updates to my car troubles!

[Soma576@xxxx]

Hello All,

today my dad and i checked for blockage in the fuel lines. we did as a 
couple of list guys suggested - we took my return fuel line and put it in a 2 
liter container and jumped the RPM relay - in one minute it was right on, 
pretty much, 2 liters of gasoline in the container. which then rules out the 
possibility of blockage in the lines, correct? this would imply that the 
gasoline is circulating freely without restriction from the fuel pump all the 
way back to the fuel tank.

to recap:
1. very difficult starting - engine is flooding immediately. black smoke 
from exhaust pipes indicating way too much fuel at the injectors. 
2. very high fuel pressure - over 100 PSI, closer to 130 i would say. the 
pressure was measured from the bolt which holds the hose that goes from the 
fuel distributor to the cold start valve. the reading was taken at this 
bolt. 
3. high fuel pressure to does not appear to be a result of blockage, due to 
the results of the above test.
4. this appeared OVERNIGHT - it is very difficult to believe that i need 
shims in my primary pressure regulator or something that adjusts pressure due 
to cumulative wear and tear. the answer seems like it must be something much 
more simple because the car ran PERFECTLY the night before and every time 
before that, and then the next morning i came out and the car wouldn't start.
5. had a broken fuel line near the accumulator. was possibly a little leaky 
beforehand, and then the high pressure caused the hose to burst. we assume 
this was return line from the accumultor and was a result of the problem and 
not the cause. 

therefore, we can conclude that the high pressure is a result of either a 
failed primary pressure regulator or a failed control pressure regulator. 
however, this is confusing. the control pressure regulator cannot raise fuel 
pressure beyond what the primary pressure regulator presets it to. for 
instance, if the primary pressure regulator only allows up to 80 PSI of fuel 
pressure, then the control pressure regulator cannot make the fuel pressure 
to be 100 PSI - it can only lower it, correct? if so, that would imply that 
the primary pressure regulator is at fault. but there are no movable parts 
and cannot be adjusted, correct? is it possible that this valve simply broke 
and now it is failing to restrict my fuel pressure at all? could this have 
happened 'overnight'? 

if so, how can test the primary pressure regulator for this type of failure? 
i would like someone to explain to me how to actually get to it in the fuel 
distributor and what i should look for if it is at fault.

additionally, is there anything else i should be checking in my fuel system? 
i think we've got it narrowed down pretty well but i'm not expert so ANY 
thoughts or help is greatly appreciated.

thanks as always,
Andy

Soma576@xxxx
1982 DeLorean DMC-12 VIN#11596
Fargo, ND 58102


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