

Copper ... Nope not all the cars I have seen ... Good old black composite tubing with a fabric weave. that's what came off my 400SE. All the way from the filter to the drivers wheel arch, then on through the engine bay.

[bobble350]

My good old black composite with a fabric weave fuel lines both ran through the central tunnel 3" above the exhaust. Until they were replaced and re-routed of course. Still didn't cure the ever present petrol smell though.

[hamish400]

On my 400SE the fuel pipes running down the side are :_
Supply pipe - copper (rubber covered)
Return pipe - rubber

Hamish

[350zwelgje]

Thanks again for the info.
But more info, means more questions!

Got a FSE rising rate fuel regulator, with the pressure gauge.
Plan to install it as quickly as possible.

I have high pressure fuel hoses (replaced just a couple of months ago - just as the rest at the twin tanks), and these are running at the top of the centre tunnel.
I consider this as the best location, compared to the side of the car.
The hose should be good up to 6 bar, so running the 2.75 bar with the new regulator should be no problem?

What about the "rubber-looking" part on the injectors?
Does this need replacement after a 16 year life? Can it be renewed?

Thanks in advance,

Rob (1987-350i)

[wedg1e]

350zwelgje said: Thanks again for the info.
But more info, means more questions!

Got a FSE rising rate fuel regulator, with the pressure gauge.
Plan to install it as quickly as possible.

I have high pressure fuel hoses (replaced just a couple of months ago - just as the rest at the twin tanks), and these are running at the top of the centre tunnel.
I consider this as the best location, compared to the side of the car.
The hose should be good up to 6 bar, so running the 2.75 bar with the new regulator should be no problem?

What about the "rubber-looking" part on the injectors?
Does this need replacement after a 16 year life? Can it be renewed?

Thanks in advance,

Rob (1987-350i)

The big wedges had the fuel lines along the sill to keep them away from all the heat rising from the engine and exhaust, that would tend to cause fuel vapourisation in the pipes.
The rubber pipes that connect the injectors to the fuel rails can be had from Rimmers amongst others, though whether it is actually anything more than a length of some specific bore hose I've never ascertained.

Ian