Lets hear about which fuel cell's you guys are using. I am seriously thinking about bobbing the rear - but my delima is, I want to keep the rear seat. I am thinking about the RCI 15 gallon Street rod fuel cell in Summit racing. Do any of you run this fuel cell? Also, is 15 gallons enough for a truck that might see highway time? It gets around 14 on the highway I think. I just didn't want to fill up 70 times on the way to Moab next year! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
CK5
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Fuel Cell tech
- Thread starter Mudzer
- Start date
Well at 14 mpg on a 15 gallon tank you would run out at 210 miles. I'm going to run a 42 gallon in the truck and dual 38's in the willys.
This is also something I'm interested in. I've considered 15-20 gallon versions from various sources, but can't find one that fits where/how I want it to fit. I also want to keep the GM in tank sender and pump that I now have. I'll probably wind up building one like Frisbie's(sp?) but down below the bed floor.
The Summit catalog shows the regular price for the RCI fuel cells. But if you look on the "Specials" page in the front, they're really $70 off right now. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
But 15 gallons wouldn't be enough IMHO for a road trip. Stopping that often gets to be a hassle on a long trip. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I really like the 42 gallon tank in our '94 Sub. That makes for a LOT of non-stop driving! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
But 15 gallons wouldn't be enough IMHO for a road trip. Stopping that often gets to be a hassle on a long trip. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I really like the 42 gallon tank in our '94 Sub. That makes for a LOT of non-stop driving! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I had a 20 gal RCI aluminum cell with the 90 ohm guage sender in my old K10. It worked really well and the sender worked with my OE guage perfectly.
Things to think about getting: a roll-over vent valve to go in the cell @ the vent and a filler neck base with a flap to shut off fuel if the vehicle turns over.
My only real complaint was that filling it was a b!tch!! Not having it hooked to the OE filler neck was a real inconvenience. Mine was lifted 10" with the cell mounted in the bed, climbing into the bed with a gas pump hose SUCKS! Do yourself a favor and spend some money on a filler neck, there are a lot of accessories that will work for us in the circle track market.
Personally, I would be afraid of having a cell in the passenger compartment without some sort of firewall.
Things to think about getting: a roll-over vent valve to go in the cell @ the vent and a filler neck base with a flap to shut off fuel if the vehicle turns over.
My only real complaint was that filling it was a b!tch!! Not having it hooked to the OE filler neck was a real inconvenience. Mine was lifted 10" with the cell mounted in the bed, climbing into the bed with a gas pump hose SUCKS! Do yourself a favor and spend some money on a filler neck, there are a lot of accessories that will work for us in the circle track market.
Personally, I would be afraid of having a cell in the passenger compartment without some sort of firewall.
gotmud77
1/2 ton status
What is the benifit of running a fuel cell. With the blazer you would almost have to put it into the passenger compartment and just think if it was not vented right. There are alot of bad situations that i can think of. If you had a truck you could put in down in the floor and you would not have any problems. I would be a little afraid of putting it in to the floor of a blazer.
Here are a the parts I was talking about,
Roll-over vent valve (pictured as it would be installed in the roof of the cell)
Filler neck base with flapper valve to shut off fuel if inverted (pictured upside down to show flapper valve)
Roll-over vent valve (pictured as it would be installed in the roof of the cell)
Filler neck base with flapper valve to shut off fuel if inverted (pictured upside down to show flapper valve)
I'm in the process of building a fuel tank right now. I'm tig welding an aluminum one to fit in the factory location and a smller one to go in front of the axle. Both tucked up as high as possible. The only way to get exactly what you want is to build it yourself! I would say 15 gallons isn't enough. That's why I'm putting in two tanks. I'll still only get 35 gallons but its better than the single in the rear. It only holds 20.
B4 you resort to building your own (something I highly endorse if you've the fab skills) check out the plastic marine fuel tanks offered by Overton's and West Marine. They are basically the same construction as the plastic JAZ cells, less the foam. They come in a variety of shapes & sizes.
If you are going to build your own, think about baffles a lot. If you're EFI'd or think you might be in the future this is particularly important. They can be simple, deliberately poorly fitted flat interior panels, or they can be a series of overlapping < > type shapes arranged around the pick-up. The one aftermarket tank I've seen with such < > baffles had about 1/2" btwn the parallel plates.
If you are going to build your own, think about baffles a lot. If you're EFI'd or think you might be in the future this is particularly important. They can be simple, deliberately poorly fitted flat interior panels, or they can be a series of overlapping < > type shapes arranged around the pick-up. The one aftermarket tank I've seen with such < > baffles had about 1/2" btwn the parallel plates.
TXsizeK5
1/2 ton status
What about those toolbox/gas tanks as a backup or only fill for long trips. Have you seen those things? I am thinking about getting one of those. And using a 15 gallon cell in the bed and removing the gas tank completely.
