Sorry about the long post but I'm making sure I don't miss any clues. ;D
Ok I just popped my third oem fuel pressure regulator.
I started with a cdm walboro up in Wa. running at 45psi. all day no problem.
Then I build another motor due to my engine's need to eat crankshafts b/c of the shit oil pump.
Went to start the car and the fuel pressure was at 23 psi. and dropping while engine ran like shit.
I notice I had some leaks from fuel rail inlet, fucked up pulse dampener and washer and I over tightened it.
The fuel rail inlet nipple thingy came out with the dampener that shit was all fucked up.
So I grab another fuel rail and I fucked up the tapping of the other side rail for the pressure gauge sender clound not use that on.
I finally get a fuel rail from my old CX setup that has no dampener with just the regular boring type cap and with the holes through the side of inlet nipple.
That helped get the pressure back up to 45psi. ;D Thinking problem solved.
Then a week later (because I had a lot of things going on that week) I go out to start the car and it will not start.
Look at the pressure gauge and it is up to 60psi. So I burn a whole new map (Crome) with the higher pressure and it idled alright but ran like dog shit.
So I figure I needed a fuel filter, changed it, and it is still shit.
So I change the pressure regulator #1 to #2 and it worked. Great, thought problem solved. ;D
Go out the next day to start the car and I'm back above 60psi.
So I pull the pump and put in a used OEM one and the pressure looks good runs at a steady 50psi.
Then when I had started and stop the motor a few times the pressure is climbing back up to 100psi.
So I switch to another pump and the pressure stays at 100psi.
So I went and figured out that maybe the return line was clogged from some shaving from the fuel rail when I tapped the end for the pressure sender.
I blew out the return line, the rail, filter to the pump line. Put it all back together and still a no go.
So as a last ditch effort I put a pressure regulator (#3) on and the pressure stayed at 45psi. I figured the first 2 pressure regulators were ruined from some Al shavings.
Then I went out to my car this evening and my car startup at first, then died.
I started it up again but was getting harder start look down and my priming pressure just before the fuel relay shuts off said 70psi.
So I turn the key 4 more times without starting and the pressure climbed pass 100psi and the car will not start.
I ran out of pressure regulators. When I was using a separate fuel pressure tester at the filter just before changing to pressure regulator #3 I had that pressure spike past 200psi. and pump would not stop unless the relay stopped.
I'm using a MSD 2351 box for consistent voltage to pump. I have it set at 13.5 volts when in n/a so I think I am not over volting the pumps.
The fuel pump software shows no high temp or excessive amp draw (like if my ground to the pump was shit)
I know that pressure may vary between pressure regulators and with pumps. I have used 2 cdm Walboro pump (the ones that xeno sales but I can get them cheaper then what he sales them for) , 2 OEM pumps, and 3 OEM (2 EX and 1 CX) pressure regulators.
My fuel pressure sender is reading correct and same as the Snap-On pressure tester on my filter test port.
I need some direction or ideas about this. I can get an AEM regulator for free or I can get 5-6 more OEM regulators and see if any will work. My local Hondaphile has already offered them to me.
Could be that the third one popped because it had been sitting around in dry air for about 4 yrs.?
I doubt it.