M

ost of us are familiar with the traditional fuel loop. Typically, this starts and ends in the fuel tank, and utilizes one or more pumps to supply a high volume of fuel at high pressure to the injector rail. The pressure is usually maintained by a regulator attached to the exit end of the fuel rail. Any unused fuel is bled off by the regulator and returns to the fuel tank via a return line. A check valve in the pump prevents backflow and maintains residual pressure in the supply line to avoid hot restart problems due to fuel boiling (vapor lock). These systems (see Fig. 1 on page 36) have been the norm for many years, but are now on the wane. Returnless fuel systems, in contrast, supply only the fuel thats currently needed. This obviously eliminates the need for a return line. From a manufacturers standpoint, there are two advantagesreduced assembly costs and reduced load on the evaporative emissions system. (The unused fuel returning to the tank in a looped system is usually quite warm as a consequence of the time spent in a hot engine compartment. Add in the vapor load resulting from high-volume flow and turbulence, and the evap system has a hard time keeping up, especially in hot climates or urban stop & go driving.) So, how does a returnless system work? How does it know how much fuel is going to be needed? The photo on page 36 and Fig. 2 show two slightly different implementations. The setup in the photo, found, for example, in some Saturn and Chrysler vehicles, simply moves the historical fuel pressure regulator to the inside of the fuel filter. From there, any excess fuel runs via a short line back to the tank, avoiding the heat of the engine bay. Fig. 2 illustrates the setup now used by many manufacturers. Here, all the action takes place within the tank. Fuel is pumped into the supply line until its filled and pressurized. The pressure regulator is an integral part of the pump module, and all excess fuel bleeds off internally within the tank. Since no fuel bleeds off via the regulator until the demands of the supply line have been met, the system appears to

Photoillustration: Harold A. Perry; images: Thinkstock & Wieck Media

DIAGNOSING RETURNLESS FUEL SYSTEMS

BY SAM BELL Well beyond the simple crank/no-start, fuel supply problems can cause a range of driveability symptoms. The advent of returnless fuel systems has added another layer of complexity to fuel supply diagnostics.
know how much fuel is required. But its easy, really; all it has to do is keep the line filled and pressurized.

Testing
Testing the fuel pressure in a traditional loop system is fairly straightforward. You may connect a pressure gauge to a convenient port if one is available. Failing that, your gauge can be connected inline before the regulator. Fuel pressure on most looped systems varies slightly depending on engine vacuum, so be sure to check the specs. Of course, fuel pressure is only part of the driveability analysis story; you also need to check fuel delivery volume. If you have a gauge like the one shown in the photo on page 38 (top), you can connect it in series before the beginning of the fuel rail and read not only the fuel pressure, but the volume as well. (I also like to be able to see the fuel as it flows. Both

aeration and major contamination show up readily even at high flow rates.) Dont have a flow gauge? While theres no doubt that using equipment with a dedicated flow volume measurement scale is far easier and safer than any other means, dont despair. You can measure return volume by running a hose from the pressure regulator output into a suitable container. (A glass kitchen measuring cup will do.) Of course, flow rate measurement requires measuring time as well as volume, so look at a watch with a second hand. Most cell phones have a stopwatch feature (see Rate Calculator: How Much Is Enough? on page 40 for a chart of common minimum rates). Pressure testing for returnless systems is quite similar. If no port is provided, youll have to connect in-line. But how do you check volume on these systems? Even an in-line flow gauge will

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show only the amount of fuel actually being consumed at that moment. To see how much that might vary, I used my wifes Scion xB. At a hot idle, its 1.5L engine sips fuel at a barely perceptible rate: .02 gallon per minute (gpm), or .08 liter per minute (lpm). At 2500 rpm, consumption is still only .05 gpm (.19 lpm). Finally, thoughnot that youd ever want to rev an engine this hard, of course!the little powerplant sucks down as much as .12 gpm (about .45 lpm) at 5000 rpm on a frigid morning. (I cheated and simulated this by substituting some very high-ohm resistors for the temp sensors on a well-warmed engine. I may be crazy, but Im not stupid!) So how do we measure the available fuel volume without going to such extremes? And how do we know how much is enough? Let me take these two questions in order. To determine maximum fuel vol-

