fuel pressure gauge failed

[Raider L]

Last week as soon as I cranked my engine I noticed my fuel pressure gauge wasn't working. I tapped on the glass lens of it and tapped and tapped and tapped on it until my finger tips on my left hand were sore and I had to stop. I went on about my way. I looked at it and it just wasn't moving not even the slightest bit, so what do you do? You tap on it some more of course, ha, ha, ha. So, I was where I was going, parked and got out without shutting the engine down so I could check some things. I opened the hood and looked at the engine mounted fuel pressure gauge to see what it was reading. It showed about 7 lbs. which is normal. I thought to myself, "Well, I made it down the street and over to here so obviously the fuel pump isn't failed or failing so it must be okay." "It must be the gauge inside." So, I got a small flat tipped screw driver out of my toolbox and with it slightly unscrewed the check screw on the gasoline side of the fuel pressure isolator to see if there was fuel on that side of the diaphragm in the isolator. A few small bubbles and a little bit of gas came out and I tightened the check screw back up. "Yep, there's gas. So the line is clear and the pump is sending pressure to the isolator.
I then took hold of the line on the back side of the isolator, jiggled it and gave it a slight tug just make sure it wasn't snagged in behind the dash I had out the other day, and everything seemed okay there as well. I went back around to the cab and looked at the gauge and the needle was still hanging straight down not moving.
"Dang, I guess it's the gauge." I thought.
What, you mean after only 25 years it wore out?? I thought it was supposed to last forever? No way! Ha, ha, ha.
Well, tonight I ordered a new gauge from Autometer, like the one that's broke, a "Sport Comp" series gauge p/n 3411, if anyone would like to see what my new one will look like. When it comes in I'll do a little "build" for the install because there is a particular process that you have to go through to get it correctly installed. It can't have any air bubbles in the line going to the gauge in the cab because air bubbles will affect the accuracy and function. I need my fuel pressure gauge so if by chance the fuel pump goes out, I'll know it and not have to guess why the engine isn't running.

 

[Raider L]

Well I can't believe it! I got the email today that it's been shipped! YEA!! I was out there looking at the hose to the gauge through the firewall and from the isolator to the gauge it looks like I need about 3 ft.. But I want to add a few inches so I can get the dash out further. I need to call Autometer and really pin them down on the specs on the hose. See, they say that it needs to be "level" with the gauge and no sharp bends. Well, I got that, but what kind of a bend that's what I want to know. Can it be a gentile bend, like a few extra inches under the dash sorta bending as it goes to the gauge? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[nvrenuf]

I've got a pressure gauge mounted in the lower left factory gauge hole and the isolator is on the firewall about 8"-12" towards the center from the brake booster, I've never had any issue with the hose or even making it level. Just make sure the hose is full of the "special fluid" (seems like it's antifreeze).

 

[Raider L]

@nvrenuf,

That's correct, it's ethylene glycol or, yep, anti-freeze. I've yet to get Autometer to tell me why ethylene glycol so that's what it be. Oh, so you put yours on the firewall? Yeah, I just didn't want anything to go wrong since rebuilding my truck was the first time I ever did anything like that before. I helped other people for years but never had a hot rod of my own. And when the time came I just didn't want to be making any mistakes and not know what to do, so I followed the directions to the letter. What are you going to use in the big holes? You know they still have the "in-dash" 3 5/8" or whatever, 3 1/2" diameter speedo and tach that will fit just right, with a little bit of room on the sides for the big holes.

 

[nvrenuf]

Yeah my isolator is on the firewall, it’s fairly close to the distributor. You can barely see the red bracket behind the air cleaner.

You must be registered for see images attach

I’m getting to the end of a dash wiring overhaul, I’ve deleted all the factory stuff and switched to Autometer gauges. All of the gauges are fastened to the trim bezel, there’s literally nothing behind that trim panel now except the steering column and fuse block.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Raider L]

@nvrenuf,

Yeah, I see it hiding back there. I noticed the print on the top of the bracket. My print disappeared a long time ago, I guess from engine compartment heat or something. Probably the fact they've been in there for 25 years.
Yeah, you've got the big gauges. Man, 160 mph? Mine might get up to that speed if you threw it out the back of an airplane and it dropped ten thousand feet, ha, ha. I hadn't seen the 10K tach's much so when I see one it takes me by surprise. I have to take another look to see if that's what it was. Is this your everyday truck? You're not planning on racing it? Why did you choose the 10K tach? Just interested.

 

[nvrenuf]

@Raider L My fuel stuff is old too, probably the only reason mine still has writing is because I don’t use any cleaners on it i just hose it all off if needed. I bought that stuff for a different truck I used to race in mud bogs in the mid 90’s.

