Fuel Pressure Gage

[Stumper]

Ok, not specifically B body or even Mopar for that matter but I have a question. I've had a heck of a time with fuel pressure gages over the past few years. They just don't seem to hold up for long. I have admittedly, messed with the plumbing and guages on the car a bit trying to come up with a system that works for me but this is getting expensive. I recently gave up on trying to make a pressure isolator for an inside gage work properly and took it back out. I returned to just a gage on my regulator that fed the rear bowel. Then I went an bought a duplicate gage to install on the front bowel side of the regulator and the two damn gages read differently, I have noticed that the two do not "zero" to the same position - and the one that reads higher at zero also reads higher under pressure. Is there some way to adjust these things to zero properly or do I need yet another new gage??? Both are the same model Autometer gages.:angry1:

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

autometer gauges work fine. either a electric one for inside of the car or a mechanical one for outside on cowl. never had a problem.
which carbs are you running. maybe your float levels are too high. i had that problem also. drop down floats a little and see if it helps.

 

[Stumper]

I can check them but how would the level impact the pressure gages? The gage that reads higher is the older gage and it also shows a higher needle position when the car is turned off.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

I can check them but how would the level impact the pressure gages? The gage that reads higher is the older gage and it also shows a higher needle position when the car is turned off.

disregard my response about floats. i thought you were having issues when the car was running.

whose gauges are you using?
i only use autometer. sport comp, ultra light,

my 63 plymouth has a 40 year old sun fuel pressure gauge and it works great.

 

[Stumper]

Both of the gages are Autometer mechanicals. The new one I just bought the other is maybe a year old. The last one I had was one of the Holley gages and it only lasted a year... I am wondering if there is a way to recalibrate the needle position on them?

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

disconnect the fuel line to it and let it sit overnite and see if they go to 0 on their own.

 

[Stumper]

Thats a thought. I suspect it won't go all the way down but its worth a try.

 

[Endangered Species]

Are the guages dry or are they liquid filled? If there liquid filled that could be your problem.

 

[Stumper]

They are dry, not filled.

 

[welder47]

I started using a shock eliminator on my guages recently, it seemed the initial blast of pressure on the guage was messing them up, I actually found about this on a diesel engine forum. Not sure if shock eliminator is the official name of the part but it gives the general idea.

 

[Meep-Meep]

You can adjust the needle position but if you want to calibrate it you will need a very high quality gauge to use as a reference. These are bourdon tube gauges and the needle is connected to a gear mechanism that is attached to the bourdon tube through a link. It won't take much to ruin it so be careful.

Everything you wanted to know about gauges but were afraid to ask -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_measurement

 

[Stumper]

Is there an easy external adjustment? I see a small screw on the bottom of these gages.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Thats a thought. I suspect it won't go all the way down but its worth a try.

STUMPER, did you try what i said and disconnect the line from the gauge and let it sit overnight.
somethings wrong if it keeps happening to all your gauges. mine never had 1 single problem ever.