Procharger fuel enrichment ?'s
 

Ok, so I've been reading that the red regulator that comes with the procharger kit is a piece of crap. I bought a boat that has an M1 on it with the aeromotive fuel pump, etc. I just freshened the engine (454), and put in a crane 168731 cam, did head work, etc. However, it seems to be running fat. I checked fuel pressure with the vacuum line off and it won't go below ~44psi even if I back the screw all the way out. Also, it has no thermostat so it stays in fuel enrichment mode. The boat is pretty fast once it's up and running, but it seems to have difficulty getting on plain like it's loading up with fuel. Since the base pressure is so high (timing stock), would it be ok to trick the sensor into thinking the engine is warm so it will quit trying to add even more fuel?

That's my main question. I've read most of the threads on here about adding a different regulator or getting the computer reflashed. I'm just not trying to wring out every bit of performance...I'd just like the boat to not sound like it's dying while trying to get on plain. At 44psi base fuel pressure, would it be fat enough to have it out of fuel enrichment/cold mode?

A: Get the ECU reflashed. It is only a few hundred bucks and it will run way better. Heck, just adding a cam without reflashing it is a bad idea.

B: It sounds like the base fuel pressure is high. I am thinking 37

The base fuel pressure is definitely high. It needs to be around 34 with the vacuum line off, but the regulator won't go any lower. It only adjusts from 44 up to 60 (base). It goes no lower. That's why I was thinking it would be fat enough to run in closed loop (by tricking the temp sensor). Obviously it will never get to that without a thermostat. The previous owner said the computer had been reflashed, but the more I mess with it, the more I realize he had no idea about anything. You guys will get a kick out of this...the GRAVITY fed DRAIN line was routed 180° uphill into the top of the valve cover lol. That will drain awesome...NOT! I welded a #10 into the pan while I had the motor apart and routed it the way it should be. There were a number of other little things like this that were done wrong.
Anyways, I will check into getting it reflashed, but I just thought someone may have been running it at closed loop with a higher base pressure on this rising rate regulator like I'm thinking about doing.

Definitely get a better regulator and get the base pressure down. And why not get the computer reflashed? I know your not trying to wring out every last ounce of power, but you want the right mixture in all ranges especially with a blower. It will ultimately help it last longer too. Spend the money the first time and you wont have to spend it again!!

Definately sounds like your regulator is sticking unless your running a real big fuel pump and just over coming it. The first thing I would do is replace or at least tear down and rebuild/clean the regulator. Are you still running the aeromotive 1000 red pump procharger supplys originally? I was able to get base pressure down to 30 psi when my original regulator wasn't sticking with red pump. I fought the regulator for a year then replaced it with a better one but its somewhat complicasted because most regulators won't raise fuel pressure more then 5 or 10 psi so you need to do some re-engineering and probably add a bell cartech second regulator. First though unhook your regulator return line and stick it in a gas can,fire your boat up on a hose and see if you can lower pressure to where you want it,if you can something is restricting your return line or flow path. I would do some investigating and testing,there have been a few guys who have claimed to had no problems from the procharger regulator,I would think they had straightened it out by now,mine was a 2001. You would set base pressure at 32 or so,but when you shut the engine off and restarted it the fuel pressure would change to 28 or 35-37 randomly. It would also stick on base setting about every 10th time you put it in boost. I ended up running a 10 foot return hose and if it stuck my wife would go pinch the hose off which would spike fuel pressure up to 70 or 80 psi and un-stick the regulator,was a real PIA,Smitty