Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

Post by rjkoop »

In preparation for checking the hissing noise near my fuel pump on my '81, to relieve the fuel pressure I took off the FI line for the cold start injector (car had been sitting for 12 hours or so). I expected fuel to squirt out. I got nothing when I took the hose off. Is that normal? Or should I expect PSI even after sitting overnight? I'm thinking the fuel is draining back into the tank when the car is off. I have no fuel leaks anywhere. Should the fuel pump or the pressure regulator maintain pressure when the car is sitting to ensure car starts quickly when cold? I noticed that it now takes a bit of time to start when before it started immediately. Maybe there is a 1-way valve in the fuel pump that has gone bad causing this issue and the hissing noise. Just guessing here...
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

Post by rjkoop »

Any thoughts on this issue?

Personally I think the hiss noise is from a minor crack in the plastic section of the fuel pump. It sounds worse when I adjust the angle of the pump because it opens the crack a bit. And when I shutoff the car is looses pressure and then takes a while to start to rebuild the pressure. Like I said no leaks anywhere.
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

Post by rjkoop »

And here's the sound of the fuel pump running (not great quality sound but hopefully you get the idea).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Mn1Ve ... e=youtu.be

I took off the AFM boot and opened the flap manually to get the fuel pump to run. Sound normal?
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RRoller123
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Your car is a: 1980 FI SPIDER 2000
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Re: Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

Post by RRoller123 »

I am pretty sure that you should have gotten fuel to spurt out of the CSI fitting when it was removed, even after sitting.... but I am not sure if it would hold pressure for 12 hours. Maybe hook it back up, run the pump and then pull the CSI fitting within a few minutes, don't rush. Beware it should spurt with great force!! Wear safety glasses and wrap a rag around the fitting, don't do this with warm engine!

Pete
'80 FI Spider 2000
'74 and '79 X1/9 (past)
'75 BMW R75/6
2011 Chevy Malibu (daily driver)
2010 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab 4WD/STD BED
2002 Edgewater 175CC 80HP 4-Stroke Yamaha
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User avatar
rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Sitting 12 hours - no PSI at old start injector

Post by rjkoop »

Thanks for the info.

I did some more fuel related work on the car (eg. ensuring the gas vapor lines/valves are working correctly, all fuel lines are tight with no fuel smell) and the car starts within a second of turning the key and runs and accelerates fine. So I think I won't worry about this anymore unless I have an issue.
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