klatk

Car: 88 N/A vert

Symptoms: At first I was having problems accelerating but thought it might be the clutch slipping cuz I was still able to rev the engine decently in neutral. The next time I started the car, I was having difficulty getting rpms over 1500 with my foot to the floor. Very soon after that, under any load, the engine dies and sometimes it doesn't even want to idle in neutral. And there's an incredibly strong smell of gasoline.

Oh and yeah, for a little while now, more often than not, I've had to apply some gas in order to get the car started.

From what I've read on other posts, the pulsation damper is often blamed, but I don't know. When I tried the fuel pump check, a hissing sound seems to come from the fuel pressure regulator (I can make the sound of the hissing change by feeling around it).

I tried to see if the pulsation damper was pulsating or not with the car at idle, but I couldn't tell.

I guess my first question is, is it likely that I'm right about it being the pressure regulator, or could it be from somewhere else? (and if so, where?) I really don't have any of the tools to perform real pressure checks, and I'm not familiar with all of the lines or hoses (all I've got is the Haynes book here).

Secondly, how much is the PD supposed to pulsate? how frequently, how strongly?

If it's as easy as replacing the fuel pressure regulator (looks pretty easy), then I'd like to save some cash and do it myself, but if it's something else harder to find or replace, then I may have to take my car to a professional...

Any words of wisdom for me?

Thanks,
Kevin

HAILERS

If I smelled fuel I would.......Jumper the FUEL PUMP CHECK CONNECTOR, turn the key to the on position (do not start car) and look for leaks by sight and smell. When you jumpered the fuel pump check connector with a jumper wire you turned the fuel pump on and the system is pressurized. Frankly I can't feel the pulsation damper pulsate with my finger on it. If I put one end of a screwdriver on it and the other end of the screwdriver pressed to my ear I can hear it. If you do not observe fuel with the jumper in and still smell fuel you might take the dynamic chamber off and do the same again, that way you can see all the fuel lines and injectors.

klatk

When I jumpered the puel pump check connector I can hear the fuel pump trying to pressurize the system, but it can't get there and it's on continuously. There is a hissing noise that says to me *leak!!!* and I was kinda semi-certain that it was coming from the fuel pressure regulator or the hose connecting to it. There's no smell of fuel though, until I actually start the engine.

Am I supposed to be smelling fuel with just the check connector jumpered?

Can the pressure regulator gasket go bad? The Mazda parts guy's telling me that they almost never have to replace the pressure regulator... it's always the PD. How can I be more certain that it is or isn't the PD?

Aieeee!!!!

Kevin