Fuel pressure regulator

ok so im new to the site no sig. yet so first things first.
1995 Riv Sc, no engine mods, aprox. 110K miles.

The problem im having, once ive driven the car and its warmed up. If i turn the car off and then restart it within say an hour usually after driving it somewhat hard. After i restart it while in park it idles very rough almost like its gonna die out , drops too around 500 rpm in park, runs rich. Once i start driving it clears up an runs fine. I've also noticed it seems kinda boggy under WOT almost like its starving of fuel or has a miss but this is the only time it does it. The dealership said to replace the Fuel Pressure Regulator, which i dont know exactly what it does. Just wanted to get some feedback before i drop $150. Hope i've supplied enopugh info.
Thnx Mike

I'd be more likely to guess your injectors are leaking.

You can get a fuel pressure gauge and hook it up to the fuel rails with some adapter hose piece (don't know exactly what you need for that, other than that it exists), that's a good place to start testing. You can see how long it holds pressure after you shut the key off, how much pressure you have with engine on and vac line removed... stuff like that is where you want to start testing.

Thanx Derek greatly appreciated. Makes sense i will do that in the next couple days.

OK so the results are in
key on engine off 32psi
@idle vac line on 30psi
@idle vac line off 39psi

Also its not maintaining pressure after the engine is off.
No visible leaks or fumes.

1995 Riv series 1 S/C w/ 110K miles

Sounds like your fuel pressure is good enough.

I just cured a similar problem in my '95 Chevy Van (350) by replacing the temperature sending unit.

I'm grasping at straws here - the '95 doesn't leave a lot of monitoring capabilities.

OntarioRivi wrote:

OK so the results are in
key on engine off 32psi
@idle vac line on 30psi
@idle vac line off 39psi

Also its not maintaining pressure after the engine is off.
No visible leaks or fumes.

1995 Riv series 1 S/C w/ 110K miles

Isn't it supposed to maintain pressure after engine is shut off for a period of time.?

well thats what i thought and i felt the pressure's were a lil low. Its goin in on the weekend for the oil change som im going to get the fuel filter done and may look into another set of injectors.

Did the dealership scan the car before recomending the FPR?

Some things to check, may or may not be related but good to look at:
-Have a look around at all the vaccum tubes, there is one that often falls off that connects to the big black rect. vaccum box at the back on the engine bay, there should be a vac tube on the lower right corner of it; make sure its attached.
-make sure plugs and wires are fresh
-check that the IAT sensor is plugged in, its the litle sensor that plugs into your stock airbox
-fuel filter change - located near the rear on the drivers side, new filter can be picked up cheap from crappy tire and can be changed with simple hand tools
-give the MAF sensor a clean: on your throttle body is a little black square held on with 4 screws, should be normal phillips on the series one, un clip the electrical connector and pull the black square straight out. Use some rubbing alchol and a q-tip to *very* gently stroke each of the two little two wires in the sensor.(expensive sensor, don;t be worried, but be careful), often this will help poor idleing conditions especially if an over oiled k&n filter has been used.
-*could* be a bad o2 sensor, but thats a bit expensive to be changing just to find out.

If the dealer had good reason to suggest the fuel pressure regulator( like they scanned the car and actually looked at the numbers to deduce that), I have an old one that works that I could mail you to try. Which is better than being out 150 bucks for a new one that may not fix things. The FPR is not too bad to change, but if your old one is the orig. one it will be *tight* and is much eaiser to get out if you pull the fuel rail off( our FPR is way in the back as opposed to the series 2 one thats in the front). The FPR is just held in by a snap ring and o-rings.

Or if you want to head a bit closer to my way some weekend I can give you a hand with giving it a scan and trying a few things(I'm in Barrie).

*edit: and if you look into injectors and find them a bit pricey, let me know, cause I have a spare set of 6 I can let go for cheap

Try this: When you suspect your car has gone through the right circumstances to act in this way... BEFORE you start the car, cycle the key on for three seconds (without starting), then off, then back on for another three seconds, then back off, then on, then start it. What this is doing is cycling the fuel pump and building pressure in the fuel lines. If the car starts and runs fine after doing this after several attempts, then your original problem is the fact that you're bleeding off fuel pressure. On Fords, which I'm more familiar with, it is 90% of the time the valve built into the fuel pumps to keep fuel pressure from bleeding back into the tank, however someone else mentioned fuel injectors which is another very likely culprit. Also a fuel filter, while it doesn't sound like your problem here, is NEVER a bad idea, and very cheap/easy to do.

Hey everyone, I believe I've found my fuel delivery problem. I went to remove my pcv valve to check if it rattles and I end up with oil and gas smell coming off the spring and pcv. I also removed several vacuum lines and can smell gasoline. My guess is the FPR. I've tried looking how to remove it but it seems the metal hoses on thefuel rail attaching to the FPR WERE WELDED TOGATHER so I don't think I can remove them. Has anyone else came across this? Do i need a new fuel rail and fpr? I'm already thinking about doing my fuel pump and filter while I'm at it

I wouldn't jump to conclusions here. It is normal for the crankcase fumes to contain a small amount of oil/gas fumes from blow by. pull the dip stick, and smell the oil on the stick. If you smell fuel, then you have a problem. The PCV system purges the crank case of fumes that would normally build up pressure inside the valley.

JacobsRedRivi wrote:

Hey everyone, I believe I've found my fuel delivery problem.  I went to remove my pcv valve to check if it rattles and I end up with oil and gas smell coming off the spring and pcv. I also removed several vacuum lines and can smell gasoline. My guess is the FPR. I've tried looking how to remove it but it seems the metal hoses on thefuel rail  attaching to the FPR WERE WELDED TOGATHER so I don't think I can remove them. Has anyone else came across this? Do i need a new fuel rail and fpr? I'm already thinking about doing my fuel pump and filter while I'm at it

The FPR is just held in by a snap ring and o-rings. On the 95 you might want to remove the fuel rail as a unit b/c it's easier to pullthe FPR if you do. On the Series II SC engine (97-) it's on the front and you can reach the clips.

Yes the metal hoses on the fuel rail are welded together, no surprse there.

You *do* have the factory service manual (not A service manual, rather The Factory manual), no?

UPDATE: Hey Thanks for the help guys i was able to remove the FPR without removing the fuel rail. super easy.

Just take a Flathead screwdriver and press it between the snap ring and the FPR housing once its in just twist slightly and pull, It should pop out enough for you to get some pliers in and pull it off.

Took me like 20 miniutes