Home made fuel rails, This was not easy...I am not a machinist Options

[Als914]

Hello all. Thought I would share with the group the final results of my weeks of research, machining, drill tapping, thread cutting and assembly of my home made fuel rail. Unfortunately I didn't take pic's of the various steps but only the finished product. The rail are aircraft quality extrusion blanks. I decided to use brass fittings in my first attempt because it is less expensive than race fittings such as Russell performance

I didn't know how the fuel rails would perform so I used a great deal of caution at all steps of the process and mostly at engine start up. The only leak I experienced was at the exit end of the driver side rail due to (of all things) a mismached end fitting, the theads didn't seat propperly. BTW, I don't know if you can make it out in the pic's but the rails are bracket mounted to the injector hold down bolt and stud.

I now have over five hundred miles and days of 100 deg's on them plus some very hard driving, so I feel comfortable that they will continue to perform well.

[draganc]

Great work and perfect timing!

I'm in the progress to do the same project on my engine. Do you mind sharing where you bought the fuel rail/fittings?

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: I like the color on the intake pipes. I have the same color. Powder or ceramic?

[Mike Bellis]

You can buy lengths of rail from Jegs or Summit Racing. You just nee to drill for the injectors and tap the ends.

[Als914]

Great work and perfect timing!

I'm in the progress to do the same project on my engine. Do you mind sharing where you bought the fuel rail/fittings?

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: I like the color on the intake pipes. I have the same color. Powder or ceramic?

Thanks for the compliment. Bought the fuel rail stck on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...RK%3AMEWNX%3AIT and the fittings I bought from Home Depot. I bought a combo drill and thread tap for the ends, it set me back about $100 but I new I was going to do others. I did not want to take the chance of treading the ends scewed since the ID/OD makes for a fairlly thin wall thickness.

Intake pipes are powder coated grey.

Good luck with yours.

[Als914]

Great work and perfect timing!

I'm in the progress to do the same project on my engine. Do you mind sharing where you bought the fuel rail/fittings?

Thanks,
Dragan

PS: I like the color on the intake pipes. I have the same color. Powder or ceramic?

Thanks for the compliment. Bought the fuel rail stck on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...RK%3AMEWNX%3AIT and the fittings I bought from Home Depot. I bought a combo drill and thread tap for the ends, it set me back about $100 but I new I was going to do others. I did not want to take the chance of treading the ends scewed since the ID/OD makes for a fairlly thin wall thickness.

Good luck with yous.

Sorry, forgot, I bought the fuel fittings with the correct hose ends from Discount Hydrolics, this one, item#38-864 http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/30R7_..._p/30r7mp90.htm for all eight hose connections.

[draganc]

How about a fast reply - thanks guys!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[jim_hoyland]

Very nice work ! Do I see brackets in one of the pics ? Is the fuel pressure gauge tapped into the fuel rail ? Are the hoses from the rail to the injector straight or bent ?

[Als914]

Very nice work ! Do I see brackets in one of the pics ? Is the fuel pressure gauge tapped into the fuel rail ? Are the hoses from the rail to the injector straight or bent ?

Yes Jim, the rails are mounted via brackets attached on top of the injector clamping ring, plenty of thread on that stud. of course I had to modify the bracket attachment point to fit within the top of each injector clamping ring. The rails sit just above the top plain of the air intake tubes.
I drilled and tapped at 45 deg. from perpendicular center, installed a 90 deg. street elbow and mounted the gauge to the elbow for ease of viewing.
The injector hose exits at the bottom of the rail via a 90 deg. fuel hose fitting and the hose is looped down to connect to the injector. I have read some where that that lenth may be too long ( mine are about four inches ) but this has proven NOT to be a problem. My next set will look much nicer.
BTW, the trunk shocks I bought from you look and work great. Thanks.

[Pat Garvey]

Excuse my ignorance here, but why configure fuel rails, when the stock ones are available? Is this due to carbs? You all know that I'm a CW, so explain please?
Pat

[Als914]

Excuse my ignorance here, but why configure fuel rails, when the stock ones are available? Is this due to carbs? You all know that I'm a CW, so explain please?
Pat

Hello Pat,
Never liked the puny look of the OEM fuel rail. Vaper lock is always a present possibility with them especially when you live in hot weather like I do. I also wanted to read my fuel pressure easily. I am running my L-jet, FI and have no plans to change to carbs. I happen to like the look of what I built. Next revision will be great looking.
BTW, I am an "OLDIE" like you and this is just a bit of the "HOT RODDER" in me comming out.

[charliew]

I have never had a vaporlock condition on any fi that doesn't have any leaks.

[Als914]

I have never had a vaporlock condition on any fi that doesn't have any leaks.

Leaks have nothing to do with vapor lock, hot fuel does.If you have owned a 914 for any length of time ( I have owned mine for thirty four years ) you will have had vapor lock some time in that period and most likely at the most inopportune time.
I hope it doesn't happen to you.

[avidfanjpl]

Hey Al!

LOVE the pressure gauge!

GREAT Idea!

John

[Als914]

Hey Al!

LOVE the pressure gauge!

GREAT Idea!

John

Thanks John,

I rarely knew where my fuel pressure was at a glance but not any more, Functional and cool looking. If I start to see a drop in pressure, preventative measures can be taken befor failure.
BTW, used to be an orange county boy. Lived in Laguna Niguel and Yorba Linda.

