Fuel Pressure Help

[01silverado]

If anyone has any ideas let me know. My fuel pressure was at 35 so I changed the fuel filter and nothing happened. Then I changed the Fuel Regulator and now it will go up to 40psi when I romp on it but stays at 35 at idle. Vaccum is between 12-15psi on the intake. Do I need a fuel pump? Is the best way to put a pump in is lift the bed or drop the tank?

Also, while I was changing my Fuel Pressure reg. the small O-ring on the end dropped into the fuel rail. Is that going to cause problems. Could it get into an injector. What is the best way of getting it out? The O-ring is a little less than 1/4in diameter.
Thanks for all the help.
Jason

[RedHeartbeat]

The best place to check the fuel pump to see if it's putting out enough pressure is at the fuel line before the filter. Get an adapter and test it there. You could have a faulty regulator, bad pump or leaking fuel line connection inside the tank. Usually it's the pump itself that gives the problems, so I'd test it before the filter.

[Turborado]

Well I wouldn't recommend leaving that o-ring in the fuel rail because it could become a restriction. You might have to remove the rail to get it out, though. I have found it easier to slide the bed back to do the fuel pumps on these trucks, but you can do it either way. You will need a couple of helpers to move that bed though.
If you have already done a new regulator and filter then my guess is the pump if going out.

[01silverado]

If I disconnect the line going into the filter and just put a gauge on the end of the line will it hurt anything not using the return line? I hope that made since.

[RedHeartbeat]

Won't hurt anything. It's not like you're going to run it for five minutes. Just power it up until the fuel pressure stabilizes at 60 lbs or greater. If it won't get pressure there, you wont have it further upstream.

[01silverado]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RedHeartbeat &#064; Jun 22 2006, 04&#58;19 PM) [snapback]56020[/snapback]</div>

Won&#39;t hurt anything. It&#39;s not like you&#39;re going to run it for five minutes. Just power it up until the fuel pressure stabilizes at 60 lbs or greater. If it won&#39;t get pressure there, you wont have it further upstream.
[/b]

Pressure went to around 65 before the filter, but was sprayin fuel a little through the fittings so I just checked it a couple of times real quickly. Also, with the gauge hooked up in the normal position, I turned the ignition on (motor off) and the pressure went up to 40psi but after a couple of min dropped to 20psi or so. Anybody have any ideas??

[RedHeartbeat]

Sounds like the filter isn&#39;t flowing correctly. Dirty, clogged or defective. Can you check the fuel pressure before the fuel rail?

my next question is are you sure the fuel gauge you are using is accurate? Can you compare readings with a different gauge?

One final thing, does your engine ping and rattle when you drive it with the low pressure? If so, I&#39;d trust the gauge. Low pressure is going to make the engine run like crap.

[01silverado]

Well I finally figured out what was wrong. I checked my brothers truck and his read 40psi also. Both of our trucks run great so I went to a mechanic and he checked it with his gauge and it read 55. I guess my autometer gauge is bad. So I&#39;m looking for a fuel pressure gauge if anybody has one. thanks for all the help.

[chrisj6]

I have a fuel pressure gauge from Advance Auto for &#036;40. Actually it was &#036;40.01 with tax and it works perfectly. Mine reads a steady 54lbs at idle.

Chris