Adjustable fuel pressure!

#1

I haven’t been keeping up much lately, but I missed the adjustable fuel pressure regulator being allowed. Honestly I’m surprised. I would think for the same reason chips aren’t allowed, an AFPR wouldn’t be allowed.

If these cars are running safe mixtures with the allowed exhaust and intake modifications, why allow the AFPR? I think as soon as someone tries one, spends the time to dyno and tune it and finds a few extra HP by getting the ideal mix back, then everyone’s going to have to spend a few hundred more doing the same thing to keep up.

Thoughts?

#2

gah, I searched before posting this and then saw that it was asked a few months ago. But really, if the cars are running closer to stoich at full throttle, and someone takes the time and $$ to get it back to ~13:1, everyone’s going to have to do it.

#3

I’ve got an AFPR. With stock injectors, I’ve never been able to get it to stoich at WOT and high rpm. Its always a little lean. I wouldn’t worry too much about that rule. I don’t think SpecE30 is going to be so competitive that an AFPR is going to make a difference. If anything, balanced cranks, blueprinted motors, and overbore should worry you more.

#4

By nature, Spec E30 has attracted guys who want to concentrate on building a simple and reliable car, and improving their driving/racing skills.

If someone spends the time and money for an adjustable pressure reg. to absolutely optimise the air/fuel ratio on their stock engine, I’ll be surprised if it gets them more than two or three hp. On a seriously built motor in a different (high-dollar) series, it might get more gain.

My car, Chris’ car, and Carlton’s car are within about 7 hp of each other, strongest to weakest, and I can confidently say that this had nothing to do with our finishing positions this past year. Sheer guts, staying on the track, managing traffic, a properly prepared car, tire management, etc. is what won races.

Carter

#5

traqrat wrote:

I hear what you’re both saying, and sure, today it’s no big deal. But hopefully this series will keep growing! I’d just hate to see a few people try it, get a leg up, then have to change the rules, pissing them off, or making everyone have to get one and dyno time to compete. And just like the argument against chips, if you have an FPR, you might be able to better compensate for a mild cheater cam, hogged out exhaust/intake ports or such thing.

It just seems to me like another small hole for letting costs and cheating grow, and we’ve all seen those failures in other series before. Thanks for the feedback! :whistle:

#6

Is there anyone using an adjustable FPR? I’m in agreement with Channing, delete the FPR now and never have to worry about it again.The unknown is what makes for great urban legend. Regards, Robert Patton

#7

ecpreston wrote:

[quote]traqrat wrote:

I hear what you’re both saying, and sure, today it’s no big deal. But hopefully this series will keep growing! I’d just hate to see a few people try it, get a leg up, then have to change the rules, pissing them off, or making everyone have to get one and dyno time to compete. And just like the argument against chips, if you have an FPR, you might be able to better compensate for a mild cheater cam, hogged out exhaust/intake ports or such thing.

It just seems to me like another small hole for letting costs and cheating grow, and we’ve all seen those failures in other series before. Thanks for the feedback! :whistle:[/quote]

By the time SpecE30 gets big enough to attract big money cheating, the program will have the resources to enforce it too. Besides, if I put in a cheater cam, I’d just tweak the spring preload inside the AFM and run a Porsche 944 FPR (looks the same as an E30 regulator, but runs at higher psi) and no one would notice a thing.

#8

Stock M20s seems to run great without the FPR!