Fuel Cell, whats involved?

[focusedrage]

forget the "its a waste of money" responses, i would like to know what would be involved in changing to a racing fuel cell, preferably placed where the spare would go (assuming i remove all that winshild nonsense)

I know i would need the cell, and sender (which would be oh so better then the inaccurate stocker), but how about pumps? would i get a external feul pump with the same specs as the one i would have gotten to uprgrade the stock pump?

How about the filler? would i be able to connect to the stock filler? or would i have to plumb one of those slick cap things?

Enlighten me.

 

[Defiant]

It's pretty much going to be an engineered-from-scratch job. All the things you mention will be options you'll have to decide. I don't know if the stock filler will be high enough for a tank sitting in the wheel well. You may want to cut out the floor of the well and drop it down some. Then what about a spare?
It'll be quite a project, but if you're good, it'd be slick.

 

[focusedrage]

Thanks, I figure if i were to do it, i would remove all the old fuel stuff, including filler, and probly run like a "d-cap" out of the back (with like a flip up licens plate or somthing.

The spare, , not when i have geico, also it is just extra weight.

By biggest unkonwn is the pump, cause i have seen a few external pumps that i think would be over kill. I know i would like at least 255 gph, but what pressure? and will a pump the flows more than that work?

 

[focusedrage]

whoa... i mean 255lph i belive you know... i guess i just want an external version of the standard uprgrade intank pump

 

[Lee'sGSX]

Hmmm...with fuel cell you would want to use external pump. Most cells that I have seen have the fuel feed out lets on the bottom. And you will want to go with bigger fuel lines, like 8- or 6-, also two good fuel filters. Aeromotive makes good fuel pumps!

 

[Blizz92tsi]

I've been kinda curious about this subject also. Is running a fuel cell inside the car a good idea? I showed a picture of a dsm with a cell in the hatch to my boss at work (he races dirt track cars) and he didn't think it seemed safe. He has his in the trunk of his monte with the trunk/backseat opening welded shut. I wonder if you could mount the fuel cell in the location of the stock gas tank, and then still be able to use the filler hole. Like Lee'sGSX said if you're gonna do a cell you might as well go all out with an hoses and fittings. For suggestions on the pump I'd talk to your hardcore race DSM guys to find out what kind of pump they're using with their cells.

 

[NDgsx]

If you use a true fuel cell (aluminum case and a seperate bladder) they can be mounted inside the car, although you will have to check your sanctioning bodies regulations on firewalls and tank location. A decent one will run you around $400-800. www.racerpartswholesale.com

If you get a polyethalyne (sp?) cell, like the ones summit sells, you must mount it outside of the cabin. These are absolutely terrible in a crash, very easy to break open. The fill door opening on these typically suck. I had one and absolutely hated it. They are NOT legal for any SCCA sanctioned events.

Most tanks have -8an or -10an outlets, I used -8an line. Make sure that your inline pump is mounted lower than the sump of the tank if it is a suction type pump (not all are). Keep in mind that most external pumps are rather loud, you could here my SX over the three inch exhaust w/o a muffler at idle. Some are better than others.
Make sure you mount a prefilter before the pump to screen out large junk.

Also you are going to need coilovers to adjust the ride height of the car afterwards. The rear end of my car was raised up 1" after installing the cell.

I had a fuel cell in my car, I now have a stock tank and lines again. I would never do it again and it was totally not worth it IMO.

 

[focusedrage]

wow, thanks for that update... yeah, i guess ill wait on that, seeign how much the real ones cost, i do want to do road racing at some point so i dont want to get somthign thats not sanctioned. thanks for the info

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by focusedrage

The spare, , not when i have geico, also it is just extra weight.

My bet is that you've never had to call them for a tow. AAA's response time for us is about 30 minutes, while we usually spend more time than that on the phone with Geico and the rest. Your name and policy number isn't enough- then it's the VIN, year of car, mileage on car, home phone, home zip, date of policy... did they write ANY of this down when they took your money? Oh, and about then.... the callbox times out....

 

[focusedrage]

... well still... i would rather have less wieght