[ QUOTE ]
B4 you resort to building your own (something I highly endorse if you've the fab skills) check out the plastic marine fuel tanks offered by Overton's and West Marine.
[/ QUOTE ]
hmmmm... overton has a poly tank, 26 gallon, for $114. not bad! wowzers, west marine has an even cooler selection, including a 25 gallon tank that is 51"L x 8 3/4"W x 19 5/8"H... that might be perfect to tuck behind the s-10 cab... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
thanks much for the idea of checkin marine supply places!!!
j
B4 you resort to building your own (something I highly endorse if you've the fab skills) check out the plastic marine fuel tanks offered by Overton's and West Marine.
[/ QUOTE ]
hmmmm... overton has a poly tank, 26 gallon, for $114. not bad! wowzers, west marine has an even cooler selection, including a 25 gallon tank that is 51"L x 8 3/4"W x 19 5/8"H... that might be perfect to tuck behind the s-10 cab... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
thanks much for the idea of checkin marine supply places!!!
j
laketex
3/4 ton status
Neil, back when i had my old black truck bobbed, I went 13" off the bed to the rear shackle. I used the 20 gal aluminum rci unit with the gm sender/sump/rollover valve. A trick to save money is to use JIC hydraulic fittings for your cell. Just get the thing in and take it down to your local GOOD autoparts or tractor parts store. They have a slightly different bevel, but nothing that affects us even in a rollover.
That said, my rci cell fit perfectly with my rear seat. I still had 1" before the bed ended, but i didn't run with a tailgate. However I did bob a bit too much...about 1" forward of the rear of the shackle. You might search the forums for old pics of my truck and have a gander...
Bryan
That said, my rci cell fit perfectly with my rear seat. I still had 1" before the bed ended, but i didn't run with a tailgate. However I did bob a bit too much...about 1" forward of the rear of the shackle. You might search the forums for old pics of my truck and have a gander...
Bryan
marv_springer
1/2 ton status
Well, I guess I've had/installed 3 fuel cells.... This one is the latest.
The first 2 were plastic (from Summit) and I've hated both of them because over time/heat the shape distorted badly. On one, the top (where the fill hole is) sunk in so bad that if you spilled a beer on the fuel cell, it would puddle up all around the filler cap. Then once it rained /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and filled my tank w/ water /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif....
So, now I'm sold on a metal cell. This one in the FunBuggy looks cool, won't shrivel, and costs about $220 /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif from Summit. Biggest problem I've got is that the foam in it seems to be shedding - which is cloggin' up my "pre-pump" filter in about 20 minutes of run time.
So.... tis the ?: to foam or not to foam?! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Marv
The first 2 were plastic (from Summit) and I've hated both of them because over time/heat the shape distorted badly. On one, the top (where the fill hole is) sunk in so bad that if you spilled a beer on the fuel cell, it would puddle up all around the filler cap. Then once it rained /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif and filled my tank w/ water /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif....
So, now I'm sold on a metal cell. This one in the FunBuggy looks cool, won't shrivel, and costs about $220 /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif from Summit. Biggest problem I've got is that the foam in it seems to be shedding - which is cloggin' up my "pre-pump" filter in about 20 minutes of run time.
So.... tis the ?: to foam or not to foam?! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Marv
yeah, that foam junk is crap. doesnt seem to do much other than cause problems with normal pump gas. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
kinda sux that the material they use for poly fuel cells is soooo thin and warps etc. One alternative might be to use one of those poly gas tank replacements that they sell in JC Whitney.. maybe they are a little heavier? I like the idea of a tank that is light and cant rust. that pretty much means it has to be AL or plastic... and the former is usually spendy. What I need to do is learn how to weld AL and make my own. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
at any rate, it seems like someone that can do AL could make some $ here by making custom sized tanks for fellow ck5'ers....
j
kinda sux that the material they use for poly fuel cells is soooo thin and warps etc. One alternative might be to use one of those poly gas tank replacements that they sell in JC Whitney.. maybe they are a little heavier? I like the idea of a tank that is light and cant rust. that pretty much means it has to be AL or plastic... and the former is usually spendy. What I need to do is learn how to weld AL and make my own. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
at any rate, it seems like someone that can do AL could make some $ here by making custom sized tanks for fellow ck5'ers....
j
Yukon Jack
1/2 ton status
A guy I found out about from another site built this tank for me out of aluminum. I had it powder coated locally. He is pretty talented and will make you what ever you want. THis tank has numerous baffles and he can set it up for whatever sending unit style you want and various filler neck options. I can't recall whether we can plug another persons products so PM me if you want his website link or if someone lets me know I can post a link, let me know and I will edit this post with his website.
Here is an ablum on the tanks construction.
Gas Tank Album
Here is an ablum on the tanks construction.
Gas Tank Album