ume delivery, I tried several tactics. My first experiment was performed with the engine off. I began by disconnecting the fuel line under the hood, connecting my Zapp Fuel System Analyzer (FSA) in-line with a long piece of fuel line back to the tank, then commanding the fuel pump on via my scan tool and measuring the resulting volume. With no restriction other than hose diameter (about 8mm), I recorded .58 gpm, plenty for any situation. Since there was no restriction to flow, the pressure here was essentially zero. Now I began slowly restricting the flow back to the tank, thereby increasing the pressure. With a slight restriction, I was able to achieve a pressure of 20 psi with a flow rate of .43 gpm. A moderate restriction brought pressure up to 39 psi, while flow dropped to .25 gpm. As I pinched off the line almost completely, pressure rose to 42 psi (the published

spec) but flow dropped almost to zero. This verified that the system set point was, in fact, the advertised 42 psi, and that the fuel pressure regulator in the tank was now controlling fuel flow by simply dumping all excess fuel internally. I conducted my next experiment with the engine running. I reconnected the outlet of the FSA to the inlet of the fuel rail, placing the FSA in series between the pump and the injectors. I started the car and observed that the fuel pressure was the expected 42 psi. Now I began to slowly restrict the inlet hose of the FSA. Remember that before, as I increased the outlet restriction, the pressure rose from zero. Now I observed the opposite. As I began to crimp off the supply line, pressure in the FSA began to decrease. Interestingly, the engine continued to idle smoothly all the way down to a pressure of 20

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DIAGNOSING RETURNLESS FUEL SYSTEMS

psi, or about half of that normally specified. Below that pressure, the engine began to stutter, finally stalling as fuel pressure dropped below 10 psi. But what about off-idle operation? I used a throttle prop to hold engine speed around 2000 rpm and repeated my experiment. Fuel trims once again got a little crazy, but even at 15 psi, the little motor ran smoothly. Finally, I set the throttle for 3500 rpm, achieving essentially the same result. I learned several lessons from these experiments. First, fuel delivery volume varies inversely with pressure, all other

Fuel Return Line

This truncated return system, widely used on some Saturn and Chrysler vehicles, is a cross between the conventional fuel loop and the in-tank regulation of a pure returnless system. Here the pressure regulator and its return leg outlet are incorporated into the fuel filter assembly. There have been some reports of faulty (or possibly counterfeit) parts causing either extremely high pressures or a total lack of pressure.

Fig. 1 Traditional fuel injection systems incorporate a high-volume pump to ensure an adequate supply of fuel under all operating conditions. Many early systems coupled a low-pressure, high-volume, in-tank presupply pump to a high-pressure main pump. More modern systems locate the main pump inside the tank. System pressures for some TBI systems are as low as 13 psi, while other configurations feature system pressures as high as 75 psi.

most effective tools in my arsenal for restoring proper driveability performance. The system I use allows me to disconnect both the fuel feed and return lines and to substitute my cleaning machine for the tank and pump. Once the equipment is connected, the first step is a long cycle of cleaning the injector inlet screens and the fuel rail. This is accomplished by running the machines built-in pump at a pressure above the KOEO set point of the cars regulator, allowing a filtered mixture of fuel and cleaner to circulate continuously throughout the rail. This circulation provides a long period of contact between the cleaning solution and the injector in-

let screens, during which previously accumulated deposits can be dissolved and then trapped in the machines filter. After 30 to 60 minutes of that initial cleaning, I fire up the engine to run on the same cleaner and fuel concoction. (Unplug the cars own pump or loop its feed and return lines together first, of course!) Once the motor is running, I adjust the pressure to a slightly lowerthan-normal level. In closed-loop operation, this causes the injectors to open longer to achieve the same fuel delivery volume, allowing more time for a thorough cleaning of the injectors innards. I usually walk away at this point, letting the machine do the work until it runs

PCM

things being equal. Second. a smooth running engine is no guarantee of adequate fuel pressure. And third, excessive fuel trim corrections may indicate a fuel supply problem.

Fuel Rail/Injectors Filter

Service Considerations
Although admittedly less effective than when coupled with off-car ultrasonic cleaning, a thorough fuel rail cleaning and engine decarbonization treatment have for many years been among the

Pump
Fig. 2 In-tank pressure regulation is the hallmark of the now-common pure returnless fuel systems used by most manufacturers. In addition to reduced assembly costs, OEMs see an advantage in reduced evap load.

