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IDE Fuel Pressure Regulator Sorted !!! :-)

73K views 53 replies 14 participants last post by  madnoel10 
#1 ·
Never Buy Another IDE Fuel Pressure Regulator

I've just bought a 2001 Megane Convertible 2.0 IDE that was advertised as running but cutting out. When I went to collect it wouldn't even start !! and as suspected when I read the error codes it had a Fuel Pressure Regulator fault. This fix has sorted out the problem and the engine starts and runs really well now.

I can't take the credit for this fix as a mate of mine has found out how to strip and clean IDE fuel regulators having bought a Laguna Initiale 2.0 IDE that kept going into limp mode due to a faulty Fuel Pressure Regulator. His car was also giving an error code for a Fuel Pressure Sensor fault though he has found that when the fuel system over pressurises due to a faulty Fuel Pressure Regulator this often leads to the Fuel Pressure Sensor throwing up an error code as well when the fuel system pressure parameters are exceeded . The sensor is quite robust so in many instances it would seem that most Fuel Pressure Sensors get needlessly replaced. As once the Fuel Pressure Regulator problem is resolved the Fuel Pressure Sensor stops giving error codes.

Using a dremel or similar with a small cutting disk ( possibly a hacksaw ?) carefully cut a slit in the outer case being careful just to cut through the case. The case will release and can be drawn off the regulator. There is a brass plunger with a steel ball mounted in one end that fits down inside the nozzle end of the regulator. With the brass plunger removed from the nozzle use a cotton bud with T cut or even rubbing compound down inside the nozzle and clean out the nozzle until the inside of the nozzle is nice and shinny again especially at the bottom of the hole where the steel ball seals. Also clean the brass plunger with T cut or rubbing compound until it's also nice and shinny. Then remove all traces of T cut with thinners or similar. It's also a good idea to clean the upper plunger and housing.

A circular heater hose spring clip as shown in the photo is quite effective for holding the Fuel Pressure Regulator together again and excerpt uniform pressure which jubilee clips don't always do. You might get away without a clip around the split case as once the Fuel Pressure Regulator is fastened back onto the fuel rail it can't come apart.
Dirty Fuel Pressure Regulators tendto just rattle when shaken due to lack of movement of the brass plunger once clean there is a much more definite knock when you shake the Fuel Pressure Regulator as the brass plunger is free to slide up and down to it's stop.

The more aggressively you clean the Fuel Pressure Regulator it reduces the likely hood of the plunger seizing again which in part is probably due to close fitting parts and different coefficients of expansion of steel and brass also being coated from impurities in the fuel ?

How many IDE engine cars have been unnecessarily scrapped ?
 

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#5 ·
I forgot to say in my 1st post a new replacement Fuel Pressure Regulator will cost around £225 when and if you can find a dealer with any in stock. I have read it's not unusual that within a few months of having a brand new Fuel Pressure Regulator fitted the problem reoccurs leading me to wonder if the problem is just due to impurities in the fuel system?

IMO buying a second hand Fuel Pressure Regulator is usually a false economy and I'm sure many you see being sold on popular internet auction sites are people just out to make a quick buck on a unit that's not a lot better than the faulty one you already have on your IDE engine.

Okay so I'm sure that other can people can make a neater job off cutting open the outer case than I have. But at least when or even if the Fuel Pressure Regulator starts to act up again it's only a half hour job if that to remove the Fuel Pressure Regulatorand clean it again.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
i wasnt going to post this until i had tried my "re-engineered fuel pressure regulator :censored::censored::censored:this guy in poland strips the unit down and rebuilds with teflon, it was away for about two and a half weeks and has now come back looking chromed and very fresh. i emailed him about payment but he just said fit and test first. hes trusting me so i will let you know after i fit at the weekend.
anyone needing a pictur just let me know.
 
