Low priced regulated return options?

Turbo Man · Mar 9, 2013

I have 200/30 injectors and I'm having a lot of fuel pressure drop. I dont really run my truck that hard. I still havent ran WOT yet in fear of killing my trans. under good HEAVY accelleration I am having fuel pressure drop to 50. What will WOT do? I have a Riffraff FRx And idol pressure is about 62. I did the hutch mod and have a prepump spin on filter and the stock Ford fuel pump. I believe I may need a full regulated return. Anyone have any cheaper than $500 options for a regulated return? What are the pros and cons of feeding from the front or rear? Any opinions and suggestions are appreciated. Thank you!

Strictly Diesel · Mar 9, 2013

Absolutely NO difference between front or rear feed. We feed the front because we want to keep the fuel going TO the injectors away from as much heat as possible before it gets there. It will still pick up heat through the filter bowl (if still there), feed lines and fuel rails...but why pass it right by a hot turbo and exhaust up-pipes too?

With 200s, there is a good chance you will need more than an RR kit. I would start there because the improvements in fuel flow and pressure management are worth it, but if you're still running a stock fuel pump (can't tell from your signature) you may need to upgrade.

Our kit isn't that much over your $500 budget. IMO, the quality and fit are worth the extra cost...

Breaking Habits · Mar 9, 2013

Strictly Diesel said:
Absolutely NO difference between front or rear feed. We feed the front because we want to keep the fuel going TO the injectors away from as much heat as possible before it gets there. It will still pick up heat through the filter bowl (if still there), feed lines and fuel rails...but why pass it right by a hot turbo and exhaust up-pipes too?

With 200s, there is a good chance you will need more than an RR kit. I would start there because the improvements in fuel flow and pressure management are worth it, but if you're still running a stock fuel pump (can't tell from your signature) you may need to upgrade.

Our kit isn't that much over your $500 budget. IMO, the quality and fit are worth the extra cost...

Dennis is right, and his kits set the bar high.

under pressure · Mar 9, 2013

theres a couple kits in the classifieds

jaybuller · Mar 9, 2013

50 psi seems still very good. Isnt stock pressure something like 58ish? I would keep an eye on it going WOT and see how far it realy drops. I myself wouldn't be concerned with 50 psi at WOT under a load.

Arisley · Mar 9, 2013

You can build a full fuel system from scratch. If you find a good deal on a used regulator, another stock fuel pump. If you are pretty good at fabrication, you can save a little money. I built mine, all hand bent steel lines where possible. If I had to do it over again, I would buy either Dennis' or David Lott's kit.

INFRNL · Mar 10, 2013

@jaybuller; It is not good to have 62@idle and drop all the way to 50psi. You really shouldn't drop in psi at all if you have a good fuel system. I would say a couple psi is ok. Maintaining fuel pressure is always best.

@ the op, I am not sure on pricing of kits. I have a complete Strictly Diesel kit from Inside the tank up to the motor. I also opted to eliminate my stock fuel bowl. My particular setup cost quite a bit, but I think it was worth it.
There are other options out there, but I have not researched it much. My top picks would be Strictly diesel, Diesel Innovations, Irate Diesel, or I have heard great things about Marty's products.
I'm sure you could also figure out a way to do a DIY setup and use walboro pumps. To do a good regulated return setup will not be too cheap no matter how you look at it though

lincolnlocker · Mar 10, 2013

what everyone has said is spot on... i know a couple people wont recommend a walbro 392 but it flows more then a stock pump and does work well. it will last with proper pre pump filtration. i have seen a stock fuel system(stock regulator and all) hold 60psi steadily, running 250cc inj with only a walbro pump....

but before all this, what filter are you using for your pre pump filter? check the fuel pressure regulator... take it apart and make sure there are no nicks of any sort in any of the o rings. been there done that drove me nuts till i found a nick in the o ring..

live life full throttle

Bigsexy · Mar 10, 2013

I priced the stuff to do a regulated return. For good fittings and good steel braided line your not saving much. Your also on your own to figure out the measurements to.

Turbo Man · Mar 10, 2013

Here is a pic of my prepump filter. Is it too restrictive and mabe causing my pressure drop? As far as upgrading fuel pumps. I have seen people using 2 stock pumps in parallel. Will 2 stock pumps work for my setup? Is 2 stock pumps the cheapest/easiest way to go? Here is also my in tank mod, I don't think there is too much restriction there. I have read a little about the Walbro pump but it didn't sound too reliable from what I read. Thanks!

Turbo Man · Mar 10, 2013

Well it looks like I'm going to have to sell some things to help with $ for my regulated return. Im a full time single dad raising my 11 year old daughter. She is starting to get expensive. DP tuner F5, Riffraff FRx, and new Ford passenger fuel line. That should get me close as far as $

jaybuller · Mar 10, 2013

what gpm does the stock pump flow at 50 psi? I bet its more than you can burn on the hottest setting with the hammer down! I really don't think you could run those injectors dry with 50 psi of fuel still feeding them.
I guess I really need to look into how much flow is happening at certain psi levels with the stock pump.

