Fuel cell for 240SX - s13??

[jamsilvia]

Hi guys -

I am currently running the stock fuel tank. A year or so ago, the internal baffles came untethered at the welds (and so would float around hitting things like the pump and fuel level sender), and so I just removed them. I've been running without them - but I'm sure the fuel pump is suffering from the lack of cooling fuel in long right handers (I don't see any fuel starvation issues - but I did seemingly fry a pump in under 3 weekends).

Anyway, I was considering either building a surge tank or just going with a fuel cell. I think the fuel cell is a smarter idea since the tank just hangs off the back in the "danger" zone. Granted, my cage builder made sure the rear cage points went as far rearward for at least some protection. Still, its not a great location when off-track.

So - is anyone running a fuel cell? What recommendations do people have for placement in these cars (its a 1992 240sx)??

Thanks a lot guys!
joe

[DavidM]

I've got a cell in my car. It's a 10 gallon Fuel Safe with the pro bladder. It's pretty much stuffed with foam and there's a surge compartment in the middle where the fuel pump is located. It came with the car and I haven't had any issues with the setup. Location is as far forward in the trunk as it can be without hit the diff. Mine is offset a little to the passenger side. Not sure if that was intentional for cross weight or just the way it came out.

Don't forget that with a fuel cell you'll need to build a panel that separates the cell from the driver's compartment. Mine is some sheet metal riveted in place. You'll also have to fab a support to hold the cell. Using the sheet metal of the trunk as part of the support is not a good idea BTW. That's how mine came and it eventually broke.

David

[jamsilvia]

So, is yours mounted under the trunk sheet metal, or actually in the trunk???

I thought you only needed the bulkhead metal in case that there was no separation between the driver and the cell.

Thanks for the info, though. The placement idea helps - and I'd guess that I'd offset to the right side too (both for a little cross-weight, and because the exhaust can run up the driver's side)

joe

[erlrich]

I put a cell in mine - mainly in an attempt to save a little weight - and ended up putting it under the floor. Actually, I cut out the spare tire area of the floor, made up a frame from 1"x1" square tubing, fastened it to the floor, and bolted the cell up to that. The frame has an aluminum cover (1/8" I think) covering it, with a little door in the center to access the fill hole in the cell.

After all was said and done it was pretty much an exercise in futility; the cell + framework + pump weighs almost exactly the same as the oem tank w/pump, and the section of the floor I cut out weighed about 2 lbs. Plus the cell sits just as far to the rear as the oem tank did (the rear sub-frame & diff limits how far forward you can put it), and it hangs down a little lower. I'm actually thinking about re-doing the frame to move it up a couple of inches. Oh, and did I mention that I had absolutely no problem at all with the stock tank? All in all, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't.

[Tristan Smith]

I suggest you get another stock tank. As long as the baffle around the fuel pump is in good shape, you shouldn't need a fuel cell. I raced mine with a stock tank and never had any issues with fuel pick up. Wish I could say the same with the 300zx, ha!

[DavidM]

My cell install is fairly simple. A hole cut in the floor of the trunk to allow the cell body to fit through. The "lip" of the cell sits on the trunk floor so that the top of the cell is exposed in the trunk. Hence the need for the bulkhead. I had to add some brackets to support the top of the cell since there's a big gap where the spare tire sat. 1x1 square tubing is used to form the support around and under the cell. Like I said before, the sheet metal of the trunk floor is not good for support. The hardest part is connecting the fuel pump and return lines to the stock fuel tank lines. You'll have to cut a couple holes and run some line through them to the stock connectors.

I like having the cell and will be moving it over to the new tub.

David

[jamsilvia]

Thanks for all the input, guys! I have some thinking now about which way to go (guess it'll depend on the differences in price).

joe