The truck will never see 100 mph much less anything higher, it’s too big and probably too much gear to ever get there. (5.86’s and 43’s) The speedo and tach were bought separate and used. I don’t like the ranges on either but this truck is a dedicated wheeler so I wasn’t going to sink $500 in to 2 new gauges. I really don’t even care about having the speedometer but I wanted all of the gauges / holes to be similar. I’d like a 6k tach but this one was $50 and works, I may change it when the “to do” list gets a lot smaller.

I don’t have a pic but I also added a fuel level gauge in the lower left spot where the a/c vent used to be.

 

[Raider L]

@nvrenuf,

Dang! 5.86??!! Ohhh, the mud bogs. Yeah, now that makes more sense. There for a second I thought you were driving down the street with a gear like that. Like, how do you like driving at 25 mph at 5,000 rpm? Ha, ha,

 

[Raider L]

Part of this fuel pressure reinstall is over on the "Electrical, Audio" section under Gauges, Speedo, Instrumentation where I have some pics on making up braided hose and some problems I'm having with it, I don't know why but I have a new idea about solving the current problem.

 

[nvrenuf]

@Raider L I wish there were still bogs and ride-able swamps around me but not anymore. I’m trying to learn how to crawl nowadays but it’s hard not to try and throttle through everything. lol

The gears aren’t bad at all. I’m actually trying to sell my tires now, if i do I’ll be dropping back to a 39.5 TSL. Most folks seem to have +/- 37’s now so the big tires are a waste. I have a friend that used to have a 1st gen Dodge with 6.17’s and 35” Boggers, aside from being really quick and frisky in traffic you really wouldn’t have guessed it had that much gear.

 

[Raider L]

@nvrenuf,

Yes, I've heard of that one. Wow, I would have thought you'd be at such a high rpm you burn through a tank of gas in no time. But it's a whole 'nother story if you're climbing over rocks. You need that tall gear to pull the vehicle over a rock, or wallow through thick, sticky mud. That's like '60's trucks had 4.56 gears for towing that most people had no idea about until they wondered why they kept having to fill up on gas so quick every couple of days. But then again gas was $.27 a gallon. You know, I'm 72 and I can remember being in the car with my dad driving by gas stations that were having a "gas war", just good competition between gas stations, and one station would be $.15 a gal. and the one across the street would be $.13 a gallon. And each had a line of cars waiting to get in. I asked my dad, why are they doing that when gas is $.22 a gallon anyway?

 

[nvrenuf]

My 5.86’s and 43’s are fairly close to 4.10’s and 31’s like you’d find in a stock-ish 3/4 ton.

 

[Turbo4whl]

I had mounted an Auto Meter mechanical fuel gauge out on the cowl. Worked great while It was there. Years later, a state police officer stopped me and said the gauge blocked the view of my windshield safety stickers. Wrote a no fine citation to get it removed. Needed to bring the truck to the barracks later, and get the form signed.

 

[Raider L]

@Turbo4whl,

Don't even get me started!! Are you serious??!! I can't believe that. He must have not had anything else better to do right then. Did it block the inspection sticker? You do know that inspection stickers are nothing more than legalized theft by the state and Federal authorities? Why would a brand new car need an "inspection" right off the showroom floor?? Hell, the thing doesn't even need it's first tune up in a hundred thousand miles. Do you think that five years would be more than enough time before the first inspection? Write your state representative and your U.S. Congressman to get the laws changed. They are stupid and the state is stealing money from you to have to have an inspection anyway.
1.Is your truck unsafe or dangerous for you to drive?
2.Does it present a unsafe or dangerous condition for your fellow motorists?
3.Is it out of control while you are driving it down the city street, county road, or interstate highway.
4.Does driving it on city streets endanger persons, i.e. hop the curb and run over someone, or could do damage to private property, i.e. suddenly crash into a building?
If that cop couldn't answer "yes" to any of those questions, then he had no business stopping you for any reason!!!
He can't see a piece of paper on the windshield?? C'mon, give me a break! Do you see how ridiculous all that is?

 

[Turbo4whl]

Yeah, the officer was profiling me.

The scene: In August 1981 I ordered my 1982 short-bed C1500. Following summer 1982 I turbocharged the engine. Following summer, 1983 I lowered the truck with a 4/6 drop. Not very many late model trucks lowered on the East Coast.

An easy way to return the lube oil from the turbo, remove the fuel pump, make an adaptor plate for the oil return. So I am running electric fuel pumps, one from each tank and the gauge was very handy, as the pumps did not hold up well with the heat.

Back then an officer could not just instantly send your tag to check a person out, so any and all reasons they could find to stop you, take your cards and make a radio call.

So yeah, all nonsense just to check someone out. If I really had a violation, I'm sure he would have written a fine type citation.