Anyone that has a VS ecotec and need a new fuel pressure regulator? Well you cannot purchase any aftermarket as they are discontinued. All you need is a VX commodore ecotec fuel rail, remove the VX 3.5 bar regulator and purchase a 3 bar and swap your injectors over. Bosch part number is 0 280 160 557. United Fuel Injections had the regulator for $55 and I got a complete VX manifold from gumtree for $40. Removed the fuel rail and hose and sold it for $50.
Cheap, easy fix and looks factory too
I know, they are cheap shitty built but I still kept my original rails and leaking regulator. I cannot find anywhere the VS style 3bar at all. GOSS, Bosch and Fuelmiser have discontinued it completely. Not interested in 2nd hand as all are high mileage and I have been through 2 in a few years.
One place offered to do a version where I mount it to the firewall and make fitting to suit. Best location is at the end of the rail like the factory style.
Mine is a VS series 3 ute Aug 2000 built, the regulator did say 3 bar, not 3.5 which was used on the vt onwards. The VN to VR were like the V8 which had efi clamps on the regulator.
The VS for some reason made the hose and regulator one piece and all obsolete from holden ages ago.
The VS ute series 3 ecotec was a strange one as everytime I went to veale or covs for like manifold gasket, the bit between the upper and lower plenum where it joins, they ask for vin or engine number as it was different. Mine uses a paper gasket with the thin metal like gasket, not o ring. The throttle body gasket is paper but some were o ring. It was like a mix and match of parts the factory was using to push the last of the VS ute out the door to make way for the VU.
My mistake about the FPR, I cleaned up the original VS one thoroughly and it says 350KPa, not 300 which means the VS is a 3.5 bar FPR. So I just put the VX one back in and it did make a difference on the cold start and top end. Should have cleaned it properly in the first place and did the maths