Well I finally was able to get my car running earlier this week.....it took along time to get it started but she eventually did. It was idling then for approximately 10 minutes but then it began to overheat some so I shut it off.

Well I am trying to get it started again so that I can try and fix my overheating problem but my car won't stay running long enough to try and do anything. Most people won't have this problem, but a few of you with an Aeromotive A1000 FP may be able to help me. I know it does not have a schrader valve on it so fuel pressure is not help constant in the lines once the pump quits running. I can not start my car by letting the pump prime and then starting it. I have to start the car while the pump is priming and then it will stay running anywhere from 1-20 secs. before it dies.

I am running a -10 Feed line into a pair of -8 lines to both rails in parallel. Then a -8 return line from both rails to an SX FPR, and back to the tank via another -8 line. I have no evaporative system on my car, I doubt that matters much, but just in case, I am letting you know.

My question is about fuel pressure and why the car won't stay running. Could I have too low of pressure, too high of pressure, too much fuel coming in via my 750 pri/1680 sec injectors, not enough fuel, etc...? What would cause my car to start only when the pump is priming and only run for a few seconds now.

I don't know what else you need to know about my car, it has a brand new ported motor in it, we have used ATF to start it, we have unflooded it a few times, I am just trying to figure this out and I am sure someone knows what the problem is and possibly how to fix it. I am also running an Aeromotive Fuel Pump controller as well wired through the factory wiring so it will still use the ECU for transition from low to high voltage.

Thanks,
Scott

 

How old is the pump? How is it mounted? Check the voltage while priming and trying to start. Those were problems on a buddy of mines car. He had a dual pump setup and one of them wasn't working properly and he had voltage issues.

 

The pump is brand new. I will check the voltage, but I believe it is operating at 9 volts on low and 12 volts on high.

 

When ever you crank the engine the fuel pump starts running so unless you have no fuel pressure while cranking it is not a pump related problem. If the pump does not come on while cranking then something is probably wired incorrectly. Call me a t work today Scott and I will try to help you figure it out.
NICK

 

Does the Aeromotive run properly on the 9V run voltage ?

 

Scott, I have the exact same setup as You. I sumped the tank and running the same size lines and injectors.
My car would do the same thing as yours and I had to ATF it many times.

I think Your problem is in Your fuel maps and timing. I tried to use maps from a T-70 for My street port and T-72. I thought the maps would be fine but they were not right for My car. If You are running a PFC try using the default maps just to see if the car will idle with near stock maps. After I tried the default maps and got it running I new it was just a map problem.

Now I see that You are overheating also and that is also a problem I had do to not enough fuel and wrong timing at idle. If You have a wide band what are Your idle AFR`s? What fuel pressure are You running?

By adding some fuel and adjusting the timing You should be able to get it to idle then do the fine idle tuning after.

 

It could be the maps, I am not sure though...these maps were used on a friends car and he was also running the 756/1680 injector combo, the T78, Greddy 3 row, and all that....but he was running the stock pump, stock fuel lines into the engine bay and a -6 feed, and he was running a non-ported motor.

So they are not perfect, but I figured they would at least let the car start and idle properly.

I am wondering about the battery source that I have the pump wired into.....where does everyone else have their pump wired into? I am using a fuse slot near the interior fuse box, I have no idea what it goes to...but I know that with the car off, it is dead, but when the key is turned to the on position, it has power, so it is a switchable source....but it may not have enough voltage in it or it may not be a constant power, I am not sure. I will be checking all the voltage today to see if I am just not getting enough power to the pump.

If I am, then I will check the maps and see if I can reset them or something. I do not have a WB on it at the moment...I can't get it to stay running long enough to use it anyways....but I will get one hooked up this weekend to see how bad it is running.

 

To be completely certain on the voltage just rewire the pump directly off the battery with a relay, and just find any ignition source and use that to switch the relay on & off.

 

Yes, use a relay and direct battery power. I used a switch and the relay with a fair sized power cable from the battery. What is Your base fuel pressure?

 

40psi

 

I just seen Your post at Nopistons. Why are You running two relays? I would simplify Your setup with one relay and a switch and dont worry about the stock wires. Again if You are having problems keeping fuel in the lines at idle You are going to have big problems under load. Are You using the Aeromotive fuel pump controller?
Does the pump sound like it is cavitating and how did You sump Your tank and where is the pump mounted?

 

I just seen Your post at Nopistons. Why are You running two relays? I would simplify Your setup with one relay and a switch and dont worry about the stock wires. Again if You are having problems keeping fuel in the lines at idle You are going to have big problems under load. Are You using the Aeromotive fuel pump controller?
Does the pump sound like it is cavitating and how did You sump Your tank and where is the pump mounted?

"I can not start my car by letting the pump prime and then starting it. I have to start the car while the pump is priming and then it will stay running anywhere from 1-20 secs. before it dies"

This sounds like You are flooding the car to Me.

 

I may be....I can't tell. How could I tell if I was just flooding it? I know my injector duty is down near 9-10% at idle (when it idles).

I am running the Aeromotive Fuel Pump Controller, hence the two switches. One for the PWR and one for the SWT.

My A1000 is mounted in tank.

 

You should look at adding a fuel pressure gauge to your set up , it will greatly assist in situations like this . but if you think about it a carb . equipped car will idle once the mixture is right , so excessive (beyond normal ,ie 40 + psi ) pressure aren't needed . From my experience with my car , I use the same pump by the way , she wouldn't or like in your case would only idle for a short period if the mixture is wrong .
When ever you get it to idle , go round the back and see if you can determine if it's actually "rich" , you should smell the gas and it can even cause your eyes to burn , it should idle more readily if it's on the richer side , if however its on the leaner side it wont idle at all , I also run 36psi at idle.

 

I checked the voltage going to the Fuel Pump Controller. I have 17.2v going from my battery source to the controller...15.3v going to the pump.....17.2v going to the SWT.......and 0.0v going to the PWR.

I know my Voltmeter is a bit off, even though it is a brand new Craftsman, I should not have 17v from the battery, it should be 12v. Either way, you get an idea of what has power. These tests were done with the key in the on position, not with the car running, it may be different, but I can't start it to find out.

I tried swithcing the SWT and PWR wires around on the controller and on the relay....same results, PWR had no power and the SWT has 17v. I did not try switching the currents off of the ECU, could that be it? I wonder if the ECU wires are wrong....anyone know how they have their Fuel Pump Controller wired up?

Thanks,
Scott

Once I get it running again, I will check the fuel pressure and all that.