Fuel cell idea

Mineral01 · Aug 31, 2004

Well, after deciding that I would like my Mustang to be safe as possible, I wanna go with a fuel cell to replace the thin walled stock tank.

After looking at the diff. mustang specific tanks, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative. Then I found this tank...

It's made by RCI. Has an 8AN feed AND return line (good since I wanna go EFI), is baffled and foam filled. Dimensions are 30"x9"x12". The stock tank body is 30" wide also so this tank could fit in the stock location. Since this tank is not as long and deeper, it could be moved forward enough to be out of harms way. Plus all the benifits of being baffled, etc...

Anyone done anything like this before? Wish I could do a search on the subject....

1320stang · Aug 31, 2004

But does it have a bladder in it? That's the expensive part. Would you have any part of it hanging down out of the trunk like the stock cell does or would it all be in the trunk? If you're moving it forward, you'll obviously not be able to use the factory filler, how will you fill it up? Eleanor style?

Have you tried a search for the companies that sell used NASCAR stuff? Try finding a used fuel cell from them.

dodgestang · Aug 31, 2004

Uhhh, you can get fuel cells from summit for only a couple hundred dollars that with just a little bracketry work fit in the stock location and would not hang down low.

Here it is from Summit:
http://store.summitracing.com/defau...tk=KeywordSearch&Ntt=summit+fuel+cell&x=0&y=0

Then you just need to buy a sender and some different piping to hook it up to fill from the stock location.

I bought the one pictured from someone else who 'needed' a more advanced fuel cell for a specific race class he wanted to run....so I lucked out since he had laready made the brackets to drop it into the stock 65 mustang location.

1320stang · Aug 31, 2004

Well, you can get plastic or aluminum cells for under $100, but he's talking safety. Neither of which, in my opinion, offer much more safety than the stock fuel tank. A tank with a safety bladder I doubt can be had for a couple hundred dollars, I'm guessing 4 or 5 on up. I know there are some Mustang specific ones being sold for I think $899.

dodgestang · Aug 31, 2004

I don't know much about fuel cells admittedly, but the write up says:

Steel case with plastic bladder...so it 'sounds' safer than a stock tank. Plus it has foam so no more slosh slosh sounds

Mineral01 · Aug 31, 2004

I don't think a bladder would be needed since the cell is getting moved forward. If the tank was hit being that far forward, you have other problems because somebody just smashed into you going really damn fast....

Anyway, I know you can buy cells like the one you have Dodgestang, but that still puts the cell up against the back of the car.

The only thing that has me puzzled is how do I fill the damn thing.

63_Fairlane · Aug 31, 2004

ATI and Fuel Safe make some nice generic cells that are cheaper than the custom Mustang jobs, but you have to fabricate the mounting system to make them work. If you can do the fabrication yourself then you can save a few hundred dollars. However, if you don't have the necessary skills or time to build the appropriate brackets, a purpose built cell is the way to go.

Also, a steel cell is a necessity if mounted under the car. If the cell is protected in the trunk then an aluminum unit will be OK. I would still prefer the extra protection afforded by a steel cell. IMHO

66P51GT · Aug 31, 2004

Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
Blue Ribbon Panel
Fuel Safe Bladder Tank Test Status

Read this to help your decision: http://www.cvpi.com/bladder_tank_test.htm

The bottom line from the study:

As of now, no fuel tank bladder meets Ford’s industry leading requirements for the Police Interceptor, and therefore we do not support the aftermarket product offered to police fleets by Fuel Safe.

Swede958 · Aug 31, 2004

I'd heard about the foam disitigrating before... kinda turned me off to the whole foam filled bladder idea. Sure your fine for 3000 hours, but after that you gotta buy a new pump, new lines, and at the very least rebuild your carb or new injectors if your EFI.

Seems to me the way to go to make everyone happy is a modern baffled syle fuel tank, made with heavy duty steel (14ga?), and some sort of barrier to seal off the cabin. NO fancy have-to-replace foam, can be fabbed with a little skill, and simple.
I'm considering a custom tank in the future, then I will have two walls between the trunk and cabin. One will seal off completely underneath the package tray to the trunk, the other will seal off the area underneath the package tray to the cabin. In this space is going the starter solonoid, the main fuse box when I rewire my car, and the efi computer if I go that route. Depeding on everything else the battery may go there as well.