[Cap'n Krusty]

As my good friend is fond of saying, it's the answer to the question nobody's asking. Whatever floats your boat, but remember the effort id purely decorative, adding NO functionality to your FI system. The Cap'n

[Als914]

As my good friend is fond of saying, it's the answer to the question nobody's asking. Whatever floats your boat, but remember the effort id purely decorative, adding NO functionality to your FI system. The Cap'n

So I guess fuel rails were engineered and developed as a waist of time and money as your good friend was fond of saying.

[SirAndy]

So I guess fuel rails were engineered and developed as a waist of time and money as your good friend was fond of saying.

I think he meant that the stock fuel rails work just fine and even have the option of adding a fuel pressure gauge build into them.

To each his own i guess but my "waist" is already big enough and i don't need to waste money on bling ...


Now, if your mod allowed to run contemporary fuel injectors instead of the unobtanium stock injectors, i'd be all ears ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) Andy

[draganc]

I still like it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

And if we would only do stuff that would add functionality we would do to much.

BTW, IMO I don't belive the fuel jet choice is a issue with the fuel rails rather with the Bosch ECU (PMW and flow rate). But I might me wrong, since I'm more focused pm the aftermarket ECU stuff.

[jim_hoyland]

A fellow teener in Huntingto Beach shared his L-Jet mods with me after getting a ride in his car. No internal mods except the following--this 1.8 really hauled a$$:

Here is his email with description of his mods:

"The 1975 914 uses the L Jetronic system. It is the best of all the injection systems used in the 70’s and 80’s. You will find the L system on Opals, Range Rovers, Porsche 911’s, BMW and others. You may also use parts off these cars if the pins are the same for the airbox. You can also use the throttle body off these cars if the pins are the same.

In the articles from opeltuners, you will notice that a small change in throttle body and airbox means a large change in available horsepower. The throttle body that is on the 1.8 is good for 160 hp. Just clean up the rough edges inside the throttle and airbox with a grinder and you will be set. Next step is to increase the fuel flow to the engine. You can do this by larger fuel rails, and lowering the full on timing of the injectors to 3000 RPM. Down from the normal 3500 – 3800 stock setting.

I replaced the injectors with stock Bosch; increased the fuel pressure to 43 #; lowered the full on timing of the injectors to 3000RPM. Then I reduced the spring tension in the airbox by a -4clicks and increased the injectors on-time in the lower RPM by one contact slot on the inside dial of the airbox ( inside the tension spring adjuster ) This inside adjuster set the idle to 1000RPM, but made the idle rich so I leaned the low RPM using the bleed screw on the top of the air box. This lets the air by pass the airbox and go directly into the intake after the throttle body, leaning the mixture at low RPM.

So, I have increased the airflow through the engine by exhaust and small mods to the sir box; increased the fuel flow at low and high RPM; and leaned the mixture at idle.

The car seems to get with the program. Raced a 914/6 in Costa Mesa and went through 2nd and 3rd walking away from it "


Any comments ? I thought his approach was pretty interesting.

[Als914]

A fellow teener in Huntingto Beach shared his L-Jet mods with me after getting a ride in his car. No internal mods except the following--this 1.8 really hauled a$$:

Here is his email with description of his mods:

"The 1975 914 uses the L Jetronic system. It is the best of all the injection systems used in the 70’s and 80’s. You will find the L system on Opals, Range Rovers, Porsche 911’s, BMW and others. You may also use parts off these cars if the pins are the same for the airbox. You can also use the throttle body off these cars if the pins are the same.

In the articles from opeltuners, you will notice that a small change in throttle body and airbox means a large change in available horsepower. The throttle body that is on the 1.8 is good for 160 hp. Just clean up the rough edges inside the throttle and airbox with a grinder and you will be set. Next step is to increase the fuel flow to the engine. You can do this by larger fuel rails, and lowering the full on timing of the injectors to 3000 RPM. Down from the normal 3500 – 3800 stock setting.

I replaced the injectors with stock Bosch; increased the fuel pressure to 43 #; lowered the full on timing of the injectors to 3000RPM. Then I reduced the spring tension in the airbox by a -4clicks and increased the injectors on-time in the lower RPM by one contact slot on the inside dial of the airbox ( inside the tension spring adjuster ) This inside adjuster set the idle to 1000RPM, but made the idle rich so I leaned the low RPM using the bleed screw on the top of the air box. This lets the air by pass the airbox and go directly into the intake after the throttle body, leaning the mixture at low RPM.

So, I have increased the airflow through the engine by exhaust and small mods to the sir box; increased the fuel flow at low and high RPM; and leaned the mixture at idle.

The car seems to get with the program. Raced a 914/6 in Costa Mesa and went through 2nd and 3rd walking away from it "


Any comments ? I thought his approach was pretty interesting.

That's very interesting information Jim. I will want to do more reserch on this and apply it to my application.
All I have done so far is mechanical in nature. As my car was a 1.8 based engine with L-jet, the internals are all 2.0 with 96mm euro pistons and a Web cam suited to the L-jet. My car runs vey strong but would love to see what improvements in this regard can be made.
I may BUG you now and then for info.....hope you won't mind?

Al