What material would you use to insulate a small Holley fuel regulator located on the frame rail of a hot rod in the engine compartment. The engine compartment heat reaches 160 degrees F. I don't want to move the regulator. I was thinking of: 1.Wrapping the regulator with aluminum foil. The exterior surface of the foil would be painted Bar-B-Que Black or gloss black. 2.Make a metal box that would fit around and cover the regulator to reflect heat. 3.Make a custom fitting box out of cardboard that would encase the regulator. Then cover the exterior of the box with aluminum foil A/C duct tape to reflect heat. Other ideas?
Have you been experiencing a problem? I ran a fuel pressure regulator on the mechanical fuel pump outlet for several years without a problem. Sent from my M7 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yes, I think I may be experiencing vapor lock due to fuel regulator getting hot. I am using an electric fuel pump on an 8BA flathead with a Holley 390 carb. I am thinking the fuel regulator is getting too hot from engine compartment heat, causing vapor lock. I am not running a return line to the gas tank as the engine is not fuel injected and only requires about 7 PSI to run. This is driving me nuts. Maybe it's the 10 % ethanol fuel.
Get a temperature reading on that thing, either Infrared or meat thermometer. Is there gas in the carburetor bowl when it's hot?
Home Depot sells split foam pipe insulation that you could cover the lines with. Not pretty, but cool fuel.
There are a number of things that can be done. A fuel return does allow cooler fuel from the tank to circulate through the system. But if heat is being carried back to the tank on longer trips, all the fuel is slowly warmed up above normal. One of those laser guns for checking temperature is handy if you suspect percolation. All parts of the fuel system that you can hit with the red pointer dot, you can get a read on the temp. Insulating is easy enough to try. Start with wrapping something crude and quick just to see if it helps. If that works, then do something more permanent and finished with insulation and maybe channel in cooler air with scoops and ducts. Ethanol is quicker to percolate than straight gas. In modern vehicles with injection, the higher pressure systems act to lessen the tendency to 'percolate'. In a hybrid system, like you have, the fuel line portion after the regulator is in a low enough pressure to be a problem. My guess is not just the regulator needs to be insulated but a couple feet before it and all the way to the carb........ anywhere and everywhere the system is exposed to heat.
Can you run a 2" air duct hose from the front to cool the regulator. You don't need fuel injection to run a return line. Run the fuel line from the pump to the carburetor. At some point up by the carb, " T " into the fuel line and add new line headed back towards the pump. Add the regulator to this new line, inlet port. The outlet of the regulator then runs to the tank or " T's " back into the fuel line between tank and fuel pump. With this system, you gain full volume from the pump, the fuel is circulated back towards the tank, and the regulator sets the fuel pressure to the carb by bleeding off excess pressure. All you need is a couple T fittings, and some fuel line, you have the regulator already.
Sorry but I need to ask, why is your pressure regulator on the frame? I've never seen one anywhere but next to the carb or in line from the fuel pump to the carb mounted on the front of the engine cooled by the engine fan. From your discription there is a plate that mounts under the 390 carb and the Holley pressure reg mounts on it with a line to each bowel. You say you have an electric fuel pump. Is it at the tank with the line coming up at the rear of the engine? If you feel you have to much under hood heat move the fuel line on the outside of the frame like mid 50's factory Fords and have it come up in the fan air path. Good luck.
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