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Fuel Cell setup... **Saturday night update**

Avery4jc

Avery4jc

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I finally have the time to get back to the k10 back end project so this evening I started by gutting a bunch of old wires, the old crossover fuel lines and both tanks/skids.
It's amazing how much space is cleared up with these old saddle tanks out!

I cut some pieces of angle iron and flat bar that I have to weld up at work tomorrow for the frame that the cell will mount to and I picked up some -8AN to barb fittings to plumb it all up.

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I bet I shaved a good chunk of weight not only from ditching the tanks but from loosing all the dirt/sand packed around the tanks! :D

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I also picked up some expanded metal to span between the frame rails...
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Sorry about the crappy pics, I was using a different camera than I normally use and apparently I didn't have it set right. :dunno:
 
Don't use the feet that are on the tank to hold it down. They will crack the tank as the welds flex.

When using an AL. tank you need to hold it down with metal straps and a cradle system on the bottom. The only way to successfully keep an AL tank from cracking is to pinch it in place with metal straps.
 
ryoken said:
I like the tank....
Click to expand...

Me too! We liked how slim it was and that it'd span between the frame rails. It's 17 gallons so I figure between that and two 5 gallon cans I'd be set for most trips.

miniwally said:
Don't use the feet that are on the tank to hold it down. They will crack the tank as the welds flex.

When using an AL. tank you need to hold it down with metal straps and a cradle system on the bottom. The only way to successfully keep an AL tank from cracking is to pinch it in place with metal straps.
Click to expand...

I'll take some pictures once I get it in and see what you guys think. I'm using the angle iron along the bottom to support the bottom so the weight isn't on the tabs. I cut some flat bar that I'm going to weld onto the angle iron in the middle so it'll sandwich the tank sides and keep them from bowing in and out.
Once I get it done take a look at the pictures and tell me what you think...
 
I put the front part of the floor in last night and tonight I had time to get the cell strapped down. Tomorrow after work I'll plumb it all up and hopefully get it running. :)

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Also on a non-related note my dad came home with some goodies to help out for the upcoming trip to the dunes. What a guy, a pair of 100w slim lights and a cool deflator I used last time we were wheelin' with some guys from church that pulls the valve stem for faster air downs. :)

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I liked the idea of it being compact and not hanging over the frame or having to take up a bunch of bed space. My old tanks were supposedly 13 gallons or so but I could only use about 10 before it would slosh around too much.
I figure 17 will be plenty for almost everything I do. Heck when we're in Pismo I'm only a 5 minute drive away from gas stations and last time I took a trip up to the mountains I drove up, wheeled all day and drove home on about 14 gallons.
 
You need to reconsider your mounting method. Don't bolt the cell directly to the frame using those feet. You will damage the cell do to frame flex. You need to build a frame or cradle that will hold the cell, and mount that to the frame. Our race cars use a cage built from square tube that completely surounds the cell, and has tabs to bolt to the chassis.
 
71chevy4x4 said:
You need to reconsider your mounting method. Don't bolt the cell directly to the frame using those feet. You will damage the cell do to frame flex. You need to build a frame or cradle that will hold the cell, and mount that to the frame. Our race cars use a cage built from square tube that completely surounds the cell, and has tabs to bolt to the chassis.
Click to expand...


Yeah that cell is not going to last long like that.
 
^^^^^^

With that mounting you will have a gas leaker not gas tank.

Don't use the mounting points the put on the cell. Cut the damn things off and capture the bottom with the angle iron frame. Then put two hold down straps on that sandwich the tank (the bolts need to run vertical) not Horizontal like you have that 1 bolt.

Spend some time looking at desert car stuff. They have this down.
 
Now that you all mentioned frame flex that does make sense. I'll plumb it tonight so I can get it pulled off the lawn and I'll work on something else this weekend. I'll go browse racedezert and see what I can find for inspiration.
 
I cut the tabs off the bottom of the tank and made some new brackets out of angle iron to sandwich the base of the tank in place. So the angle iron is bolted to the frame but the tank is just sandwiched between it all.
Tomorrow I'll mess around with some different straps but I think this should work for the bottom.


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That a kid

you got the bottom now just hold it down. I think in the Blue torch fab KOH car thread on Pirate they show a few good pics of their dimple die hold down brackets.

Or maybe it was a Jimmeys outback car. Anyway there are starting to be more and more good ideas on pirate as well. Pay attention to the high dollar KOH rigs as they seem to be the most advanced in the fab dept.
 
Ok cool, I wasn't sure if that was going to pass the test. :)
I'll figure up some sort of strap system but first things first I have to get it plumbed and running tomorrow after work.
 
might as well cut the tabs off teh top too, i'd be slicing my arm open on them at some point.
 
YZEATER said:
might as well cut the tabs off teh top too, i'd be slicing my arm open on them at some point.
Click to expand...

Too late, between those stupid tabs and cutting the expanded metal I have a few good slices. :D
Those tabs on the tank are pretty sharp though. Next time I have the cut off wheel going I'll slice them off.
 
I plumbed the cell up and hopped in the truck expecting to spend a ton of time getting it to fire up but to my surprise a quick flick of the key and it was sitting there idling like a champ....







.... for about 30 seconds. :doah:

Long story short I had the send/return lines backwards so once I switched those and gave the truck a jump it fired up and runs like a champ.
The walls of the cell suck in after it's been running for a minute or so (not much but enough to notice)... is that normal? I knew it pulled a little vacuum in there but I wasn't expecting it to suck the walls in.
 
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