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Photos & illustrations: Sam Bell

DIAGNOSING RETURNLESS FUEL SYSTEMS

out of fuel and stalls. (Since the prolonged low-pressure operation may have raised long-term fuel trim [LTFT], be sure to reset trims back toward normal, even if only by test-driving after the cleaning. And clear any codes or pending codes you may have set along the way, of course.) Obviously, this cleaning strategy cannot work on a returnless system because theres no loop to allow for the inlet cleaning cycle. In some cases, Ive been able to find an adapter to allow me to construct a loop (see photo left below). If you choose to go that route, make sure you check thoroughly for leaks when you both install and remove your adapters. New O-rings are sometimes required, so be sure you have some on hand before you begin. But what about inlet screen cleaning on the majority of returnless systems, where theres no return port on the rail? You can use a pressurized cleaner or a conventional device like the one I use to dissolve varnishes and similar deposits. But any attempt to force large particulates through the injectors inlet screen is likely to backfiresometimes literally! In some cases, there may be no truly good solution to this problem short of pulling the injectors for off-car cleaning. Depending on the configuration and layout of the fuel rail, it may sometimes be possible to use a pressure driven with the fuel tank very low, and I hypothesize that excessive moisture condensation in the fuel tank may have been a factor. In the case of one of the Neons, I was faced with a floating misfire as the flakes shifted within the rail. Most of them eventually collected on the No. 3 and No. 4 inlet screens.

Variable Fuel Pumps

Complementing the basic returnless systems previously described is an additional technological wrinklethe variable fuel pump. Both major versions of this idea are designed to prolong pump life and reduce pump noise. One type of system uses a dropping resistor, resulting in a two-speed pump. Here, the PCM monitors the voltage drop across the resistor to verify low-speed pump operation and to calculate electrical current consumption. The other, a more truly variable type of system, utilizes a PCM command to a pump-driver module, which, in response, provides a variable pulse width- or duty cycle-controlled power supply to the pump. In my experience, such systems incorporate a fuel rail pressure sensor to allow the PCM to monitor pump performance and more accurately calculate injector on-time. In many cases, however, the reported scan data value for the fuel rail pressure is substantially different from the actual pressure readings taken with a

In the Thompson Automotive Labs Fuel Zapp combination pressure and flow tester, the large central gauge reads pressure while the two smaller gauges show manifold vacuum and exhaust gas backpressure. A glass column and floating ball provide volume data.

test port to allow for inlet screen cleaning circulation to at least some of the rail. Other alternatives may include draining the rail and using a spray cleaner repeatedly, but this is not usually effective except in cases of large-flake deposits, such as those described next. Some models have experienced internal fuel rail deterioration. Ive seen metallic flakes from these rails collect on the inlet screens of some Taurus V6s and Neons. In most instances, these were cars that were frequently and habitually

Some returnless systems can be easily reconfigured to allow for conventional injector cleaning/decarbonization treatments to work. For example, in some Ford and Volvo products, the former fuel rail pressure regulator has been replaced by a Fuel Rail Pressure Transducer in order to produce a returnless system. Reversing the swap by putting a regulator back in allows easy and convenient access for such a cleaning. The hose shown here can replace the blockoff for the old regulator port on some products, allowing them to be looped for cleaning. Note that there is no provision for pressure regulation directly with the hose; youll have to rely on your cleaning equipment for that function.

These two fuel modules from a Chrysler Pacificas saddle tank demonstrate the complexity of some returnless systems hardware. The drivers-side module contains the pressure pump. The internally routed tubing carries the fuel across the saddle to the passenger-side module, which contains the regulator and the supply line outlet to the engine. The regulator dumps any surplus fuel in the right-side tank, from which its then siphoned back to the left side. Both modules contain fuel level sending units. Their signals are combined before being displayed on the dash gauge. Here the tank is being emptied for cleaning prior to the modules being replaced, so only the left (drivers-side) module is currently immersed.

