Accumulator

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tony280
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Accumulator

Post by tony280 »

Just changing my accumulator, pipe onto unions have got a bit squashed
How are they fitted into unions are they just warmed up and pushed on,thinking I could cut a 1" off and push on

Thanks
Tony
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Andrew 2.8i
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Re: Accumulator

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

tony280 wrote: Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:24 pm How are they fitted into unions are they just warmed up and pushed on,thinking I could cut a 1" off and push on
The standard unions are barbed and it's very difficult to push them on. When you think that the operating pressure of the system is 79 PSI (5.5 BAR), it's probably a good thing that the pipes don't come off the unions easily!
The short fuel line that goes to the pump should be easy to remove. You can then make sure it's completely drained of fuel before using gentle heat to expand it before trying to push on the new union. You'll have a problem doing that with the line that goes to the fuel filter. When they built the Capri, Ford lay the fuel line on he floor and built the car around it! :lol: Seriously though, you can't undo that one as the connections on the join in the fuel line under the nearside front wing are too big to pass through the hole in the floor strengthener.

I wonder if there is a tool available to push the barbed unions onto the fuel lines?

:goodluck:

Andrew.
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tony280
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Re: Accumulator

Post by tony280 »

Best leave them as they are then,hopefully not to squashed
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Re: Accumulator

Post by sierra3dr »

Use a pipe flaring tool. Or,leave the accumulator off,it's just a fuel dampener.
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Bug
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Re: Accumulator

Post by Bug »

sierra3dr wrote: Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:41 pm Use a pipe flaring tool. Or,leave the accumulator off,it's just a fuel dampener.
Not exactly.
It does indeed dampen out fluctuations caused by the pump.
It's other function is to maintain pressure in the fuel system when the engine stops. Without this, the pressure dissipates, meaning it is very difficult to then start the car until the pump has managed to catch up again.
If you swap the fuel pump relay for a Lucas one, it will run for a second or two when the ignition is first switched on, helping to prime the system, which may compensate for a lack of accumulator to a small degree.
However, maintaining the pressure in the system also helps prevent the fuel from evaporating. Without an accumulator, the fuel will disappear over time which can lead to seals drying out, the metering unit piston seizing and many other undesirable side effects.
Don't leave the accumulator off.
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Re: Accumulator

Post by sierra3dr »

Bug wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:18 am
sierra3dr wrote: Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:41 pm Use a pipe flaring tool. Or,leave the accumulator off,it's just a fuel dampener.
Not exactly.
It does indeed dampen out fluctuations caused by the pump.
It's other function is to maintain pressure in the fuel system when the engine stops. Without this, the pressure dissipates, meaning it is very difficult to then start the car until the pump has managed to catch up again.
If you swap the fuel pump relay for a Lucas one, it will run for a second or two when the ignition is first switched on, helping to prime the system, which may compensate for a lack of accumulator to a small degree.
However, maintaining the pressure in the system also helps prevent the fuel from evaporating. Without an accumulator, the fuel will disappear over time which can lead to seals drying out, the metering unit piston seizing and many other undesirable side effects.
Don't leave the accumulator off.
:cool: very informative. I have not experienced it without the accumulator,I know several XR4i owners who had issues with the fuel system. The accumulator was removed and the 4i driven better
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T.M.
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Re: Accumulator

Post by T.M. »

Bug wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:18 am
If you swap the fuel pump relay for a Lucas one, it will run for a second or two when the ignition is first switched on, helping to prime the system....
Hi,
last year I bought new original pink fuel pump relay from Ford dealer and it makes that pressurization too, when you switched on ignition. Previous non-original (onknown brand) relay didn't make it.


Tom
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