Ok so I've been searching all of the internets trying to find anything like what's going on with my blazer and I have found a few things
First - https://blazerforum.com/forum/2nd-ge...p-79052/page2/
Unfortunately, no real fix was found for this guy and he replaced everything under the plenum. I also saw he mentioned the intake valves could be bent and cause the fuel to come up through the intake ports like you said, Les. But I find this unlikely in my case because again none of the intake ports are coated in gas like you think they would be if this was the case.
Second - https://www.s10forum.com/threads/lea...ind-it.545762/
Here he had the same exact thing going on as me, looking like gas was leaking from the regulator but could not see it when he primed the system and checked. He mentions trying to blow air into the regulator hole to see if gas comes back out, unfortunately, I don't think this method worked to confirm it was leaking for him but he did get a new spider assembly again and it sounds like it fixed the problem.

I would now like to talk about my fuel pressure while I have the engine running. I know there are no official specs as to what it should be running, however, I also know that it should not be jumping erratically. This is what it's doing, it just jumps between 50-60psi and is never still. This is also leading me to think something is wrong with the regulator. I have also seen people say a leaking fpr will wash clean around the rear right two cylinders, which can also be seen in the first picture I posted, the gas between the fourth and sixth intake ports. Now with this information, and the puddle of gas right under the regulator and all on the back inside the plenum, I am pretty much ready to conclude this is what must be leaking. The other things I can think do to would be to do what you said Les and just make sure my compression is looking good and there are no surprises there. Also, to try blowing some air into the regulator and see what happens, though I'm not too confident in that method anyways. Does anyone have any thoughts about this or even better any ideas to add on? Do you think I have enough information to conclude the regulator is my problem?

 

I'm not seeing any smoking gun thus far to indicate your regulator is bad.

 

The only thing I can think of (and it sounds pretty far-fetched) is that when the regulator is under vacuum, the fuel is somehow being "sucked out" of it. When it's at atmospheric pressure, it's ok. I've never actually heard of such a thing, though.

 

Keep in mind that you are leaking at rest, not just when running. Normally I would say that the odds of two defective replacement spiders/regulators is very low however if you got them both from the same source spaced closely together there may have been a defective lot. There is a thread here somewhere of two replacement fuel pumps that both failed and then an upgrade to Delco/Delphi which finally solved the problem. I know your probably stuck in a replacement loop with the same supplier but this is worth considering. We have thrown around some exotic theories regarding how fuel keeps pooling up in the intake manifold but Occam’s razor usually applies. The most likely source is at the pool of fuel.

We’re your fuel trims normal after the very first replacement spider last year?

I would still check fuel pressure at the fuel filter to find out how many ghosts you are chasing. Besides wanting to isolate your problems I say this is because of your fluctuating pressures while running. Could this be the regulator or a bad leak elsewhere? Sure but it could also be the pump or it’s wiring.

Could you also have an engine mechanical problem that is part of this? Yes that’s also possible and so at some point you may want to follow Les’ guidance to do a compression and leakdown test. You may also want to look at vacuum at idle to see if it’s wonky.


George

 

Tom, this is exactly what I think is going on especially because all the gas is pooling right around the regulator. I saw this happen twice on the older model engines and in a video, I saw compressed air being blown into the regulator then gas started spraying out only while he was blowing the air in because it was only leaking under vacuum. However, being that it was the older model the regulator had two holes and he blew the air through the center hole and it started spraying out the smaller hole above. On my regulator, I'm pretty sure I just have one hole for the vacuum and it is tilted down so it will be a little harder to spray compressed air in there to see, and of course, there is only one hole and not two so I'm not sure how it would work. Yeah George, the blazer was running great after the first new spider was put in, fuel trims were good, with no problems. Ok, I don't have the attachment to hook up to the fuel filter but I will think about this. I have a good feeling pump pressure has to be good since it primes up to 56psi every time with no issues, and as you say, the most likely cause is where the pool of gas is. I have no vacuum gauge to hook up unfortunately or I would have already to see if the vacuum is jumping like the fuel pressure. Would it be fine to try the thumb compression test with the plenum off? I feel that this is the last thing that I can try here to rule out any chance of mechanical failure and the odd chance fuel is coming up through the intake ports, I will just need to find a helper to crank the engine while I have my finger in the spark hole. Too bad there's not enough room to put a GoPro under the plenum or else I would do that and confirm where it's leaking from! I think I will call up lordco (the spider supplier) again today and tell them I'm having problems yet again with this spider as well. I think this time they will be reaching out to bwd to see what's going on. It sucks but I mean there's not a lot I can do when I get the new spider, carefully put it in, and still end up with gas pooling all over my intake when I start it up, it must be coming from the new spider.

 

Okay, I called up lordco, and they talked to bwd and are getting another spider unit in for tomorrow. I also called up the SMP tech line and explained my situation and the guy said it's weird for two to be bad right out of the box but if everything is installed correctly then it must be and to take the spider back out and go get another one. So I guess now THE FOURTH SPIDER?!?! I just don't believe this.

 

After reading this thread, I'm still at a loss for any other explanation other the regulator. That there could be a bad batch of them seems reasonable.

Do know if the next one will come from a different source? May getting one from a different warehouse might help?

 

Right Christine? It seems really crazy. But all I can come up with is the regulator must be leaking too. The two spiders thus far have been from in town I suspect they were from the same batch, this one is coming in from a city close by so it's more likely it will be from a different batch. I guess I will go pull the spider out in a bit here or tomorrow as this is all that's left to do and cross my fingers that the next one works well. Really sucks because as I explained the last time I pulled the spider out, I don't like pulling these things out because the tips are so damn hard to unclip from the intake!!! Maybe tomorrow my truck will be running properly again.

 

Way back when I was a student, I could only afford the cheaper parts for my 71 Dart which eventually caught up with me. Specifically, it took the form of a bad starter.

I had to replace that thing several times, once in a parking lot. I had a lifetime warranty but got tired of relacing it so eventually I ponied up the extra money and got a good one. After that, no more problems.

But man, did I get good at swapping out staters on 318 V8 equipped Dodge Darts! LOL

(The trick is to turn the front tires to the left so that the dip in tje center link is under the starter to give you more room to twist it and get it out. )

 

Yeah Christine, If I could find a better quality spider on the market I would probably get it. But a lot of people say the bwd injectors are just as good as the delco ones and that they are working really well for them. Too bad the ACDelco and Delphi units are discontinued or I would try one of those out. As for now, the spider is out and ready to go back to lordco tomorrow morning! Ahh my fingers are crossed once I get the new one in it runs like a champ again and there's no more gas under the plenum.