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gauge. It appears that at least some manufacturers have chosen not to measure the fuel pressure as we mortals normally do. Our gauge readings tell us the pressure above atmospheric. In most applications Ive encountered, however, the reported values correspond to a relative pressurethat is, the pressure drop through the injector, from the rail to the intake manifold. This is not the gauge pressure, nor the absolute pressure, which is what the pressure gauge might read if the vehicle could somehow be tested in outer space. Absolute pressure should not be unfamiliar to us; after all, its precisely the same frame of reference used in manifold absolute pressure (MAP) readings. To calculate the expected gauge reading to verify a reported Fuel Rail Absolute Pressure (FRAP) PID from your scanners datastream, simply add BARO if known, or normal local atmospheric pressure (about 14.7 psi at sea level, roughly .5 psi less per thousand feet above sea level) back into your gauge reading. The result should be very close if the sensor is accurate. But for those systems which report neither absolute pressure nor gauge pressure, but instead report the pressure difference between the fuel rail and the intake manifold (Fuel Rail Pressure Transducer [FRPT]), the calculation is a bit more cumbersome. To correlate your gauge reading, add atmospheric pressure or BARO as before, then subtract MAP. If MAP or BARO are expressed as inches of mercury (in.-Hg), multiply this number by .491 to convert it to psi. Here are a couple of examples. In the first example: FRAP reads 50 psi, elevation 2000 ft., direct BARO reading unavailable: FRAP local atmospheric pressure 50 (14.7 (.5 x 2)) 50 (14.7 1) 50 13.7 36.3 psi This is the expected gauge reading. In the second example, the gauge reads 41 psi, FRPT reads 50 psi, MAP 11 in.-Hg, elevation 1000 ft.: Gauge reading local atmospheric pressure MAP 41 (14.7 (.5 x 1)) (11 x .491) 41 (14.7 .5) 5.401 41 14.2 5.4 49.8 psi This is very close to the reported FRPT PID. (The difference may be attributable to current weather conditions. High atmospheric [barometric] pressure is associated with good weather, low barometric pressure with rain and storms.) As you can see, the gauge readings for the two methods of reporting the fuel pressure PID differ by about 12%, so it pays to know which sort of reporting system is used. If your database does not provide a detailed answer, be sure to check the PID KOEO. Since the engine is then off, MAP becomes equal to BARO. This means that systems reporting FRAP will show a PID equal to your gauge reading plus local barometric pressure (as before.) But what about systems showing FRPT, the pressure drop across the injector? Since MAP is now equal to local atmospheric pressure, the reported PID should match your gauge reading exactly, allowing you to determine easily which type of system youre dealing with (see Whats the Matter? on page 42 for help in diagnosing abnormal pressure, volume, or pump electrical current consumption issues).

Rate Calculator: How Much Is Enough?

hile manufacturers specifications vary, a good rule of thumb is to expect fuel delivery volumes in the range from about a pint every 15 seconds for small-displacement motors to about two to three times that amount for higher displacement or very high-performance engines. Most production vehicles need no more than a quart of fuel every 15 seconds. Using equipment with a dedicated flow volume measurement device is much safer than any other method. Here are a few more rules of thumb: A typical gasoline engine uses less than one gallon of fuel to make 1 horsepower for one hour. As fuel pressure increases, fuel pump delivery volume decreases and pump electrical current consumption increases. Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC) varies considerably depending on basic engine design and performance criteria. High-performance, naturally aspirated engines may operate in a range of .4

to .5 lb./hp/hr., while their forced-induction counterparts are generally in the range of .6 to .75 lb./hp/hr. Gasolines density is roughly 6.2 lbs./gal. When choosing a fuel system for high-performance applications, standard practice is to oversupply fuel by 20% to 25%, with the injectors operating at an 80% duty cycle. I created the table shown here using the Thompson Automotive Labs Fuel Calculator provided with the companys Fuel Systems Analyzer (http://www.thompsonautomotive labs.com/Fuel_Zapp). The table assumes 100% volumetric efficiency, so naturally aspirated engines will require less fuel than shown, while forced-induction powerplants may require somewhat more. The volumes shown are absolute minimum requirements to maintain adequate mixture formation. A substantial reserve safety factor of at least an additional 25% is the norm, with many systems supplying as much as double the minimum required amounts.

Displacement (CID/L) ......................... 91.5/1.5 ....... 122.0/2.0........ 152.6/2.5........ 262.4/4.3 Max rpm ...................... 6000 ............ 7500............... 6500............... 5000 Air (cu. in./min.) ........... 274,500 ....... 457,500.......... 495,950.......... 656,000 Air (lbs./min.) ............... 12.12 ........... 20.21.............. 21.90.............. 28.97 Fuel (lbs./min.) .............. .83 .............. 1.38................ 1.5.................. 1.98 Fuel (U.S. gals./min.) ....... .13 ............... .22.................. .24.................. .32 Fuel (L/min.) .................. .49 ............... .83.................. .91.................1.21
Overall: Approximately 12 gal./min. or .5 L/min. (roughly 1 oz./sec.) is usually more than sufficient for normally aspirated gasoline engines up to about 5.0L displacement.

