re:325e sputter

[jkerouac@xxxxxxx]

Bad fuel pressure regulator??
I most heavily severely doubt  that.
    Your description matches experiences I had in the past.
Also, if you go to the troubleshooting section in a Bentley's book, I
believe it will affirm this.
What I found on my old car was a coolant temperature sensor going bad.
Also check if the primer pump in the gas tank is on the fritz, since
that will make the main pump overwork itself, causing sufficient fuel
volume to make enough fuel pressure at low fuel demands, but
insufficient volume, therefore insufficient fuel pressure, at higher
fuel demands.  Black smoke in a steady state is too rick, however black
sputter while otherwise running ok can be a sign of intermittently
running way too lean.
    This is all from first hand experience.
    As for the fuel pressure regulator, it runs itself, no ECU controls
over it.

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