2G Fuel System Help

[geosok]

Hey all, hope all my fellow dsm peeps are doing well. It's been a while but I've been looking into some different upgrades/changes now that I've completed all the other projects on my car and I started researching fuel cells and fuel systems in general and have a few more noobish questions I'm hoping you all can help with.

I'm trying to get a grasp on how the complete system works, am I on the right track with the following? 99 GSX for reference -

Gas tank, fuel line to sender unit under rear seat where fuel pump is, fuel line to fuel rail, fuel rail to injectors, fuel then goes boom and car goes vroooom, correct? Oops, forgot fuel filter in there, missing anything else? Is there a return line back to the tank off the other side of fuel rail or somewhere?

The big question, let's say I remove my gas tank and fuel sender unit. Can I now install a fuel cell with pump and just run longer fuel lines directly to fuel rail? Would I need to run a new electrical system or can I "extend" what is currently on the sender unit back to the new pump/cell?

Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking into installing a fuel cell as a new project but would love to have a better grasp on everything first before I pick up a wrench.

Thanks in advance as always.

 

[pauleyman]

Yes there is a fuel return. Yes you can extend lines as necessary. Given the very basic nature of your questions I have to ask....why do you need a fuel cell?

 

[geosok]

Thanks for the info. Needing a fuel cell isn't exactly my issue, it's more about wanting one. I've been dealing with a fuel fume issue ever since I purchased the car in December and having gone through numerous threads and the vfaq's and doing the required/recommended repairs the smell is still really bad. I started looking into other options and came across fuel cells in dsms as well as numerous other car threads on installing them. I was intrigued but having never done a fuel system upgrade like that I wanted to start off with the most basic questions, even if they come across as grade school level, I like having a really solid foundation before I dive into something I've never done. I don't mind looking like an idiot as long as I get the info I need to do something correctly.

 

[pauleyman]

I would suggest making the proper repairs and not installing a fuel cell. Your problem likely lies in the fuel lines. A gasket or some part of emissions. Solve the root cause. Does the system have any braided line already?

 

[geosok]

The previous owner and his mechanic friend did all of the emissions delete work as well as installing new fuel lines (not braided), fuel pump and the other items. They couldn't figure out the smell but didn't really care because it was a weekend drag car, I have turned it into a daily/weekend twisties car. I ran down all the info I could a few months ago and found that what they missed was seating the gasket in the sender unit correctly. I took care of that and the smell went way down but it is still there. I have since gone over every inch of the thing looking for leaks, cracks, seeping, anything that would explain it but I can't seem to find the issue. That's what brought me to looking at new gas tanks and then on to fuel cells because of the info that's floating around out there.

I understand the pitfalls of the fuel cell, needing to install it differently than an OEM tank, as well as a fire wall for safety. At this point I am most interested in finding out what it would entail. Even if all I end up doing is running new fuel lines in the current setup or finding the leak that I have somehow missed I'd still love to have the info or at least know where to look for what goes in to installing a cell.

Thanks again

 

[91talonts1]

My talon has a 16 gal pro stock style cell. The way I did mine required cutting the spare tire well out, and welding in bars to mount it to. It was a good bit of work and permanent modification to the chassis.
There are a couple cells made out there specifically for the 2g awd that mount like stock. Like the Frontline Fab. I don't know of any still being produced but any skilled fabricator could build one. I would think you'd need a cell with baffling not just a sump in a car you use for fun on twisty roads.

Is the fuel vapor you smell permeating from the fuel lines themselves maybe? What was done with the fuel tank vent line when emissions were deleted?

 

[geosok]

Hey 91, that sounds like a slick setup and very similar to some of the pics and threads I've been scouring the last week in regards to installing a cell. I hacked out all the wheel well uprights and put it sound/heat shielding for the fiberglass sub box that I built above it. The "hole" really lets the bass waves expand, . I saw the frontline fab tank but from what I could tell it isn't being made anymore, they do make a nice looking metal cover for the wheel well if you go the fuel cell route though, so that's nice.

Thanks for the tip on the baffling, I was looking into foam too as I came across that info.

It's really hard to pinpoint the smell at this point, it seems to come from everywhere now. After not finding leaks or any sign of seeping at connections I thought I had it figured out when I fixed the sender unit gasket but no dice. I was told that the vent lines and fuel lines were all re-run stock and I haven't seen anything that would make me think otherwise. I assumed that with the emissions delete I would be able to tell right away where the fumes were coming from if the vent line was running up front but without a canister to absorb the smell.

The confusion on figuring out something seemingly so simple is what got me started on the fuel cell track.

 

[pauleyman]

Hey 91, that sounds like a slick setup and very similar to some of the pics and threads I've been scouring the last week in regards to installing a cell. I hacked out all the wheel well uprights and put it sound/heat shielding for the fiberglass sub box that I built above it. The "hole" really lets the bass waves expand, . I saw the frontline fab tank but from what I could tell it isn't being made anymore, they do make a nice looking metal cover for the wheel well if you go the fuel cell route though, so that's nice.

Thanks for the tip on the baffling, I was looking into foam too as I came across that info.

It's really hard to pinpoint the smell at this point, it seems to come from everywhere now. After not finding leaks or any sign of seeping at connections I thought I had it figured out when I fixed the sender unit gasket but no dice. I was told that the vent lines and fuel lines were all re-run stock and I haven't seen anything that would make me think otherwise. I assumed that with the emissions delete I would be able to tell right away where the fumes were coming from if the vent line was running up front but without a canister to absorb the smell.

The confusion on figuring out something seemingly so simple is what got me started on the fuel cell track.

Are you sure there are no braided lines anywhere? These are sometimes a source of fuel smell.

 

[geosok]

I'm going to double check everything but I don't recall seeing a braided line anywhere I looked during my leak hunt

 

[chrysler kid]

My bone stock 96 gst reeks of gasoline once it's warmed up and the ecu triggers the purge valve from the charcoal canister

Long story short if the fuel smell only happens after the car has been warmed up for a while you're smelling the odors from a failed charcoal canister

If it reeks all the time you're probably running a vented breather off of the valve cover, and the gas smell is typical crank case blow by smell that occurs naturally in the engine, and the reason why the valve cover is vented back into the intake to the turbo, so you don't smell that crankcase churn smell

Comon noob! It's easier to trouble shoot a factory car than a hacked up project car

 

[geosok]

Chrysler Kid, thanks for the input. I get where you're coming from, definitely easier to trouble shoot factory over someone else's decisions on a build plus your own.

The smell is a constant problem, it doesn't really get better or worse with the car running other than driving with the windows down and getting fresh air flowing, .

The valve cover is vented back into the intake so that's another thing that doesn't make sense about the smell being a constant issue