Turbo Man · Mar 10, 2013

I was told I should be able to run a stock fuel pump and hpop with these injectors. I'm just worried about damaging my $2k injectors. I also want everything running efficiently to get the best fuel mileage.

jaybuller · Mar 10, 2013

I hear ya. but since you have the frx already and everything looks like its working great why spend the money for the rr? now if you were dropping psi down past 20 or 30 I would start to get a little worried but stil not going to damage anything because that means while your draining your injectors there is still enough fuel pushing in behind that fuel going into your engine to create pressure. on a side note with my setup with now fuel delivery mods other than the frx my pressure drops from 64 psi to 55psi at wot on a long hard pull. but im not worried at all and I know Im not running out of fuel.

Arisley · Mar 10, 2013

Dual stock fuel pumps run in parallel work great. With the added benefit of, if you lose a pump, there is still enough fuel to supply you as long as you stay out of it.

lincolnlocker · Mar 10, 2013

65 psi is the ideal pressure for optimum performance. but it still should NOT drop any pressure what so ever...

op, your filter is fine... i think that is the cross reference to the baldwin bf1212 that most sell with there pre pump kits. i ran the frx for a couple years until this past summer when i thought i had some problems... i changed my pump out with a new one, didnt help, took the frx out of the equation, didnt help.... added a pre pump filter and a carter high flow low pressure pump, 5/8 pickup tube and 1/2 inch lines from tank to pump, didnt help, bought a aeromotive regulator to bypass the stock fuel pressure regulator, and WALA!! holds rock solid at 65 psi with no drop what so ever.. i took the frx apart and ran those liines to the aero regulator, plugged one hole on the frx block and drilled it out so it would flow better and ran the return from the bottom of the aero reg to the frx for the return line and blocked off the stock fuel pressure reg....

since that was the fix i tore into the stock fuel regulator to see what the deal was, turns out that there are more o rings inside it then what i knew about... and sure as chit one of the internal o rings where tore... i would check that first, and check it closely because the slightest little tare will hinder it... they sell rebuild kits for it... im not saying that is the problem but try that as thats the cheapest fix first and proly after that you can replace your pump.. riffraff diesel has the cheapest price for the stock bosch pump at 145$ so i would do that after i checked the fpr o rings... i am not sure if riffraff or any other vendor sells that rebuild kit or not but i am sure dieselorings.com does.

please try this stuff first before doing anything else... like i said 65psi shouldnt be a problem at all with your setup..

jay, its been proven on the dyno that under 65 psi hinders performance.. you are correct that it will not hurt the injectors unless psi drops below 17 psi and the plunger contacts and bottoms out in the injector. thats straight from casserly himself.... but you can do what you want though! it may also matter where your taking your psi reading from... if its 50 psi at the fuel bowl, is it still the same at the injectors... in a ideal setup thats not dropping psi will measure the same at the fuel bowl that it will at the regulated return regulator... that way you know exactly what its doing.... i also did that with my setup just out of curiosity and when the psi was dropping it was worse coming out of the heads..

also would like to add that before i started messing withh all this crap that i had a bone stock fuel system with only a walbro and it held solid at 65psi even at wot.... but i got a bunch of chit in my tank and it trashed the pump... thats when i started to change things..
live life full throttle

Dieselfever · Mar 10, 2013

I've had 200/30's in my '97 for over 5 years now, My fuel system is a stock SD pump that feeds the back of the heads with the DI fittings and returns from the front of the engine to an Aeromotive regulator. My pressure is set at 65-67 psi and will drop to 62-63 psi at WOT in my hottest programs (Dyno'd 401/807 in '09). That was with a factory 15 degree HPOP

When in good working order the factory SD pumps have enough volume to supply those injectors IMO, its just how you get it from the tank to the engine. Your probably reading pressure at the factory fuel filter housing and I know the factory fittings where the lines from the bowl connect to the head are very restricted, so you can figure that if pressure before the heads is dropping then the actual pressure in the head is less. Swamps recommends no less than 40 psi to the injectors(no matter what size). I would find a way to hook your fuel pressure gauge to the plugged 1/8" passage on the front of the passenger side head and check pressure again, then see how much pressure is actually at the injectors. Best case scenario you may have a weak factory fuel pump.

under pressure · Mar 10, 2013

Diesel orings has the plunger Kit for the fuel bowl regulator, also, did your frx come with pressure springs ?

Turbo Man · Mar 10, 2013

Sounds like I should at least try the black spring 66-72 psi for my FRx. I am only at 62 at idol now. I can't remember which port but my fuel pressure sender is in the back of the fuel bowl.