What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Little by little the El Camino" I bought last Fall to be used as a daily driver is becoming more of a hot rod project (street/strip) than I originally planned when I purchased it.

As many of you know I am ditching the V6 - three speed manual tranny for a built up/bored 350 - 4 bolt (400+ hp) 4 speed, etc, etc.

My latest plan is to replace the stock gas tank (which is seriously dented-in) with a FUEL CELL which will be mounted in the bed along with a fuel delivery system (electric fuel pump, filter, etc) and battery box.

For my application (street/strip).... which type of FUEL CELL would be best to use? A vinyl or aluminum one?

I have been looking at them on eBay and noticed that some of the vinyl fuel cells have "foam" inside them. Does the "foam" make those fuel cells more desireable than the ones that do not have "foam"??? Or is an aluminum fuel cell better to use than the vinyl ones??? I have seem BOTH of them used... so what would you recommend??? Thanks.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

best would be to use a fuel safe cell or something similar, ie FIA cert.

but... if you can find a alum. cell with foam.. or add foam to the cell

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Depends on what your doing really. The poly cells are generally lighter than the aluminum. The foam is to prevent fuel slosh which might uncover the outlet in a violent launching / wheelstanding car, or one that will be cornering on the street / track. If your mounting the cell IN the bed, and covering it with a tonneau cover, the Poly cell will be a little lighter. The aluminum cell a little prettier. If it's going UNDER the bed and exposed to the track / road, you will have to cover the the bottom and exposed sides of a poly cell with mandatory sheet metal 'box' (rules used to say 0.024 steel 0.032 aluminum but now it just says 'metal box'). That's not just a tech item, it's just good sense. Road debris on the street is more of a problem than it is on the track. Run over something and have it fly up ripping your cell open would be just flat UGLY!

SO, if it's exposed and you have to protect it anyways,, the aluminum cell makes the most sense, if it's protected inside the bed, a poly cell would be fine, but I'd get one with the foam for the street or strip.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

I never knew that you could ADD foam to a fuel cell that has none. From checking on eBay the fuel cells WITHOUT foam sell for MUCH less than the ones with foam already installed.

Both on eBay & Summit fuel cell foam is sold.... See you're NEVER to old to learn something.... Thanks

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

You bet, and it's also available because alcohol (including E-85 and the ethonol winter blend crap fuels) deteriorated the foam over time. When you start to see pieces of foam in the fuel filter, it's time for a change.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

keep in mind the foam isn't exactly cheap, so best to work out how much you actually need to determine which way is the cheaper way to go.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

I saw some (fuel cell foam ) on eBay that was $7 per sheet.... how much is usually found in a fuel cell and exactly how and how much is it placed in the cell???

As always, thanks for all your help & advice.....

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Sheets? i thought it was like spray foam...

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

it's usually filled quite a bit, and a space for the sender rod if you're running one.

but, you can fill the tank 100% with foam.. and only use up around 3% of the capacity since the foam is very porous.

say you'd need 5+ sheets of foam to fill the tank, so you're looking at an added cost of 40ish dollars to it... depending on the size of the cell/foam blocks

as for mounting it.. i believe it just says there.. tight around the edges kinda thing.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Summit and Jegs both sell it,RCI fuel cell foam,its 11.99 a block,blocks are 12x4x3 if IRC,and depending on the size of your cell you need alot,cheaper to buy a cell with the foam in.Ten blocks is $119.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Jegs has alot of Sweet ones but 90% have the pickup routed to the right rear corner i think for circle track use...would that screw with you on the street(like uncovering the pickup on a right turn or something?)

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

not really. only if you're cornering hard... or run it to empty.. and foam serves the purpose of reducing this effect.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

The more I think about it "where is the foam in a stock gas tank"???

I'm sure there must be baffles or something in an OEM gas tank to compensate for going around sharp turns & up/down steep hills.... much like the foam does.

But then ...as long as a fuel cell has a reasonable amount of gas in it I would suspect there would be NO need for foam????????

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

if you can get to the fuel cap vinyl is ok, such as in the bed but if you are going to be under the bed use aluminum the fittings on vinyl may have to be tighten every once in a while, and you have to go thru the cap to backup the nut

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

stock tanks don't really have baffles.. ones with in tank fuel pumps do but that's to keep the pump submerged in the fuel.

but no.. you can feel it, and even hear the fuel slosh around in a stock tank.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

If you ever want to run at the strip I think both NHRA and IHRA mandate foam in the cells.

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

Really!!! Did not know that.

If the bid prices on eBay were no so great between foam & non-foam tanks I wouldn't be asking/writing all of this.

So why do fuel cell manufacturers even sell cells w/o foam? Whether hard a hard launch at the drag strip, sharp cornering on the street of up or down a LONG STEEP hill the need for foam seems obvious. But again ..... as long as a fuel cell has a reasonable amount of gas in it I would suspect there would be NO need for foam???????? Or enough foam to prevent from sloshing away from the outlet.

I could see how ANY amount of foam would be BETTER than NONE.... same with the amount of gas in the cell.... not letting a cell get almost empty would be important .... and avoiding steep hills ...ha!!!!

Re: What type fuel cell is BEST to use?
 

One more thought from me.... I would also assume that a TALL/NARROWER [/B]fuel cell will be "less prone" to fuel starvation caused by "sloshing" where as a standard sized rectangular fuel cell (wider/deeper than tall) would be "more prone" to sloshing caused fuel starvation.

Speaking of "starvation"..... is that Easter ham & goodies ready yet!!! HA!!!

Everyone have a GREAT EASTER!!!!