Trying to diagnose some issues with my 1995 3VZE. I have strong fuel smell in the garage several hours after parking. There is also an occasional fuel smell when idling at a stop and windows down which I think may be from the exhaust. I have traced the smell to coming from (or somewhere immediately near) the FPR.

Over the past few weeks, I have had trouble starting in the mornings - the engine cranks strong but it takes a few seconds to finally fire up. That seems like a slow bleed of fuel pressure overnight. I have jumped Fp and B+ and hear hissing from both the FPR and near the fuel tank - I assume this is probably normal. There is NOT any visible fuel in the vacuum hose from the FPR, but it does have a fuel odor to it when I detached it. No visible leaks anywhere in the fuel system from what I can see.

I am 90% sure it is a bad FPR, but not wanting to waste $100 for a new part - anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

Get a $55 one from RockAuto? (I used their Standard Motor Products part, and it works fine).

But before you do that, look carefully at the Fuel Pressure Damper. It's located on the aft end of the right-hand fuel rail. It seems they tend to leak at about ... 24 years. I suggest you fire it up, shut it off, and quickly slide a piece of brown paper towel under the FPD. (Brown, because gasoline is so clear it's hard to see on a white paper towel.) Don't try to repair it; the screw in the middle is a pressure indicator; don't tighten it.

The "slow bleed of fuel pressure overnight" is normal. The spec is for the fuel rail to hold at least 21 psi for 5 minutes, which means overnight it will surely be down to zero.

 

Bingo! I checked the fuel damper after sitting overnight and it smelt a little bit of gas. I did as you suggested and after about 1 minute of running there was a golf ball sized spot of fuel on the paper towel.

Looks like a fun day ahead of me to get the damper replaced. Thanks and I appreciate the help!

 

I had to remove the fuel cross-over (along with the plenum, etc.) to get to the damper. The new damper SHOULD come with the two crush washers it needs, but you'll need to pick up 4 medium-sized crush washers (2 per banjo) for the cross-over. I've found sets of the aluminum washers online, but I just bought them one-at-a-time from the dealer; they're not expensive. I suggest you pick up two more than you need. If you have exactly the right number of washers, your truck can sense that, and one of the washers will bound off for the grass just as you're about to install it.

 

can't be found with a magnet also. I know