Fuel Cell install in 1G

[zxdude]

I have a issue with my fuel system ( all the lines are very rusted ) And i bought a walbro 255hp lph pump and instal kit. After getting under the car to remove the old pump I came to realize how bad the of shape everything is... then I thought wouldn't it be cool I i would have a after market fuel cell with new SS Braided fuel lines ect... the car is a project car that I'm hoping to have running by winter (engines @ the machine shop getting bored ect)
So now the questions come....

Can I use the walbro intank pump I have?

Venting?

Mounting?

where can I get the lines, how should I run them?

Ive done some searching and have come up empty..... who has done this ect....

Thankx ahead of time!!!

 

[2bar4g63t]

yea, exact same situation, i just bought the walbro 255 intank, went to install it and the tanks rusted inside, also snapped the driveshaft and when it broke it was still spinning it crushed the fuel line. so im thinking about a 10 gal cell too, can i use the pump i just got??

 

[Sk8er07999]

Yes you can still use the bro. You will probably have to find a way to hang it in the tank like in the stock system. Shouldn't be too hard. ZX dude I don't see why you where getting under the car to take the pump out. It comes out of the trunk on top...

 

[zxdude]

the AWD's come out there... the FWD is located under the car ( thats why its all rusted )
I was just doing some more home work and found SS line for $5.50 per footon www.slowboyracing.com

also...

Quantity Description P/N (Jeg's)
___Parts_______________________________________
15' Stainless steel braided fuel line. 799-3208
3 Straight hose end connectors 799-1002
1 K&N high flow billet fuel filter 599-81-0530
1 Straight swivel connector* 799-4000
1 1/8 NPT fuel pressure sender adapter* 799-7000
1 45° hose end connector 799-1009
1 -08 to -06 flair union reducer fitting 799-6177
1 Cushion clamps pkg of 10 (but you only need 5 of them) 799-5098
1 1" x 6" strip rubber (1/16" gasket sheet rubber)
___Supplies_____________________________________
Electrical tape
JB Weld
Teflon tape
3/8" Sheet metal screws (to secure cushion clamps)
zip tie-wraps
___Tools_______________________________________
Die grinder or Dremel tool w/cut-off wheel
3/4-16 Tap & big tap handle
1/2" Drill &11/16" Metal drill bit
___Misc________________________________________
1/8 NPT fuel pressure sender*

*the installation of a fuel pressure gauge is optional but highly recommended. The parts indicated are used to mount the fuel pressure sender.
http://www.stevetek.com/R-FuelSys.html

 

[1fast97gsx]

what about the return lines ... no need to redo those??

 

[zxdude]

Well all the info that i've found is just copy and pasted.....I was the one with the questions.....

comon someone on here must have experience with this?

 

[DarthBulk]

I am doing this right now on my 91 Talon TSi. I had the exact same situation, the tank was all rusted and I couldn't see getting that fuel pump out without some cutting or grinding, and I wouln't do that on a fuel tank. So I bought a Jeg's aluminum 20gal fuel cell, and I just finished cutting the spare tire bucket out of the back of the car. Now I am building a cage for holding the fuel cell, and yes I will be completely sealing the fuel cell out of the interior of the car by building a higher floor in the back with sheet metal, to firewall it off to the underside of the car. I am using an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump because I need the fuel flow and it is VERY easy to attach to a fuel cell.
I am going to run SS braided fuel line to the engine, and I will probably replace the return line with SS line too. You don't have to repace the return line if yours is in decent shape. The fuel cells have a -8 AN fitting for venting, and I bought a JAZ filler neck to attach to the side of my fuel cell so I can connect it to the stock fuel filler door with some hose. I will have a firewall over the top of my fuel cell so I will not have access to the top filler hole...that will stay sealed all the time.

 

[1fast97gsx]

so what are we looking at in total cost for a project such as this?

 

[DarthBulk]

I guess it is pretty expensive. Here is what I paid so far, and I am not done yet. All prices are approximate:

20 gal. Aluminum Fuel Cell w/sending unit $210
Steel Tubing and Sheet metal to firewall and mount the Fuel Cell $40
Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump $280
2 Aeromotive fuel filters $70 each
SS fuel line 20ft $90
Misc. AN Hose ends, elbows, cushion clamps $100
JAZ filler neck for fuel cell $67

I still need some hose for the filler neck, some AN adapters to get my fuel line down to -6 AN at the fuel rail, some soundproof matting, and a couple other misc. things.