THe Swede

63_Fairlane · Aug 31, 2004

Ok. They cut up a standard tank and place a bladder through the cutout. This is the wrong approach in so many ways I can't even count them. The cutting process introduces metal shavings. The "stock tank wasn't meant to be cut open and resealed, so there is no way they can expect to achieve their pressure goals. Bladders are designed to go into purpose built fuel cells, a metal box, preferably steel to protect it from things like metal filings, rocks, road debris, etc.

One other issue, certain new fuels will destroy the bladder and foam faster than other gasoline formulations.

Fuel cells and bladders are really racing items and as such require a certain level of inspection to be completely safe.

bnickel · Aug 31, 2004

Swede958 said:
I'd heard about the foam disitigrating before... kinda turned me off to the whole foam filled bladder idea. Sure your fine for 3000 hours, but after that you gotta buy a new pump, new lines, and at the very least rebuild your carb or new injectors if your EFI.

Seems to me the way to go to make everyone happy is a modern baffled syle fuel tank, made with heavy duty steel (14ga?), and some sort of barrier to seal off the cabin. NO fancy have-to-replace foam, can be fabbed with a little skill, and simple.
I'm considering a custom tank in the future, then I will have two walls between the trunk and cabin. One will seal off completely underneath the package tray to the trunk, the other will seal off the area underneath the package tray to the cabin. In this space is going the starter solonoid, the main fuse box when I rewire my car, and the efi computer if I go that route. Depeding on everything else the battery may go there as well.

THe Swede

swede, i ahve been studying doing something very similar to what you are describing and one thing i found out is that the area between the rear wheelwells and the quarter panel is open all the way through to the passenger compartment, with only the interior quartepanels as barrier. i ahve been planning on building a barrier to go in there but the difficult part is that the opening also goes all the way up to the top of the roof as well. look inside your trunk reall good next you are in it and you'll see what i'm talking about. so my thought is that barrier that goes between the rear seat and the trunk while somewhat effective is not going to offer as much protection as most people think. let's hear everyones thoughts on this

66P51GT · Aug 31, 2004

bnickel said:
swede, i ahve been studying doing something very similar to what you are describing and one thing i found out is that the area between the rear wheelwells and the quarter panel is open all the way through to the passenger compartment, with only the interior quartepanels as barrier. i ahve been planning on building a barrier to go in there but the difficult part is that the opening also goes all the way up to the top of the roof as well. look inside your trunk reall good next you are in it and you'll see what i'm talking about. so my thought is that barrier that goes between the rear seat and the trunk while somewhat effective is not going to offer as much protection as most people think. let's hear everyones thoughts on this

One should not think that a metal barrier between the trunk and interior will keep the interior from burning in case of a fire that starts in the rear. What it does provide is more time for occupants to get clear of the vehicle in case a fire does start. It also protects the rear seat area from getting sprayed with fuel which is highly flammable compared to a 14ga. steel panel.

$0.02

1320stang · Aug 31, 2004

I had a '67 vert that got broadsided on the passenger side at 45 mph and it moved the door and jambs in a foot. It split the fuel tank open at the front passenger corner, so the moving it forward isn't that great of an idea either. Luckily the car didn't catch on fire.

66P51GT · Aug 31, 2004

Here would be a good combo for safety sake even with a stock fuel tank:

Interior Barrier - Click Image

Tank Armor - Click Image

Booksix · Aug 31, 2004

Which fuel cell on the Summit page linked is the best one to use? How big is the stock stang tank?

Edit:
Wow, are they all foam insert? That doesn't sound too good if its hard on the car...

Swede958 · Sep 1, 2004

Yeah, my idea wouldn't be completely sealing off the trunk, at least I don't think. What I'm thinking of would actually be a pretty complete boxing in of the trunk. There would be a panal on the curved portion of the back of the trunk, then one along each of the spines running down the wheel well.

For simplicity these will not be welded in completely, probably bolted really close together for access to those areas. While they will definitely not completely contain the fire, it should be enough to allow people to escape. Though it will also severely decrease the amount of trunk space, I can live with an extra couple seconds to get out of a burning vehicle for it.

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