BearKiller

I now have an empty hole that might get a fuel-pressure gauge.

I am not sure if I really need one and am somewhat confused as to their purpose.

I looked at a few name-brand gauges and all read to 100PSI.

I understand that our fuel-pumps only put out seven PSI.

Would it be more suitable to find a gauge that read to maybe forty PSI, or so??

If I understand correctly, a fuel-pressure gauge is an indicator of pump health and filter condition.

Thanks.

wannadiesel

You have a good understanding of the situation. It's nice to be able to just leave the filter alone until you see the pressure drop more than normal under load.

If you are going to stay with the stock lift pump, get a 15 psi gauge. For the piston pump, a 30 or 35 psi gauge is good. Gauges are most accurate if the reading is in the middle of the range.

bgilbert

Not really necessary for a stock lift pump equipped truck. I would recommend a 0-30psi Westach electric fuel pressure gauge from www.genosgarage.com if you really wanted one. 30psi for in case later down the road you install a piston lift pump which sees 12-18psi. Stock lift pump you'll see 0-7psi. If you think you'll never install a piston lift pump down the road, then Westach also has a 0-16psi electric gauge.

Can I ask what gauges you have now?

wannadiesel

This would be an excellent fuel pressure gauge.

http://surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UI...atname=engines

BearKiller

All the factory Ford gauges=speedometer, water-temp, oil-pressure, ammeter, fuel level.

Aftermarket= tachometer, truck vacuum, trailer vacuum, combination boost/pyrometer, mechanical water temperature (mounted and will be plumbed in tomorrow-if I don't get side-tracked), mechanical oil-pressure (also mounted and waiting to be connected to engine).

Also, a mechanical compass, LCD clock, LED clock, inside/outside LCD thermometer.

On the drawing board= air-pressure (for on-board-air), transmission temperature, rear-end temperature.

bgilbert

Sounds like you're like me and you like gauges. I have 6 I believe. Tach, boost, pyro, fuel press, oil press, and water temp. I ran a getrag tranny temp gauge for awhile, and it hardly ever moved above the 150* bottom setting on the gauge. It would take a good hour or so highway speeds to register above that empty, then maybe 180* tops. Took it out because I couldn't get the sender to stop leaking. Had it in the drain hole. Never ran a rear-end gauge. Sounds like fuel pressure is the gauge next in line as far as importance albeit little.

BearKiller

How about the Stewart Warner 16PSI fuel-pressure gauge on page 2 ??

Thanks.

wannadiesel

Hey, that's even better! I just picked the first one with the right range. Pressure is pressure - mine says "water", but it matches the rest of the gauges. If I'd known about that site when I bought my boost gauge, it would say "water" too.

wannadiesel

Bearkiller, if you're going to use a mechanical gauge for FP, you will need a snubber of some sort or the pulsations will beat the gauge to death - not to mention it will be really hard to read. A lot of the 24 valve guys use a needle valve opened just enough to get a reading. I'm using a snubber from McMaster-Carr.

BearKiller

Please tell me more about this McMaster-Carr snubber, how to get, how much money, etc.

Would the needle-valve trick work for me??

Which would be best, looking at it from a poor man's viewpoint??

Thanks.

HappyCamper

http://www.mcmaster.com

Type 'snubber' in the search... It will return the result 'Pressure Gauge Snubbers' Click on that it will take you to the snubber section...

McMaster-Carr is a nice site for all sorts of different things...

bgilbert

Snubber bubber or electric and be done with it.

wannadiesel

The needle valve works fine for many people, I just couldn't find one I liked the specs on. The snubber was around $7, I like the sintered stainless type rather than the orifice or piston type.

Boatnik

I'm using the copper 1/16th inch gauge line from NAPA. It is about ten feet long and by the time the pressure makes the trip it has lost all it's pulses. Just don't shorten the line but coil up the excess and it will do a fine job dampening the pulses. Be sure that you have a means to isolate the gauge in case of a leak.

wannadiesel

Wait until all the air has purged out of the line, Sonny.