Fuel regulator set up ? Do I need it ?

[sternal]

I have a fuel regulator fitted one of these



which is connected to one of these



a facet fuel pump.

I didn't install either of these, this weekend whilst camping I got speaking to another VW owner on the campsite I was on, he wondered why there would have been a fuel regulator fitted.

I called the previous owner (he's a nice bloke) he said he was advised to fit it at the time the fuel pump was replaced.

The dial was/is set to 4 is this correct ? On the way home today I stopped 3 times and changed the settings to 2.5(10 miles) 1.5(10 miles) 5( 40miles) and to be honest none of the settings seemed to make any difference to performance or any notable change ! Should I have been able to notice anything ?

1.If I bypassed the regulator with .5meters of fuel line would this be a good idea ?
2.If I by passed would timing/carbs be all out of sync ?
3.If I do none of the above whats the correct setting and how does one know "what the correct setting is" ie how do you get to the conclusion that its correct ?

(compression test this week as well, so will keep you posted...not that I want to drive at 70mph it'd be great not to be at 35mph on a motorway at any incline !)

[Aidan]

facet pump can produce more fuel pressure than the carb and the fuel lines were designed to use
if you turn it down too low then you'll find yourself running out of fuel at high speed/high loads, too high and you run risk of fuel leak or carb issues.
as long as the fuel lines are in good condition and well routed I'd leave well alone
these vans were fitted with mechanical pumps on the engine as standard (1.9 models), either the fuel pump failed and po decided to go with this set up, or the van was converted to dual fuel lpg and the electric pump fitted to simplify starting on petrol, as with a mechanical pump you have to crank the engine over a lot to fill the carb bowl with fuel if you stop when running on gas and want/need to start on petrol after that

[sternal]

thats a fair answer so whats the best place for the dial to be at ? Or is every van different ?

[sternal]

just for the record

I spoke to just kampers and they said change the dial to 1 , I then spoke to VW heritage who said dont touch it till you have checked the fuel pressure from the pump, now that sounds like good advice. (just like Aidan said ) so will leave well alone

[AdrianC]

I then spoke to VW heritage who said dont touch it till you have checked the fuel pressure from the pump

With a carb, it's not so much the pressure but the volume of fuel being delivered that's important (but, yes, they're related...), except for the too-high caveat that Aidan already mentioned.

Basically, all the pump does is fill the float chamber on the carb. Some carbs have a return pipe for excess fuel back to the tank, on some the float just cuts the fuel off via a needle valve (like a bog cistern). Then the engine sucks through from the bottom of the float. If it uses it faster than it's being supplied, then the float chamber can empty.

Trial-and-error's as good as any approach - just turn it down to minimum, then see if you get the van spluttering and coughing whilst trying to climb a long hard climb with foot flat. If you do, lift off until the pump "catches up" and refills the carb float chamber, ease off the throttle a bit to get up the hill, then just turn it up a bit until you don't get that any more.