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Old Apr 10, 2015 | 09:31 PM
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Low fuel pressure

My friends '03 7.3 fuel pressure will not go over 50 psi. Truck has the factory fuel pump with over 250k on it. Also has riffraff fuel rail crossover installed. I put a normal o-ring on the fuel pressure poppet couple weeks ago since original was torn. Brought it up to 60 psi. I ordered and installed a new poppet with new seal and now it is stuck on 50 psi. The new one I bought does not have the small hole in it like the original. I put the original poppet in with the new seal and still same thing. Also changed springs and still stays at 50 psi. Could the fuel pump be going bad?
 
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Old Apr 11, 2015 | 12:02 AM
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Originally Posted by jt371
My friends '03 7.3 fuel pressure will not go over 50 psi. Truck has the factory fuel pump with over 250k on it. Also has riffraff fuel rail crossover installed. I put a normal o-ring on the fuel pressure poppet couple weeks ago since original was torn. Brought it up to 60 psi. I ordered and installed a new poppet with new seal and now it is stuck on 50 psi. The new one I bought does not have the small hole in it like the original. I put the original poppet in with the new seal and still same thing. Also changed springs and still stays at 50 psi. Could the fuel pump be going bad?
Anything is possible. What is the Pressure at WOT Under Load? So long as the pressure doesn't drop < 42 psig under load, he's okay. These units return 2x what's required to the fuel cell.

There are several other things that can affect fuel pressure:

(Mostly in order of occurrence)

Bent or miss installed spring
Mixing Chamber Filters Clogged.
Fuel Pump
Defective Regulator
Obstructed / Dirty Fuel Bowl
Aftermarket Fuel Filter
Defective Riser in Fuel Bowl
 
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Old Apr 11, 2015 | 03:58 AM
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If he pushes it hard enough the fuel pressure will drop right off. I have removed and reinstalled the spring several times. Im starting to lean towards an issue in the tank.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2015 | 05:26 AM
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Air in fuel can cause this too - bad quick-disconnect O-ring seals on the fuel line from the tank to the pump.

Since the problem started with the installation of the FRx and modifying the regulator, that might be a hint that the fuel pump was on the edge, and the added return flow was just a little too much. You really need to open the fuel bowl drain valve into a container and measure the flow as you look for bubble in fuel.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2015 | 05:54 AM
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The FRx has been on for a couple years. This problem started a couple months ago.
 
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Old Apr 11, 2015 | 03:39 PM
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Sounds like tank or pump to me.
 
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Old Apr 12, 2015 | 08:55 PM
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Pulled tank today and found filters plugged. So did in tank mods. Now pump is super quiet. Only gets about 59 psi at idle, but only drops to about 50 psi when standing on it. So I guess I need to look at the fuel pressure regulator again.
 
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Old Apr 12, 2015 | 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by jt371
Pulled tank today and found filters plugged. So did in tank mods. Now pump is super quiet. Only gets about 59 psi at idle, but only drops to about 50 psi when standing on it. So I guess I need to look at the fuel pressure regulator again.
Those are good numbers! I wouldn't mess with it at all unless he's Stage II or better.
 
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Old Apr 13, 2015 | 04:51 AM
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Originally Posted by jt371
...gets about 59 psi at idle, but only drops to about 50 psi when standing on it...
Originally Posted by whitetmw
...are good numbers! I wouldn't mess with it...
Those are good numbers.
 
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Old Apr 13, 2015 | 06:23 AM
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59 PSI is perfect, but dropping to 50 PSI is not - and that has absolutely nothing to do with the regulator. A regulator's job is to limit the max pressure. Altering the regulator will change the 59 PSI number, but that one is perfect. It's that dip to 50 PSI that would be of concern to me - I never drop below 55 PSI on an OEM pump with my Stage IIs lathing tires.
 
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Old Apr 13, 2015 | 01:51 PM
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Tied pump probably from sucking on those plugged filters. If your going to change injectors I'd change the pump just in case.
 
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