[DML] Testing a Fuel Accumulator

["David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On previous posts I offered a way to confirm a bad fuel accumulator. I
now realize it is not a 100% reliable way to confirm a defective
accumulator. I said to remove the small low pressure hose coming off
the end and see if fuel comes out of the accumulator when you run the
pump. I just did a car and although fuel does not come out the
accumulator IS bad. What happened is that bits of the deteriorated
diaphram plugged up the small ports inside the accumulator preventing
the fuel from coming out the drain. I thought I had a leaky cold start
valve, a leaky injector, a leaky primary pressure regulator, a bad
check valve, etc. I went over the whole fuel system several times
until all that was left WAS the fuel accumulator. A pressure gauge
does not tell you what part is bad, only that you have a bad part. It
appears that the most likely causes of not holding rest pressure are
in this order:

Bad fuel accumulator (change it if still origional)
Leaky fuel pump check valve (change to newer style)
Worn "O" rings in Primary Pressure Regulater (not very common)
Leaky injectors (likely if fuel system was heavily contaminated)
Leaky Cold Start Valve (ditto)
Not only did this car have the hard hot start problem, it idled badly
because the fuel pressures were not right. The moral here is if you
are still running the origional fuel accumulator it is either bad or
on borrowed time. It seems they are not meant to last 20 years. When
you have a hard hot start problem and confirm that it doesn't hold
rest pressure with a pressure gauge, replace the fuel accumulator
unless you know it was recently replaced.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757








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