 

[1fast97gsx]

wow that totals to about $1000!!!

 

[GSX_RCR]

Good luck on that project!

Another cheap alternative is to just sump the stock tank. You can run a huge external pump and stainless fuel lines and leave the rusted stock pieces in place.

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

Fuel cell $100
Brackets $20
Lines $125
Fittings $2Much
Rail $100
Injectors $300
Regulator $150
Pump $250
(2) Filters $160

Those are guesses off the top of my head, but they should be close. Also, order your line LAST after you have everything mounted and layed out, and also be wary of fitment issues like I had in the last image

Check out www.racerpartswholesale.com for the fittings and line, and summit for a nice Summit Special fuel cell, pump, reg, and filters

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[1fast97gsx]

At what point is this really neccesary?

 

[DSMJim]

Nice teflon tape on -AN fittings there champ.

 

[Mike 99GSX]

Nice teflon tape on -AN fittings there champ.

Haha. But seriously, teflon tape on -AN fittings is a no no.


http://www.columbusdsm.com/members/Mike_Colapietro/member_Mike_C.htm

Here's a link to some shots of my cell setup. Unfortunately its a 2g and I don't have any closeups but basically what I did was build a flat aluminum panel and cut out the area where the cell's sump goes to. It then gravity feeds the filter and Aeromotive pump. Another thing that a smarter person told me was to not use the other sumped port for the return because it can cause some turbulence in the feed area. I retapped another hole on the top of the cell and I'm using the other top port as the vent going up into the old power antenna hole.

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

:shrug:

They don't leak. Granted it's not the right way to do it, but at the time, I didn't know.

 

[89PROOF]

I got my lines & fittings from Speedway Motors, and saved a good bit over Jegs and Summit prices. Their service is excellent, as is the quality. Website is a little confusing to navigate tho. My pump, filters, and regulator are on order from JDSPerformance, and hopefully will arrive tomorrow. Saved a good bit over Summit & Jegs with them also, and got free shipping. Fuel cell was from Jegs, and rail from Fuel Injector Clinic. For what I've spent on the fuel system, I could have bought a ball-bearing Garrett...

Jegs Aluminum 15 Gallon Cell - $200
Braided Stainless Line, AN Fittings, Aluminum Fuel Line - ~$425
Aeromotive A1000 Pump - $275
Aeromotive Filters - $150
Aeromotive Regulator - $150
Replacement Fuel Gauge - $50
FIC Fuel Rail - $175

Thats $1425 by a quick estimation, and doesn't include the price of injectors. There's cheaper ways of doing it, granted. Keep in mind that you can use aluminum hard line and not have to run braided stainless all the way from the back of the car to the front, and back again, using tube nuts, couplers, and a 37 degree flaring tool. Just use braided stainless where you need a flexible connection or room to service a fuel filter, and you can get by with just a few feet of stainless line.

 

[NDgsx]

Here's a link to some shots of my cell setup.

Nice job Mike, that's a very clean install.

Keep in mind that for roadracing most sanctioning bodies will NOT allow the poly or plain aluminum "cells". A real fuel cell has a bladder so that it will not rupture in an accident. They run about $600. When I bought the GSX shell it had a poly cell and I had to pull it out, no clubs would let me run open track days and I wasn't about to spend $600 on just the cell :thumbdown

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

NHRA rules state you can run a alum or plastic cell, but it MUST be firewalled off from the cockpit IIRC.

 

[Big Red AWD]

what material is needed to block off the cockpit?

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

Check NHRA's website, just a certain grade sheetmetal, but I don't recall the exact specs.

 

[Mike 99GSX]

It can also be aluminum but the thickness needs to be a little heavier. I don't remember the numbers offhand.

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

I don't think I'd want aluminum shielding my fuel cell for the possibility of an explosion...

 

[Turningturbo25]

How do you put an aftermarket fuel cell where the stock one is and not cut threw the floor...You use that jaz filler neck? I dont want to have to fill the tank in the hatch and have to do all that firewall shit. It just seems like a huge pain in the ass..

 

[Mirage2LTurbo]

Remove the stock cell, and use the supplied mounting brackets to attach it to the underside of the trunk. I'd still get some sheet metal and construct a shield around the cell, being it is a plastic cell exposed to the elements. You'd have to adapt the stock filler tube to mate to either the cell filler hole, or cut another hole in the top of it and run an AN lines to the gas door. It'd be more trouble.