I noticed a few days back my fuel PSI was around 54 at idle. This morning it stayed below 58. Cruising, I'll see around 52-56, and heavier throttle will drop the PSI way down, into the mid-40's.

Those numbers are low, correct?
When I first completed the tank mods, I would see 59 psi at idle.

Current fuel set up;
STOCK tune (waiting for my chip to return from PHP)
Hutch/Harpoon
Baldwin BF1212 pre-pump filter (8k miles / 9 months old)
Factory style bowl filter (around 12k miles old)

Where should I start? Filters? Both?

Maybe I should ask another question... What's the recommended 1212 pre-pump filter change-interval? Am I over due? (I hate missing maintenance cycles )

 

I also have the 1212 setup and I plan on changing mine today as its been a year already. I'd say I'm over due as well. I think 6 months is a better interval.

 

I did my hutch and harpoon back in November, around 6k mi ago. I use the bf1173 as a pre pump filter and changed it last week. (I'm also getting a drop in fuel pressure under med. to heavy acceleration) Well when I changed the filter I opened the old one up to inspect and it was very clean. It could have gone two to three times longer I think.

 

I just swapped the spin-on with a fresh filter. No change. PSI was stable at 53-54 at idle. I'll drive it tonight and see how it reacts with a load. I'll pick up a bowl filter too.

My 9 month old BF1212 had a decent amount of sediment in it from what I could see. I did not cut it open.

 

Your fuel filter may be it. When you did the Hutch, did you do away with all QDs... including the pump inlet?

 

After some drive time with the clean BF1212, I'm seeing 58-59 at idle, and 49-50 under heavy pedal.

Yup, double hose clamps on the pump inlet and the tank outlet. I used the supplied clamp-less push-on barbed fittings for the filter base that came with the Strictly kit.

 

Not to hi jack, but.... idle at 55; cruising at 65 lbs. When stomping on pedal can get as low as 10 psi. Filters less then 3000 miles on them. Baldwin 1212 and stock bowel filter, measured after filters. Any thoughts?

 

And I thought mine was low....

 

And I thought mine was low....

I just put the gauge in a couple of weeks ago. Seemed very low to me also. Hopefully someone here has some insight on this. Leaning towards a new pump now, but don't want to pull the trigger on the buckzoka till I'm positive.

 

Rich is following along, and he's got a lot of experience with the fuel systems...

...I just hope he doesn't have a copyright on "buckzooka".

 

Aaron, your pressures sound normal. I get the same, with 50psi the lowest with the pedal down in 60e, stock sticks. I use the BF1212 as well. I'm told that may have to change to a screen filter with 160/0's in the future.

 

You and I are configured close enough to the same that I have direct experience. You saw me ask about removing the quick-disconnects during the Hutch mod, this question applies to yours as well. If the QDs are gone and you have a transparent fuel screen on the frame, you can verify there is no air between the tank and the filter.

One other thing to review is the intake to the pump. You can always disconnect the outlet of the pump and pull the fuel strainer to allow blowing air backwards through the pump. Have a paper towel where the air blows out of the fuel line to see if the pump's blowin' chunks.

Your fuel filter can be "expired". I always use the Motorcraft fuel filter, because it has a layer designed to deal with water in fuel. If you have one of those fancy-schmancy water separators or spin-on filters before the pump (like I used to)... well THERE'S your problem. You want nothing more than a diesel rated strainer before the pump... at least when you're dealing with 160/100 on a stock pump.

Stinky gets as low as 45 PSI on rare occasions, but a typical WOT run stays above 50 PSI. As you know, things happen so fast, you barely have time to get a reading on a gauge before you have to get out of it. All my gauges have alarms, so I know when I exceed any of my limits. 45 PSI on the fuel is still OK, but that's crowding it. 10 PSI? That can hurt your injectors... you'll want to stop doing that.