Additional Considerations
No discussion of fuel system diagnosis or service would be complete without con-

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he chart below can help you diagnose fuel supply problems in conventional return-loop systems. To adapt it for use with returnless systems, install your pressure and volume gauge in the feed line, then run a return line back to the tank using a suitable flexible neoprene hose. Slowly and carefully crimp the return hose until flow stops. Caution: Fuel pressure should reach the published maximum system pressure.

Whats the Matter?

Make sure all couplings are tightly secured. Now slowly open your crimp until the pressure drops barely below the maximum just observed, then use the chart shown here. In the case of variable-speed (dutycycle-controlled or current-limiting) pumps, it may be necessary to bypass the fuel pump driver module or relay

either through bidirectional scan tool command or physically at the module wiring. If you have no other means of measuring volume, have an assistant use a well-marked measuring cup or similar device along with a stopwatch at the end of the return hose. Pump actuation using a typical remote starter (dead man) push button allows for a quick response in case Murphys law tries to horn in on the action.

Pump Current*

System Pressure

Supply Volume (Flow)

Look For

Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low pump circuit voltage; incorrect pump. Driver command or faulty module; inlet restriction (clogged sock); weak pump Normal to Low . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel leak inside tank; coupler hose, internal pressure regulator fault, pulsation damper leak, clogged filter Normal to High . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restricted fuel filter; faulty combo filter/regulator assembly on truncated return system High . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restricted supply (clogged sock); pump internally bound up (high mechanical resistance) High . . . . . . . . . . . . . .High** . . . . . . . . . . . .Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pressure regulator stuck closed; return line restricted High . . . . . . . . . . . . . .High** . . . . . . . . . . . .Normal to High . . . . . . . . . . Faulty pump driver module; incorrect pump command
*Pump current relative to normal known-good. iATN sponsors can find many such values in the Waveform Archives at http://members.iatn.net/. **High system pressure in a returnless system should go low if a return path is provided.

whenever pump prices climb. sidering fuel quality issues. Excessive alcohol, water or other contaminants may cause serious driveability problems. Most of us have experienced at least one nostart resulting from misfueling a gasoline engine with diesel. Excessive alcohol, to choose another example, also can cause problems, including aeration and lean running due to a split in the hose between the pump and the outlet from the tank, especially in older vehicles or where the wrong connecting hose has been installed between the pump and the tank outlet. Alcohol can also cause injector winding faults, spray pattern and atomization issues and performance or mileage complaints. Contamination may come in many other forms underlying a variety of complaints, including misfires, hesitation and lack of power. This is one reason why seeing the fuel supply in action is so important. Where flow rates are high, contamination may be more difficult to spot, but returnless systems offer a very clear view of fuel at idle with the appropriate equipment. If youre taking a fuel sample along the way, make sure you use a clean container made of glass or some other suitable material. Allow the fuel to stand for some time so that any water or contaminants can settle out. Detecting excessive alcohol concentrations requires a bit more work, but a number of simple kits are readily available. Most produce quantitative results in as little as two to three minutes. Remember that the go juice in most metropolitan areas is oxygenated with as much as 10% alcohol. Good fuel is usually readily transparent, although normally dyed to allow after-sale (or after-spill!) identification. Cloudiness or turbidity often accompany excessive alcohol and water content, but may also arise from very fine particulates in suspension. Friends who work as rental fleet technicians report encountering an increasing incidence of apparently intentional fuel watering

Conclusion
Returnless fuel systems call for some new diagnostic techniques, but attention to basic principles of construction and operation should go a long way toward helping to ease the transition. Basic fuel supply testing procedures can still be carried out with minimal adaptation, although some work may be required to square fuel rail pressure scan data with conventional gauge readings. The dead end fuel rails lack of a return line may result in more injector inlet screen blockage, since debris is not readily flushed away by ongoing flow through the regulator and back to the tank. In some cases, traditional on-car injector cleaning may be ineffective, requiring new techniques, equipment
This article can be found online at www.motormagazine.com.

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