I reached that huge milestone in the build - the 'let's see if she starts' day.

Duratec V6 with MBE ECU but otherwise bog standard. Everything connected, 2 gallons of fuel in the twin tanks, turned the key .......... lots of starter motor noises but nothing firing. Discovered that I had the fuel lines on the wrong way round (hey it's easily done innit) so swapped them round and tried again.

Fart .... pop ..... bang bang pop.....

Checked the fuel return from the fuel regulator - practically nothing coming back to the tank - just a few drops!

Checked fuel pressure on feed side - 4.5 bar (Ford say it should be 2.7 max)

The regulator is apparently not kicking in at the right pressure so it could be the source of the problem.

Question - is too much fuel pressure going to stop things firing up?

It could be holding the injectors closed. Or at least stopping them opening enough to allow sufficient fuel in.

That's what I was thinking, but then I looked at FSE Powerboost valves and they state that the fuel pressure is increased by 1.7 times to 'reduce flat spots' That would mean that the pressure could be up to 4.5 bar vusing one of these gizmos.

I'm a tad confused .....

If you turn the engine over does fuel come out of the return pipe at a reasonable rate at all? Or just a few drops regardless of what you do? Are the plugs wet when pulled? Are you getting sparks? All the sensors in place, or moved but not put back correctly, ie the intake temp sensor?

Fuel just dribbles out of the return regardless of what I do. Sometimes it will give a little gush when the pump primes (but not every time) The pressure just stays at 4.5 bar the whole time so I guess that proves the pump is ok (Landy pump by the way)

All sensors are where they should be - the MBE just has an ambient sensor so nothing in the inlet tract at all.

Although I havent pulled a plug I assume I am getting sparks because of all the popping and banging that is going on.

Could the outlet for the fuel rail be blocked somehow? Would this cause any problems? Are the injectors known to be working? If they've been sat for a while they could've become gummed up/jammed shut?

Thanks for all the help Si - much appreciated.

The engine has been sitting in my chassis almost from the start of my 18 month build so I guess that the injectors might be a bit gummed up and reluctant to get moving again. Maybe I should get them ultrasonically cleaned?

The feed and return pipes are clear to the regulator connections so no problems there.

The engine came out of a write off but was heard running before it was ripped out (70k on the clock)

As the regulator is definitely measuring too high pressure I will replace it anyway to be sure (but I am pondering about these 'power boost valves' now) The injectors might free themselves up now that they are immersed in fuel or am I just wishful thinking?

[Edited on 18-6-06 by RazMan]

there is an way to clean injectors that may help, but damn if i can remember it! i must of read about it on here or from a link on here so if anyone knows what i am talking about please tell me!!

i think it involves dunking the injectors in a bath of injector cleaner stuff, but am not sure.

I would change the fuel reg and see what happens. If its standard and should be dumping at 2.7 theres gotta be a problem there.

Have u got the standard intake system on it? Has it got a filter on? A lot engines wont fire unless the filter is on giving a slight restriction in air flow. As its aftermarket ecu this may not count but worth a try.


If the injectors are gummed up they will free off in the end. Take the plugs out and see if its shooting fuel out. It may even have just flooded itself and wont get rid of it..

Are you sure the spark timing is right etc?

I've now ordered an aftermarket fuel regulator (FSE Boost Valve) which should be with me tomorrow so at least I can eliminate fuel pressure problems. It might give me a bit more power too if the sales blurb can be believed.

I reckon the injectors are also a bit sticky due to the downtime of the engine, so maybe now that they have been soaking in fuel for a day or two, they might kick in properly when I get to try it again - although I might take them out and give them a clean in some injector cleaner. I will check the state of the (new) plugs while I'm at it and check the timing is about right. The MBE ecu is loaded with a base map which SHOULD give me a starting point with a final setup on the rollers before sva. I know of at least one other V6 with this map which is currently running well.

btw - The filter was connected while I was trying to get it started so that's not an issue.

One way I heard of for checking injectors is to connect them directly across a battery. Sort of flick the power through them. This should make them open. Not sure if this might damage the injectors, but others on here have done this with no problems.

Hmmmm, I'm a bit reluctant to fiddle about with them too much. 6 new injectors would be quite expensive

daft but surprisingly common problem is the regulator in the right way round?!?

In this case it is the type that sits on the fuel rail and bolts onto a casting - not an in-line one

I think putting injectors striaght to a battery may melt them but thats only a guess. Im assuming a bowl of petrol and redex mixed up would be good to clean them as its injector cleaner just try not to immerse the rubbers if theyre still on.

if you take the regulator off, disconnect the coil connector and crank her over, does petrol come out the end of the fuel rail? if not, you have a problem with the pump, or a blockage in the fuel rail, if petrol does come out, and it will come out at a rate of notts from a EFi pump, then its more likely that its the regulator.

also, have you got any pictures of the engine in your kit, i was looking around but could not see any :-(

As the fuel regulator was set too high there was very little flow from return feed - no blockages anywhere.

I'm fitting the new regulator later so hopefully I'll be able to post some good news then

Here's a pic of the engine in the rolling chassis ( it is in my archive)

[img][/img]

quote:

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Originally posted by RazMan
In this case it is the type that sits on the fuel rail and bolts onto a casting - not an in-line one

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Funny you should say that

I did have them on the wrong way round initially but quickly realised my error when I went to check the fuel pressure (how exactly do you suck eggs anyway?)

New regulator fitted set at 3 bar as recommended by the ecu supplier. Still just getting opos & bangs although it did run (verry lumpy) for about 10 seconds.
I felt the header pipes and only pots 1,3 & 5 seem to be firing at all. Its starting to look like the fuel injectors.

I have just nabbed an ST200 manifold with injectors on eBay so I will swap these over when I get them next week.

Meanwhile I have rigged up the pc and loaded the diagnostic software, Easymap. All sensors appear to be working, injectors are pulsing (might be blocked though) so it looks like my wiring is ok (phew)

I just called at my local injector specialist and got a quote of £120 to clean & test my injectors!