#8 ·
Delphine,

It looks lke you have found a solution. I have seen a similar post elsewhere where the fpr is opened by making a slit in the flange and prying it apart. In any case, the problem is that the fuel is under pressure so you want to avoid leakage. I can send this other post if it might be helpful. I am about to rry one of these and am interested in comments.
 
#12 ·
Delphine,
the problem is that the fuel is under pressure so you want to avoid leakage. I can send this other post if it might be helpful. I am about to rry one of these and am interested in comments.

It depend how long it is since the engine has been run / turned over as the pressure in the fuel rail does gradually drop.

With the ignition off I slaken the 2 torx screws a few turns that hold
the FPR to the fuel rail cover it with a rag and wobble the FPR you can hear the fuel leaking out until all the pressure is gone you don't loose very fuel.
 
#10 ·
i fitted my remanufactured modded regulator on saturday, i have covered approx 40 miles, and have left the engine idling for 30 minutes after two hot trips.
i have had no problems, so i paid the guy in poland for his work.
of course only time will tell, but the results are very encouraging so far., no red light.
 
#28 ·
i fitted my remanufactured modded regulator on saturday, i have covered approx 40 miles, and have left the engine idling for 30 minutes after two hot trips.
i have had no problems, so i paid the guy in poland for his work.
of course only time will tell, but the results are very encouraging so far., no red light.

Please forward me the details of the guy in Poland as I have a similar problem with a Megane Convertible 2.0 IDE. My orange warning light is on most of the time, especially when idling, and Ive started noticing a missfire at motorway speeds. A diagnostic test pinpointed the FPR and / or the sensor.
Regards
Fisheagle (Cape Town, South Africa)
 
#17 ·
Here is another proposed solution from Ken Garrad. There are accompanying pictures which I can't seem to load here:

The regulator valve is located just behind the oil filler cap and is retained by two torx screws.
Procedure make sure the car engine is cold, remove the wire plug from top. TAKE CARE PETROL WILL SPIRT OUT with next step. With the torx tool undo the two screws one turn each side repeat this 4-5 time or until the valve can be lifted to release the petrol pressure TAKE CARE. You may have to wiggle and pull the valve. Then take off the unit completely.
Drilling the hole is best done on a bench drill if available as it is a fairly delicate operation. If not you should gently ( a couple of small taps as opposed to a hefty one)centre punch a pop mark to stop the drill slipping. Place the valve in a Vice horizontally with the two fixing flanges pointing vertically up and down the end of the vice do not grip too tightly as not to squash the unit maybe use some cloth to help. You now SLOWLY drill a small hole in the pop marked place ie at about 90degrees to the holes in the two flanges. The pen tip in picture show position. It should be about 4mm from the edge using a 3to 4mm drill.

Hole position at pen tip, one hole on opposite side of flange as well.
You have to drill through the outer case about 1mm until you just get through and see the join between the black plastic coil holder and the mount flange so check every few revs of drill. Drill another hole on the other side of the solenoid case at a similar position. Now carefully, with a junior hack saw, cut out the remaining part between the hole and the case edge keeping the blade as parallel as possible to the length of the valve (without cutting into the rest of the case)so that you have a slot as in the picture below. THE hard bit is done.

Note and mark with marker pen the position of the mount flange in the case. Carefully insert a small screwdriver in the slot between the black plastic and the mount flange and prize out the innards of the valve by first one side and then the other or better by using one driver each side at the same time pushing the driver heads towards the back of the valve (see pic). Be patient and don’t use excusive force.

