Fuel Cell Installation, Fuel line and pickup Options

[MikeSpraggi]

I'm new to this and am looking for advice and direction for installing a fuel cell. I've purchased a 15 gallon ATL cell that I want to intall on the floor of the front trunk in my '70 soon to be six conversion.

I only have the cell, foam, fill plate and can. What I need help with is regarding what picks up the fuel inside the cell. I haven't seen any part that is called a fuel pickup on the ATL website. I really don't know what I'm looking for. Also, how would I (or can I) set up a fuel level guage similar to the stock guage, that is, a guage inside the car. This will primarily be a track car. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[degreeoff]

Hey Mike,

I used a cheap rci cell for mine. Picture are on the progress thread of mine. I know it came with a pickup on the top. I had to drill another on the bottom to keep my pump primed. Yours may be on top to. wait and see?

You ought stop by sometime as I am in Bowie....

Josh

Does yours look like this?

[drew365]

I don't know how much this will help you, but here are some pics of my installation. You need to know the ohm rate of the sender that is in your cell. You then need to use a fuel gauge that works within that ohm range. Mine was 0 to 90. I was unable to get my stock gauge to work but did get another working and mounted it in the dash where my heater controls used to be.

[MikeSpraggi]

Josh, I would like to come by, you're real close by. PM me with day/time I can stop by. I think I've found the fuel pickup on the ATL site. They have a number of Duck Foot pickups. I'm sure there's one for my cell.

Mike

Hey Mike,

I used a cheap rci cell for mine. Picture are on the progress thread of mine. I know it came with a pickup on the top. I had to drill another on the bottom to keep my pump primed. Yours may be on top to. wait and see?

You ought stop by sometime as I am in Bowie....

Josh

Does yours look like this?

[brant]

a dual pump pick up with an accumulator:

save 20lbs (avoid having to run your cell with 3 extra gallons)

fuel guage?.... a stick?

[MikeSpraggi]

Your setup looks like what I should have as my cell has the same outlets/inlets as yours. Could you explain where your three lines are terminating leaving your cell? Thanks.

I don't know how much this will help you, but here are some pics of my installation. You need to know the ohm rate of the sender that is in your cell. You then need to use a fuel gauge that works within that ohm range. Mine was 0 to 90. I was unable to get my stock gauge to work but did get another working and mounted it in the dash where my heater controls used to be.

[drew365]

Looking at my cell, the left line is the vent going to the charcoal cannister. The upper right line is the output going to the filter, Holly Red fuel pump, another filter and then back to the regulator before heading to the carbs. The lower right line is the return from the carbs. My car is an original 6 and always had a return line.

[stownsen914]

What I need help with is regarding what picks up the fuel inside the cell. I haven't seen any part that is called a fuel pickup on the ATL website. I really don't know what I'm looking for. Also, how would I (or can I) set up a fuel level guage similar to the stock guage, that is, a guage inside the car. This will primarily be a track car. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

For fuel pickup, the fuel cells usually have a "duck's foot" pickup that sits inside the cell and plumbed to a fitting on top of the cell for you to connect to your fuel pump. The duck's foot is just a fuel hose that terminates in a little flat thing that sits on the bottom of the fuel cell, and acts as the fuel pickup.

If you drive your car on the track, you'll want to pay some attention to this. For my 914 track car I have a single pickup and fuel pump, and I have had fuel starvation during long runs when my tank is half full (I have a 12 gallon cell). A dual pickup could help solve this. There also is a contraption the sits inside your fuel cell and is supposed to help. I forget what it's called, but it is basically a little box that has hinged trap doors that allow fuel in easily but not back out. Your fuel pickup sits inside this box. It is supposed to keep fuel near the pickup when your tank is running low. I think ATL and/or Fuel Safe sell something like this.

Scott

[MikeSpraggi]

What I need help with is regarding what picks up the fuel inside the cell. I haven't seen any part that is called a fuel pickup on the ATL website. I really don't know what I'm looking for. Also, how would I (or can I) set up a fuel level guage similar to the stock guage, that is, a guage inside the car. This will primarily be a track car. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

For fuel pickup, the fuel cells usually have a "duck's foot" pickup that sits inside the cell and plumbed to a fitting on top of the cell for you to connect to your fuel pump. The duck's foot is just a fuel hose that terminates in a little flat thing that sits on the bottom of the fuel cell, and acts as the fuel pickup.

If you drive your car on the track, you'll want to pay some attention to this. For my 914 track car I have a single pickup and fuel pump, and I have had fuel starvation during long runs when my tank is half full (I have a 12 gallon cell). A dual pickup could help solve this. There also is a contraption the sits inside your fuel cell and is supposed to help. I forget what it's called, but it is basically a little box that has hinged trap doors that allow fuel in easily but not back out. Your fuel pickup sits inside this box. It is supposed to keep fuel near the pickup when your tank is running low. I think ATL and/or Fuel Safe sell something like this.

Scott

Scott. I found the duck's foot in the fuel cell when I took the old foam out. I know the device you're speaking of, I believe it's called a surge tank. I'm thinking of going with either two duck's feet or the surge tank. Do you have any pics of your installation? Thanks

Mike.

[brant]

with an accumulator I've driven on track down to 1 cup of fuel left...

not 1 gallon, one cup

I've even had the first pump run dry, while driving with no cut out.

the accumulator system was developed for fuel injection where consistent pressure is everything. For actual racing, I would never use anything else. I start most sessions with between 4 and 5 gallons.
(weight savings....)

brant

[stownsen914]

with an accumulator I've driven on track down to 1 cup of fuel left...

not 1 gallon, one cup

I've even had the first pump run dry, while driving with no cut out.

the accumulator system was developed for fuel injection where consistent pressure is everything. For actual racing, I would never use anything else. I start most sessions with between 4 and 5 gallons.
(weight savings....)

brant

Brant,

When you say accumulator, is it the external surge tank (tall cylindrical thing) in the picture above? I assume you have two pumps, one to the accumulator and a second supplying the engine from the accumulator?

Scott

[brant]

[/quote]
Brant,
When you say accumulator, is it the external surge tank (tall cylindrical thing) in the picture above? I assume you have two pumps, one to the accumulator and a second supplying the engine from the accumulator?
Scott
[/quote]

yep...
the 2nd tank (the cylindrical one) can not slosh as its verticle

2 pumps...
when the 1st pump fills the surge tank it overflows back into the main cell
2nd pump goes to injection (carbs in my case)

I start my sessions with 4-5 gallons and return with 1 gallon

I start qualifying with 3 gallons
brant