7 Tell-tale Signs of a Troubled Fuel Pressure Regulator

By presenting a few various symptoms, your car is hinting you of a failing fuel pressure regulator. This passage concludes and explains some of the most common ones. Read this article, and check your fuel pressure regulator if you find the same symptoms displayed on your car.
1—The Tail Pipe Emits Black Smoke
Having black smoke coming out of your tail pipe is a sure sign there is something wrong with your fuel pressure regulator. Have it replaced. The normal color of any smoke coming out of the exhaust should be white or gray, not black, so if you see the latter, there is definitely something wrong.
2—The Engine Doesn’t Run Smoothly
Speaking of poor engine performance, if you are idling the engine and it is not running smoothly—if it is sputtering and spitting like it is going to die—change your oil filter unless it’s pretty new and then, if that doesn’t work, check your pressure regulator. Another sign that your engine is suffering the effects of a bad fuel pressure regulator is if you have trouble starting the car. It will fail to turn over a few times before it actually starts.
3—Engine Stalls
If the engine stalls when you press down on the gas pedal, check the fuel pressure regulator. There shouldn’t be any hesitation when you press on the gas. Even if you only notice a little hesitation, get your pressure regulator checked out because it may just be starting to go bad.
4—Gasoline Is in the Vacuum Hose
If you are noticing any of the signs above, but aren’t convinced it is your fuel pressure regulator, there is something you can do to be sure one way or the other. Remove the vacuum hose that attaches to the fuel pressure regulator, making sure the engine isn’t running. If gas is in the line, your fuel pressure regulator is bad. Also, if there is none in the line, but, when you turn the switch on, fuel drips out of the hose, it is bad.
5—Spark Plugs Blackened
Remove one of your spark plugs and examine the end of it. If it is sooty, it could be a sign of a bad fuel pressure regulator. If you find one plug in this condition, check the rest of them. One sooty spark plug could just mean the engine is burning oil at that head.
If you end up replacing your fuel pressure regulator, you might also want to replace your plugs. They could be fouled out from the bad fuel pressure regulator. You can try simply cleaning them and putting them back, but if your engine still runs poorly, get new ones.
6—The Dipstick Smells of Gasoline
Check the oil dipstick and see if you smell fuel on it. If you do, it could be a symptom of a bad fuel regulator, which has allowed gasoline to leak into the oil system.
7—Gasoline Drips Out of the Tailpipe
Gasoline dripping out of your tailpipe is either the result of your overfilling your tank or a bad fuel pressure regulator. Most likely, the gas is leaking into the exhaust system because the fuel pressure regulator is allowing it to pass into the lines.