Once the flange has moved continue until the innards come out. At this stage turn the mount flange until the end that was inside is pointing to the ground, if the valve doesn’t fallout it is jammed and you may need to tap it on a softish surface to extract it. This is in fact the trouble that tightness is enough to stop it working. If it doesn’t come out use a pin to gently push it out from the other end. Once remove take the solenoid first, hold it by the plastic guide between your thumb and fore finger so that you can rotate it ,wrap a small piece of 100 grade wet & dry paper around the solenoid and rotate it in the paper. This part is hard and may take a couple minutes of rubbing to make the difference needed. DO NOT OVER do it remember you only have to reduce the diameters by part of a thousandth of an inch also rub the recessed end of the metal solenoid. The hard bit has been done the unit can now quite easily be removed again and more taken off if it fails to cure the problem. Use the same technique to do the plastic guide about 20-30 seconds and the fat part of the valve again 30 seconds do not rub the thin part just make sure it is clean. You now have to make sure that all parts are cleaned to remove any filings by cleaning in fresh petrol, do not skimp this be meticulous use a syringe to squirt the hole through the solenoid or agitate vigorously in the petrol.
Examine the components making sure there are no burrs on the flange made by the drill or saw. If any protrusions gentle file them flat, indentations do not matter. Check the rubber O ring for cuts or splits or just replace if available. Make sure that the valve and solenoid move very freely within the mount flange, the valve should fall straight out when upended. If not sand paper a little more, clean then try again. Assemble the innards together as in top picture and hold up right so they stay in position. Moisten the innards with petrol to assist insertion to the O ring in the unit. Align the marks made on the two parts and lower the case onto the innards and press together using a little twist to insert the O ring, re-align and press together as far at you can with your fingers. You can now protecting the ends with paper place in a vice and press together so that they don’t fall apart no need to press all of the way as this will be done when it is tightened to the engine Now insert the assemble unit back in the engine (lubricate with petrol, align and press with a gently twist and wiggle to make sure the O rings are not damaged when inserting. Once the O- rings are in, press the unit fully home. Insert the screws and tighten both 1 turn at a time so that the unit is pulled together evenly and completely. Replace plug. Turn on ignition and check for leaks if none start engine and quickly again search for leaks continue to check for a minute or so. If any leaks found probably an O ring is damaged and will need to be replace. If so allow engine to stand and cool before removing again.

The car should now be OK if the problem reoccurs the same procedure can be re-done but of cause it will now be a much simpler operation No drilling etc.
 
#18 ·
Hi, I also bought the regulator from Poland, but I have not been as lucky as you .. my regulator gets noise when accelerating, a noise like a turbine .. the steps I have done are: put the regulator , engine start cost him enough, he let it idle a while and went up speed to jump the fan, the noise persisted ... we also walked around 40 km, I drive city was somewhat unstable idle as if the engine were to circulating the engine stop and gave little jerks ... ¿Can you tell me step by step what you did?, ¿did you happen the same with these symptoms?. best regards!:crazy:
 
#23 ·
I would agree with the above the regulator is a solenoid operated shuttle valve at worst it's likely to rattle as it moves up and down at speed but it doesn't rotate.

I wonder if it's not the bearings in the high pressure fuel pump thats driven from the end of input camshaft ?
 
#22 ·
The noise comes from the regulator!!, I have returned to put my regulator old and the problems have removed themselves ... with this it is 3 regulator that I change and I had never passed not equally!. I've already been in contact with the seller ... but you don´t answered the question of the steps you followed to their operation if I had jumped by some process ...¿¿¿your engine started on the first or starting cost???, the seller told me that started badly because the regulator was empty of fuel....regards!
 
#24 ·
Hi!, thanks for your answer!,No, the noise came from the regulator, high fuel pump is ok!, because with my old regulator noise sounded not, was to go back to put my old regulator and the noise is gone. I have had 4 regulators and has never let me past this. I have checked the shake with the hand the new regulator and barely felt the movement of the solenoid piston, so the problem is probably in the piston ... I have sent the polish regulator to the seller for that check and to give me the reasons why the regulator has been defective.
I shall keep you informed!:crazy:
 
#27 ·
Hello, everybody! , I have received a new regulator polish and this time it works OK!!.:) I asked him the cause of noise of the defective regulator and he told me that the error was his own, he did not tell me exactly what was the fault ... The treatment has been very good, quick with shipping and with the return shipping costs of the defective regulator. Cross your fingers for that is the definitive solution!: Angel:: Beer:
 
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