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The "Tightwad mod" Fuel Bowl delete and regulated return for peanuts.

126K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  joedaddy 
#1 ·
1st, this is a mod that will require cutting and grinding on your existing fuel bowl return. If you are not confident in your fabricating ability you might reconsider.

Total cost > $50 <

Start by removing the turbo to plenum tubing, AKA spider. Make sure you stuff it the openings with some rags, some parts are small.

Then drain your fuel bowl, it's the yellow lever at the 7 O'Clock position of the fuel bowl, push to the left. Then use a 1/2" drive and long extension to remove the 13mm bolts in the back of the FB that secure it to the block. I busted 2 good 3/8" ratchets learning this. :mad:




Once you've unbolted the FB take the braided (return) lines loose from the regulator and return line (hose) at the back. Then unbolt the reg from the bowl. Remove the top left worm clamp and hose from the fuel pump, the loosened FB should give you plenty of access. Then the lowest clamp and hose. If these 2 hose wont come don't worry they will tear off anyway once you pull th FB.



With the FB gone you can now see the fuel pump. If you are not familier with it the top left port the low pressure to the filter, the top right is inlet feed from the tanks, the bottom is inlet feed from the filter. the out the back to the back of the heads, through the heads out the front into the braided return lines you previously disconnected, and into the regulated return.



Now the factory RR, take time again to understand what is going on here. The backside is the inlet feed from the FB, when you removed this you probably noticed a nasty screen, behind that there is a plastic tube restrictor and behind that a plastic ball, these can be tossed in the trash. The fuel goes through there to the left and into the cup looking thing where it mixes with return fuel the out the nipple in back, or you may have a different model that has no cup but a lid with a nipple out the bottom. The left side is the regulated return, the large brass colored bolt is the Fuel Pressure Regulater lid, behind it you will find a spring and aluminum needle that does the regulating.



With the lid/cup removed you can see the inner chamber, the hole in the center is where reg meets ret, this is where you tap a 3/8 ntp nipple to become the new fuel return. On the cupless model you'll need to pre-drill the hole 1st with a size or 2 smaller bit than the tap.



To the right of the feed that goes down into the chamber is where you'll start cutting, spend some time making sure you fully understand this step, after the 1st cut you're all in! REMEMBER YOUR SAFTEY GLASSES AND GLOVES!!!!!



Here's what you're after, this will take many cuts and some staring to get right. You can see that I've already tapped the center and placed the new return nipple as a guide.



And the finished product. You'll want to disassemble and clean vigorously before re-assembly. This is also a good time for the FPR mod which is just a BB in the needle uder the spring.



Re-assembly is pretty self explanitory once you've come this far, the braided lines go bac where they were and the new return plugs right into where the old 1 did.



So far I haven't needed to clamp the device in place, it's so light the return hard line sorta suspends it in the valley.



Then it's your choice of filtration, I went with a 10 micron transfer tank assembly, it has a see-through sediment bowl and water drain at the bottom, it was about $30 at the tractor supply store, the fittings to go from 1" to 3/8" nipple were another $5-10 and I made the hanger out of a piece of flat stock 1"x 1/8" and used 1 1/4 U bolts to mount.



All but the fittings and reg spring/needle can be tossed.



GOOD LUCK with yours!!!! :D
 
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#3 ·
What are the benefits of this?
 
#5 ·
Hm. might try this when i replace my hpop
 
#8 ·
interesting, I have a spare laying around I'll have to look into this. Also Joe, did I remember right that you don't want to use galvanized fittings (left side of fuel filter, 2 elbows), because is can de-laminate when in contact with diesel??? I could be totally wrong but that's what I remember.
 
#12 ·
Ah thanks! What type of fuel line did you use?
 
#16 ·
Very nice mod...always nice to see something new.



I don't think you should be using your TQ wrench to break bolts loose.
That's my "Ratcheting Breaker Bar" now that its past its prime. Works really well on rusty frame bolts!

The galv fittings are b4 the filter, they might not not have any residue in them but with that many I kept them up-stream.

BTW I believe this mod also works on SD's
 
#15 ·
got all my factory fuel stuff up for sale...... except the bowl which someone bought.
 
#17 ·
How much for the fpr?
 
#20 ·
I have been gathering parts very slowly for a e-fuel system. Would an areomotive regulator work in place of this? The main reason of doing the e-fuel was to rid myself of the FB and the headaches. I like the "easy" approach to this and if the regulator will work, then it would save me the time of cutting mine up.
 
#22 ·
If your going e-fuel then there really isn't much of a cheap way when you compare to this. If your just wanting the fb delete then I would sell/return the areomotive regulator and do it joedaddy's way, since that is probably the most expensive part of an e-fuel.
 
#23 ·
Where can I pick up extra fuel hose for this mod?
 
#25 ·
I just didn't know if it had to be a certain type of hose.
 
#31 ·
Well, one week and about 400 miles of driving in since mods. Still haven't had time to get the psi gauge on it. It continues to run flawlessly and I'm planning to do the green truck next.

Side note, the 2nd truck I did is a project, I only did it because of the ipr rebuild. Since then clipped the FP sensor, heater, and water detection wires and chopped about a foot out of the ipr harrness which had gotton soft and mushy b4 the connector. I cut a inj connector from an old uvch and re-wired. Ipr replacement is as easy as pie now.
 
#32 ·
Glad to hear man. I will be doing this mod soon.
 
#33 ·
How did you prime the system after it was put together?
 
#35 ·
A few long full throttle pulls in 3rd or od will get that out;)
 
#38 ·
Been well over a month now and couple thousand miles, no probs and one very nice bonus. As strange as it sounds I've gone from 15mpg the 18. Now this is weird because while a massive fuel leak caused this it had only been leaking for a couple days.

I would like to understand what exactly caused the jump on mpg as well as the noticeable crisp throttle. BTW the last mpg calc was after changing my driving habits. No more tire squealing from stops and no more blasts to 80 to pass. I've also slowed to the speed limit. With those changes and including 1 70 mile trip with a 4k empty gn then 7k return I used 26 gallons in 576 miles. That's 22 mpg. I'm pretty confused by this, could it have something to do with the increased line psi and volume, maybe its getting a better combustion event?

Either way the green truck is next and has no fuel leaks. And driving very thrifty got 18mpg going to TS but gets 15 to and from work driving easy.
 
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